The Youth Vote

As I was sitting in line to vote today, I noticed that there weren't many folks braving the cold with me who were in my age bracket: the youth vote. Apparently we came out full force for Barack Obama back in 2008, but what's happening this year? The media usually says that we are apathetic, but this year they are also pushing the overall prediction that Republicans are more energized this year and the electorate (not just the election) will reflect that.

However, I have a different assessment. I should be a classic shoe-in for voting. I'm passionate, always willing to give my opinion, I enjoy researching candidates and I'm a former social studies teacher. In general, I'm one of those people who just cares. But I remember the shame of not voting in the 2006 midterm election when I found a candidate I really liked and even though he won, I couldn't say I elected him. I wanted to vote, but I didn't. What is the disconnect? For me, the problem wasn't the typical type of apathy--it was location disillusionment/confusion. I didn't want to vote because I didn't feel connected to the place where I found myself.

In 2004, I voted for the first time in my hometown because I felt more connected to that place. I knew the candidates and felt that I had a stake in what happened there. Not everyone can drive 2.5 hours to go home to vote on election day. In 2006, I didn't want to place a vote in an area that I would leave in a few months due to college graduation. Why should I make decisions for a place I will leave? Why should my vote based on temporary residency cancel out a committed, lifelong resident? In 2008, I felt more stable and connected to the local area I was in, so I felt comfortable voting. A Presidential election year feels more pressing, but I'm often tempted to vote for only national-level politicians because it has a broader connection with me. Now in 2010, I feel unstable again because I have no idea where I will go next, but I voted this year because my Christian Ethics class made me deal with giving to Caesar what is Caesars--in this case, my vote. So I will vote because of a theological conviction, but the location paralysis still gets me.

I think that this issue of location and sense of place is definitely a contributing factor to why young people don't vote and it is often ignored. We are a homeless, unstable people. We want to be involved, want to let our thoughts be heard, but we are insecure about where we belong in local communities. If someone can figure out this dilemma, I think they may have just tapped into the youth vote.