Too many young people in this country do not vote. In the last election, 68 percent of citizens between the age of 18 and 24 stayed away from the voting booths according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

An example of this attitude can be seen at Durango High School. Students do not seem to care whether or not their future is put into the hands of a capable government. Out of 200 Durango students polled, only 16 percent said politics mattered to them a great deal. Sixty-eight percent said politics did not matter to them at all. Maybe they think they’re too young to care, or maybe they think that the government has little to do with them.

What if the next President decides to sign a bill for random drug testing at all public high schools? How about if he asks for a bill to be passed that would require proficiency testing in even more subject areas before a student could graduate? These are the types of issues that could affect high school students when a new president enters (or the current one stays in) the White House.

So how do we change the apathy with which so many young people view politics?

Vote if you can, and bring a voting-aged friend with you! If the number of young adults who vote, rather than those who don’t, reaches 68 percent, the politicians would surely take notice of what they had to say. They might even show more concern for issues affecting young people if they knew that the youth were watching — and voting.

Higher education provides many with the opportunity to succeed. However, it is getting more expensive. The presidential candidates have different ideas on how to ease the burden of college tuition. President Bush, for example, plans on increasing the number of Pell grants to first time college-goers, and to make all qualified tuition savings plans tax-exempt. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), running for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, said he would make public universities free for everyone. Although Kucinich’s plan would certainly benefit many college-bound students, he only received two percent of the vote in the New Hampshire primary. Perhaps young voters could have made a difference.

Along with education, teens should be concerned with another important issue: the draft. Given America’s current involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, there have been whispers that the draft could be reinstated. If that happens, all males 18 and older could potentially be called upon to serve in the armed forces. Vote! Then at least you will have a say in something that could drastically affect your future or that of someone you love.

While insurance for the elderly may not seem like a youth-oriented issue, it will impact the soon-to-be work force. Medicare is paid through payroll taxes; thus, a generation pays for the one before it. Our generation is facing a major problem: “Baby Boomers,” the generation now preparing to retire. There are a lot more of them than there are of us, and we have to pay for them. So, if Congress decides to increase Medicare benefits by increasing payroll taxes, we will lose more out of our paychecks. We can stop that from happening, but only if politicians fear losing our vote if they ignore our will.

Youth have the numbers to affect the outcome of political races, but they must get those numbers to the voting booth in order for their size to matter.

So, when Election Day comes on Nov. 2, go out and make your voice heard. Show an interest in politics so politicians will in turn show an interest in issues that matter to you and your peers. Then, when you’re 25, run for Congress! We sure could use some younger people there.

-Return to May 2004 Issue-