March 12, 2020--18-to 44-Year-Old Voters

For decades I have been deeply disappointed while waiting for young people to show up to vote. 

This time around it looks as if a majority will again sit out the election. Even with the inspiring Bernie Sanders in the race the number of youngish people not voting is increasing.

I don't get it. The future belongs to them and all they need to do to shape policies that would improve their lives is reach out and take charge. The sooner the better many feel. I do. We have made a mess of the world and if young people want a better life it's in their hands to bring that about.

It won't be easy. Not everyone will welcome them, not everyone is eager to stand aside and let them take the lead. But if they do not, if they leave it to old men, things are likely to continue to deteriorate.

From the Washington Post look at the numbers from this week's series of primaries--

Sanders’s campaign has argued that he can win in the general election because of his appeal to young people. But that hasn’t been true in the early contests. On Tuesday he again fared poorly, including with young voters

Voters aged 18 to 44 were 40 percent of the vote in Mississippi in 2016, but just 32 percent on Tuesday. 

In Missouri, they were 41 percent in 2016 and 32 percent on Tuesday. 

In Michigan, youth turnout was the reason Bernie pulled an upset in 2016, but 18-to-44-year-olds’ share of the vote dropped from 45 percent then to 38 percent earlier this week. 

For years I've attempted to understand this. Without success. So I turned to guest blogger Sharon, who wrote--

On why young people don't turn out? I heard one say they go to Bernie’s rallies to post pictures on Instagram and to say they were there.

I guess voting doesn’t give them the same cred. 

In 2016 I overheard kids in Denver saying they would vote for the marijuana initiative on the ballot but would not vote for president.

Sadly, this sounds about right.