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Frequency 2004
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Youth and Citizenship

Youth Issues

Youth Political Apathy

Possible Remedies -->

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Contacts:

Prof. Lance Bennett
Mike Xenos
Christine Lee

[ Possible Remedies]


..::: Possible Remedies :::..


There are numerous studies that identify possible remedies for the youth political engagement crisis. Some of the methods that might help politically engage young citizens are listed below:
  • Simplifying the registering/voting process
  • More direct contact with political candidates, campaigns, and institutions
  • Students earning academic credit for public service activities
  • Parents engaging in political discussion with their children
  • Schools establishing more solid civic education programs
  • Aggressive/enthusiastic canvassing and phone banking by young people
  • Utilizing the capabilities of the Internet including the possibility of Internet voting
Another significant possible remedy is the active pursuit of the youth vote by candidates. Allison Byrne Fields, creative director of Rock the Vote, states that "politicians rarely take [young adults] into consideration and in many cases ignore them.” She argues that politicians need to recognize "how easy and how cheap it is [to engage youth and their vote]. All you have to do is call them [young voters] -- acknowledge that they exist."




From the Youth Vote Statistic Fact Sheet:

Who can convince young people to vote?

Young adults see other young adults, other young politicians and the President as the most convincing messengers to convince them to vote. (6)

1. Other young adults — 45% net convincing
2. Young politicians — 25% net convincing
3. President — 24% net convincing

What will convince young people to vote?

1. Drawing connections between issues that young people care about and voting — 51% net importance
2. More information about candidates and their stance on issues. — 45% net importance
3. More focus on the issues in campaigns. — 37% net importance




CIRCLE National Youth Survey

“March 4, 2002: CIRCLE, in collaboration with the Center for Democracy and Citizenship and the Partnership for Trust in Government at the Council for Excellence in Government, released a survey of 1,500 Americans between the ages of 15 and 25 and their views toward civic life and institutions.”

[Excerpts]:

Parental Impact
  • Only 50% say they discussed politics, government or current events with their parents (down from 57 % in 1998). 19% say “never” vs. 15% “often.”
  • Of those who grew up with political discussion in the home, 75% are registered to vote (vs. 57% rate of registration among those who did not have political discussion in the home); 71% trust government (vs. 53%); 68% believe voting is important (vs. 33%); 57% believe politicians pay attention to their concerns (vs. 39%); and 56% believe they can make a difference solving community problems (vs. 37%).

    Lessons for Candidates

  • 65% say issue stands are the first or second most important consideration in choosing a candidate.
  • Young adults want a candidate that “face powerful interests and stand up for what they believe is right” (83 mean on a 1-100 scale), calls for a debate at a local high school or college (79), “… who speaks to issues of particular concern to young people…” (78), and “…is experienced in politics and can get things done” (78).


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    Attitudes Toward Politics and Public Service:
    A National Survey of College Undergraduates
    from Harvard University’s Institute of Politics:

    [ Excerpts ]:

    This survey shows that a number of measures could be effective in motivating college students to greater levels of interest and participation in politics. Such measures include:

    Making politics more transparent.

  • Demystifying the process: 93% of students believe simplifying the process of registering and voting would be effective in motivating them to become more involved in politics and public service.
  • Using technology: Enabling citizens to vote via the Internet would increase turnout among college students by approximately 10%.

    Showing students that politics is an effective way to make concrete changes.

  • 90% of students believe that showing students real-life examples of the efficacy of politics will motivate students to further political engagement.

    Offering students more direct contact with candidates and public office holders.

  • 94% of students say more direct contact with political candidates, campaigns and institutions would be an effective way to raise political participation rates.
  • 87% believe a presidential debate that focused specifically on the issues students care about would be effective.

    Providing incentives.

  • 95% say curricular partnerships between colleges and state or local governments in which students are permitted to earn academic credit for public service activities would be effective in motivating students to become more involved.
  • 88% of students believe loan forgiveness programs and signing bonuses for graduates who commit to government service would be effective motivators.


