The upcoming presidential election on November 5th will without a doubt change the course of our country, with extensive differences in platforms for both Vice President Kamala Harris and Former President Donald Trump. No matter which candidate is elected, America is going to undergo immense changes in laws, economics, and policies, but what is important is which changes will be implemented. Something to ponder is what changes you would rather see.
Well, that’s the great thing about democracy: we the people have the power to decide what choices are made. In stating this, I have to bring up the point of this article: young voters. Most likely, some Flint Hill students will be casting their first ever ballots, their decisions dictating what they want to see in the next four years regarding our country. Not to mention, by the time of the 2028 presidential election, most if not all students currently in the Flint Hill Upper School will be eligible to vote. We will all soon be given the opportunity to make long lasting changes in our country, whether it be the students eligible to vote in this election or the students eligible to vote in the next. But will everyone take advantage of this significant opportunity?
According to the Berkeley Institute For Young Americans, NPR, and Tufts University, no. Gen Z has the lowest rates of voter registration, and though this could be due to the fact that out of the nearly 70 million people ranging between ages 12 to 27, only about 39 million are below the age of 18, but that still leaves nearly 41 million eligible voters this year. So why are so many of these eligible voters not registering? The answer lies in the initial democratic candidate, President Joe Biden. While 66% of eligible Gen Z voters tended to either identify as or lean democratic, young voters weren’t too keen on another four years with President Biden in office.
Though young voters played a huge role in electing President Biden in 2020, after nearly four years President Biden has failed to sufficiently represent their interests. Consequently, Gen Z began to feel disconnected from politics. President Biden’s approval rates dropped and disapproval rates rose in turn, but these changes in ratings didn’t mean all of Gen Z suddenly supported Donald Trump’s campaign. In fact, Gen Z began to be referred to as ‘double haters,’ meaning they no longer wanted to be involved with American politics.
In other words, there was not much hope for the young voters who wanted to vote blue that didn’t feel represented by Biden.. All of that changed, however, when President Biden stepped down from the election and Kamala Harris was made the new democratic candidate. There was once again excitement in the election, and 40,000 new voters registered within two days after President Biden withdrew.
What also changed once President Biden stepped down was social media’s importance in the election. Instagram accounts such as Kamala HQ, an account famously run by a collection of Gen Z social media and marketing strategists, Swifties For Harris, Hive For Harris, and Cat Ladies For Kamala emerged and helped not only market and spread the word of the Harris-Walz campaign, but also influence other young voters through similar interests, memes, and pop culture.
This all just goes to show how much impact young people have on modern American politics, how much our voices matter, and how influential we can be if we just try. It is so important that those who are able to register to vote and make sure their voice is heard. We are the people who will soon inherit this country and all it has to offer, but it is right now that we have the power to change it.
