Youth Voter Turnout and Its Influence on the 2024 Elections

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As the United States continues the build-up toward the 2024 presidential election, one group that could be the determining factor is the youth voter. Over the years, youth voters between 18 and 29 have been known to have a low voter turnout compared to other voters. But the current political trends show that youths are gradually getting involved in politics and may be the kingmakers in the forthcoming polls. Let's look at the motivations for youth voter turnout, the issues of concern to young people, and the possibilities of youth engagement in the 2024 elections.

The Rising Political Engagement of Youth Voters

Over the past several years, it has become rather obvious that young people in the United States have become more politically active. The Gains and Losses of the 2018 Midterm Elections reported that young voters turned out in record numbers in 2018, with 36 percent of the nearly 25 million young people eligible to vote. This was almost double the turnout of young voters in the 2014 midterms. This continued with the 2020 presidential election, where youth participation stood at 53%, the highest in years. Also, election betting odds have begun to incorporate the effect of the youth electorate, which is deemed to be the major deciding factor for the outcome of the elections by many analysts. This ascent reveals that young people are getting more and more involved in the political process due to social activism, political awareness, and digital media.

Factors Influencing Youth Voter Turnout

There are several reasons why young voters are more politically active than before. Firstly, through the increased use of social media platforms, there has been the creation of political discussion and participation. Social media apps, especially Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, are indispensable for young people to access political information and raise awareness for issues they support.

Secondly, there has been an increase in matters that directly concern the youth, thus engaging them. Issues like climate change, gun control, black lives matter, and student loans are important to this generation. These social justice issues are evident in movements like March for Our Lives and Fridays for the Future, which show how such topics mobilize youth voters.

Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the issue of politics closer to the youth and made them understand that policy is a real thing that affects their day-to-day lives. The effects of the pandemic, such as the loss of jobs and disruption of education, have brought the consequences of political choices into the limelight, hence increasing the turnout.

Key Issues for Young Voters in 2024

As the 2024 elections draw near, some factors may affect the voting choices of young people. Climate change is the most pressing issue, and more young voters are insisting on the need for full-fledged policies to fight climate change. Based on the study, there is a high possibility that youths’ voter choices can be influenced by the candidates’ positions on environmental matters.

Economic concerns, especially those regarding student loans and employment, are also important. Concerns about student debts and the difficulty of finding a good job are some of the most important issues among young voters. Ideas such as canceling student loans and economic plans that guarantee employment and decent pay will most probably find them on their side.

The key social justice topics such as race, LGBT rights, and women’s rights remain very important to the young electorate. The movement of Black Lives Matter and the issue of racism have made the issues of justice and equality more pertinent in the 2024 elections.

The Potential Impact of Youth Voter Turnout in 2024

The impact of youth vote turnout in the 2024 elections cannot be forgotten. Millennials are a large part of the population and can swing voters in many competitive states and races. The states with large youth populations, like Florida, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, may become the battlegrounds where young people’s voting behavior will be critical.

Furthermore, the candidates’ potential to engage and mobilize the youth vote may prove crucial to their win. Those who have successfully harnessed the power of digital to engage youths, speak to them on their issues, and mobilize them to vote are likely to have an upper hand. The 2020 election was a prime example of how digital campaigning works, and this will remain a force and grow in the 2024 election.

Political parties have slowly but surely learned the value of the youth vote. The processes of registering young people as voters, raising their awareness of the electoral process, and voting are scaling up. Grassroots organizations and advocacy groups dealing with the matter of youth participation are also involved in these processes, striving to enable young people to speak out.

The young generation is expected to play a decisive role in the 2024 US elections. As the youth register high political awareness through social movements, issues of concern, and the use of social media, they have the power to influence the election results massively. Meeting the needs of this particular cohort and successfully getting them to the polls will be critical for any candidate hoping to win in 2024. Thus, the role of young voters will remain a significant aspect of the future election as the political environment keeps changing.

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