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    The Institute of Politics Survey of Student Attitudes:
    A National Survey of College Undergraduates
    (Oct 2002)
    from Harvard University’s Institute of Politics:

    [Excerpts]:

    Motivating Students into Public Service

  • Barriers to engagement need to be lowered. Eighty-six percent of college students indicate they need more practical information about politics before getting involved. Almost nine in ten students (89%) say volunteering in the community is easier than volunteering in politics.

  • High schools need to foster and emphasize political activity to build a foundation for political engagement similar to the promotion of community service. Eighty percent of undergraduates volunteered for community service while in high school and eighty-nine percent of those who are currently volunteering had done so in high school. In general, 64% of all students have volunteered for community service in the last twelve months.

  • Bring a friend! Students need to ask friends to vote and become politically active. On a scale of 0 to 10 (0=definitely not attend; 10=definitely attend), more than one-third of respondents are very likely (8-10) to attend a political rally or demonstration on an issue they support if a friend asked them. Furthermore, 24% of students would very likely volunteer on a political campaign if asked by a friend. One-quarter of the undergraduate population translates to almost three million young voters who could be mobilized by appeals from their peers.

  • Elected officials need to connect with young people and government agencies should actively recruit on college campuses. Ninety-two percent of college students say more direct contact with elected officials, political candidates, and others in government would be a very or somewhat effective way of getting students involved in politics. Likewise, 90% say campus recruitment by government agencies would be an effective method of motivating students into public service.

  • Athletes, actors, and entertainers can influence young people to become involved in politics and public service, particularly minority students. Seventy-one percent of respondents believe the involvement of respected celebrities and sports figures would be effective in boosting political engagement. Among African-American and Hispanic students, involvement of role models is seen as particularly effective (80% and 81% respectively).


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    Panetta Institute Survey (Jan 11, 2000)

    [Excerpt]:

    While Students Oppose A National Service Requirement, They Overwhelmingly Favor Incentives For National Service

    Aside from the Peace Corps (87% heard of), few students are aware of current public service opportunities available to students nationally. Most know little or nothing about Americorps or Vista. Teach for America has a wider audience, but still nearly half of students (46%) are largely unaware of this organization.

    Despite their community spirit, students oppose compulsory national service by a wide margin (25% favor, 60% oppose). However, an even greater number favor an incentive program that would exchange work in public service for temporary forbearance on their student loans (80% favor, 10% oppose).

    This suggests that students will respond favorably to an incentive to pursue work in a field in which many already express an interest. They also need to know more about their options for public service and receive encouragement


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    "So why don't you vote?"
    from Christian Science Monitor (Oct 19, 2000)

    [Excerpt]:

    Proposed solutions to poor voter turnout range from the radical, such as a new electoral system or allowing voting in prison, to the less controversial, such as simplifying the registration and voting processes. Proposals offered by electoral reform groups to get a larger percentage of the population to the polls include:

    ....

    Youth voting: Lower the voting age to encourage civic participation in young people and increase turnout.


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    Campaign for Young Voters

    [Excerpt]:

    "A non-partisan, nonprofit effort funded by a grant from The Pew Charitable Trusts

    The Campaign for Young Voters (CYV), formerly known as the Young Voter Initiative, assists candidates for public office in their efforts to reach out and engage younger voters. Drawing on extensive field research concerning young adults' views about politics, elections and government, CYV publishes a Toolkit ( www.campaignyoungvoters.org) and suggested campaign practices and materials to assist candidates at all levels in dealing with young adults about political participation and voting."


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    "Re-Rock the Youth Vote"

    from Christian Science Monitor (Mar 17, 2003)

    [Excerpt]:

    In many schools, civics classes have been relegated to a senior-year elective, not a core requirement. But there's a twist: Many schools that have reinvigorated civics classes are finding ways to show students how they can make a difference.

    Last week, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R) of Tennessee, a former US education secretary, introduced a bill calling for more civics education. That's an idea worth pursuing.

    Unfortunately, candidates don't focus on young people because they know most don't vote. In fact, 64 percent of TV campaign ads in the last presidential election were placed in shows viewed by older adults, compared to 14 percent for younger audiences. Studies show young people tend to vote for more-independent candidates, such as Ross Perot (youth turnout was up in the 1992 election involving him), John McCain, Bill Bradley, and Ralph Nader. Those candidates avoided highly personal, negative ads. They also were seen as outside the political "norm."

