How can we encourage young people to vote?

Question

What are some practical ways to encourage political awareness and participation among our youth? What is preventing young people from voting? Is it realistic to hope for a change in this trend anytime soon? I'd love to hear from young and old alike.

thanks for all the interesting answers. i'd like to leave this one to the Y!A community.

Answer 1

Educate them better about what's at stake.
Spend the month before an election debating the issues in class, and make voting part of the grade.

If that fails, refreshments or tickets to a local teen night at the polling places may work. But then they'd just punch a random button so it wouldn't really count for much.

Answer 2

Make it seem relevant, and young people will vote. Use technology to get the word out. Start teaching in schools that elections are important - there are too few lessons on that. All too often it comes out to be "Vote if you want, it's not important." Above all, make it easy for them to vote. Spending a long time at the booth is one way to discourage a young person to vote.

Answer 3

As a whole:

Technology. YouTube was a good step. Having politics be more accessible in pages like myspace errr~ something.

To get young people to be involved, you gotta involve young people. I think the only ways would be to talk in college campas and so forth. I know we'll never get a 25 year old candidate and all the talk show hosts are old, soooo~ we don't really relate. :/ but it seems that the media doesn't expect the young people to vote so when they go out on the street... they interview someone older. Everyone in politics is old. xD

I guess celebrities (some people pay attention but I don't really care)... except Puff Daddy. Vote or Die... What was that? o.O

Maybe music but that's the artist personal choice... if they are political or not. (But of the ones that are noticably political usually ((not all of them)) they are radical or anti-american.)

Just my humble opinion. ^^;

Answer 4

some youthful every person is smarter than this technology of electorate, a stable occasion of that's the final election. For 4 years they complained approximately republicans blockading issues and not something getting completed. So who do they positioned lower back in fee? The republicans! as long as they are going to save an open innovations and picture in the previous they vote I have no undertaking with them balloting. to boot that's their civic accountability, no what occasion they are registered with.

Answer 5

Young people are very enthusiastic about voting for Ron Paul. No special encouragement is needed if they like the message.

Answer 6

let those young people KNOW and REALIZE they are getting friggin ripped by paying into social security something I or they will never see, and if your lucky enough to work your azz to the bone and achieve a small business or any sustainable amount of money that after your paycheck is taxed you go to the store and pay taxes AGAIN , we pay taxes with taxed money, talk to them about their money , young kids need to stop being so anti government and realize that this government is set up to where the peopl can have a say on issues,,, blah blah sorry for rambling but thats what i think

luv up, c

Answer 7

Why encourage people to vote if they're not interested? They will make poor choices.

I voted when I was 18 and needed no encouragement from anyone. I couldn't wait to vote.

Answer 8

Ridicule them, and mock them, anybody that doesn't vote should be mocked more than Paris Hilton and Lohan combined.

But your next best way, would be to convince them that politicians care about their issues, unfortunately their issues are only: legalize weed, lower drinking age, Hate Bush. They tend to avoid serious issues, mostly because they haven't experienced most of them.

Answer 9

Don't let them renew their drivers license, get a credit card, or get a passport unless they have voted in 3 of the last 4 elections.

Answer 10

well, i'm a youth (20) and i vote. . .
how can we get the rest of us to vote? mmmm, well celebs and politians on mtv doesn't do too much. . .so i'm guessing...better education about republics in primary school?
cuz if they only find out they're roll in government in college, then they are pretty busy trying to run their own lives instead of the country. they should vote (don't get me wrong) but i see them trying to make something stable out of what they have now instead of determining who will actually cut their taxes.