Is it True that Young Liberals don't Actually Vote?

Question

I heard on the radio that young liberals are good at protesting and acitivism, but don't really have a high voter turnout...Is that true?

Let's clarify...those of voting age...(still young)

Answer 1

Most young people don't vote in general no matter what their party so attaching liberal to the argument that most young people don't vote is nothing more than propaganda. It is true that most young liberal people don't vote but it is also true that most young conservative people don't vote.

Answer 2

Young liberals (18-22) tend to be college students. They usually are not allowed to vote in their college town (although this has changed by law in some states), and getting registered and voting by absentee ballot in one's home area is complicated, and students may not know who the candidates really are and what they stand for in an area where they no longer really reside.

Statistics also tend to overestimate how many young people fail to vote. A student may be registered in his/her parent's home precinct and then succeed in registering and voting in the area where they attend college. They stay on the voter rolls in the parent's precinct and are counted as non-voters, although they actually voted someplace else.

Even young people of voting age who are not students tend to move a lot, get married and change their names, etc. They may stay on the registration lists in a former place of residence (and maybe under a former name) for several years before they are purged from those lists. And for all that time they are considered no-shows, even if they actually voted where they now live.

So I believe that statistics on voting in the younger age groups is in part based on young voters not being removed from registration lists when they move.

Answer 3

I voted.


a lot of young people are ummm... "liberal", sort of, but not so politically active. They have given up on politics, it is a dirty game they don't want to play. As for those who do protests and stuff like that, of which I am one, they generally do vote. Those who don't don't vote because they really believe they won't be heard... or that they really don't have anyone to vote FOR and it's against their worldview to vote AGAINST someone for someone else they don't like. People need to have a candidate who represents their interests, for the good of the country, because when they don't, they find other ways to be active in their world... like forming collectives, which is not necessarily bad, or gangs, which is bad, and lose respect for laws, and end up doing drugs, etc. I think having a real representation of the needs and interests of young people in politics would do more to fight drugs, along with legalizing marijuana, than any legislation or punishment.

Answer 4

To a point, yes. The voting process tends to alienate younger viewers as a group, and liberals tend to be out propagating change outside the voting system at a real, physical level (the activism you noted) instead of working within a system that (in their eyes) is both remote and corrupt.

Answer 5

That is actually very true...But for those who are about to bash me for having facts, let me explain.

Voter turn out for LOCAL and STATE elections are at all time lows noting the absence of younger voters. Liberal youngsters ( ya I said it) tend to publicly protest at rates around 50 times that of young Conservatives...thus both points are true!

(which I had the links still)

Answer 6

all young people tend not to vote very much... although I would think that those that are particularly political would vote on both sides.... just many youngsters aren't that political...

mymadsky: do conservative yougsters protest at all? I've never heard of it once in all my life that I can remember? maybe at a pro-life rally or something? but I can't even think the last time I heard of a rally anywhere outside of like san fran anywhere... there just doesn't seem to be many protesters at all anymore... and those that do are a VAST minority of the population to a point that it's a waste of time to talk about them...

Answer 7

That is true. Unfortunately they are acting like young people always act. They want what they want and they want it now. Protesting to get what they want feeds their self image of doing something. Taking the time to vote and allowing that process to work does not seem so sexy. In particular, it allows them to complain and ***** when their candidate loses because the "system is broke".

Answer 8

Yes, in previous elections the liberal vote was of the smallest percentage of recieved votes.

But, like most evil things, they grow in strength and size when you're not watching. I believe these prelims (atleast in my state) have had a better democratic/liberal turn out than in previous years.

Answer 9

Yes

Answer 10

sac-o-louie and his warped questions.

Yes, more young Democrats will be voting this November.

There is too much a stake. Ever pay attention to what's going on, or you from somewhere besides the U.S.?

http://icasualties.org/oif/
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