    Could there be a lesson here? "They're [youth voters] rejecting traditional political processes as a way to achieve social and political change," says Alison Fields, creative director of Rock the Vote and principal author of the Carnegie study.

    At the same time, young people must recognize voting as fundamental to democracy and insist that candidates listen to their concerns.


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    "Solutions sought for low youth vote"
    from The Washington Times (Mar 12, 2003)

    [Excerpt]:

    Alison Byrne Fields, who wrote the paper entitled, "The Youth Vote: Democracy in Crisis," said one of the ways to improve it would be to pay attention to them.

    "It's related to relevance," she said. "The onus is on the political system. There is a need for the candidates to recognize the value of the youth vote."

    Fields said it is a chicken-and-egg issue. Which comes first, for the students to vote or politicians to seek the vote.

    She said the politicians have to realize "how easy and how cheap it is. All you have to do is call them (young voters) -- acknowledge that they exist."

    She said what is going on now is that "politicians rarely take them into consideration and in many cases ignore them."

    Despite the low voter turnout, young people are volunteering at higher numbers now than in previous generations and they are protesting more than their parents, the baby boomers.


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    Youth Civic Engagement Index

    [Excerpts]:

    Some of the key findings about DotNets

  • Nearly half say civic education increases their interest in public affairs.

    What Works - Parents and Schools

    The evidence also shows that the presence of pathways to engagement - both institutions and intermediaries -- can make a significant difference in civic activity. School-based initiatives, discussions about current affairs in school and at home, the presence of a role model volunteer in the home, and being asked all make a big difference in the civic outlook and behavior of youth:

  • More than one-third (35%) of young adults who often heard public affairs talk while growing up say they regularly volunteer, compared to 13% of those raised in homes where political talk never occurred.
  • Thirty-eight percent of eligible young voters from homes with frequent political discussions say they always vote compared to 20% of those without regular political discussion.
  • Nearly half of high school students (48%) and college students (47%) who received civic instruction said it increased their interest in public affairs.
  • Forty-five percent of students at schools that arrange service work volunteer, compared to 33% of students who attend schools that don't provide such assistance.
  • Forty-six percent of young volunteers said that they became involved with a group because "someone put us together."

    The study also shows definitively that students who participate in open discussions in class and who learn to communicate their opinions through letter writing and debate are much more active than those who don't have these experiences.

    The researchers note in the report: "Youth engagement won't be boosted in a single stroke. There is no simple solution to apply, no magic tonic to administer, no engagement gene to alter. The pathways to participation are too wide and too varied, and they are influenced by too many factors - families, schools, clubs, groups, churches, and even friends. But if this means civic involvement is unlikely to be spurred by a lone stroke, it also suggests that there are multiple prods to encourage participation."


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    Wired News: Getting Out the Gen Y Vote (Oct 2000)

    [Excerpt]:

    But if the response to Youth-e-Vote's online election is any indication, the Internet may be the most promising medium to draw young people to the issues and to the polls.

    The Internet "is clearly the vehicle of choice," said Youth-e-Vote founder Doug Bailey, who hopes the virtual vote will serve as a real-life civics lesson and encourage future voters to participate in the electoral process. "It's the easiest way to reach them and give them the power of voting."


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    Teens helping teens to vote (Nov 2002)

    [Excerpt]:

    Eric Plutzer, an associate professor of political science at Pennsylvania State University and an expert on voting, says that what gets young voters out to the polls is not political stumping. Plutzer has seen no evidence that candidates can make a difference in getting young voters registered and voting.

    What does work, Plutzer said, is "aggressive, enthusiastic canvassing, particularly by other young people" - such as efforts like Schwarz's, which inform young voters about where to vote and which levers to pull.

    Separate surveys conducted by Plutzer and Don Green, a professor of political science at Yale University, show the arm-twisting approach increases turnout among young voters by 5 to 8 percent.

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