When you think about turning 18, what is the first thing you think about? Being an adult, leaving home, or finally being able to vote?

Voting is a right given to all with American citizenship as they turn 18 years old. For a democracy to work, the voices of the people must be heard. Voting allows multiple perspectives to be represented and the voices of young people are especially significant as they represent the future of the country.

According to KFF (The Kaiser Family Foundation), in November 2022, the age group who had the highest percentage of voters were 65 and older, of which 67% of eligible voters voted. The age group who had the lowest percentage of voters were between 18-24 years of age, of which only 28% of eligible voters voted. 

Many may not realize the significance of voting or simply just do not care enough until a certain issue starts to affect them. For example, many young people in America are concerned about issues like climate change, student loan debts, and national security, just to name a few. More specifically, the Willow Project, affordability of healthcare, gun violence, human rights, immigration, and more. However, younger generations are more likely to express their opinions through social media about those issues instead of voting to change the circumstances. Voting is not just putting a piece of paper into a bin but also is speaking up about what you believe in and making a change. 

Citations 

“Number of Voters as a Share of the Voter Population, by Age.” KFF, 24 May 2023, www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/number-of-individuals-who-voted-in-thousands-and-individuals-who-voted-as-a-share-of-the-voter-population-by-age/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22%3A%22Location%22%2C%22sort%22%3A%22asc%22%7D.

“Why Vote.” APIAVote, 27 Oct. 2022, apiavote.org/how-to-vote/why-vote/.