Though the primary election has already taken place in Illinois, voting is still an important topic as we get ready for November’s general election.  Today’s young people face a changing world.  Although it seems like the younger demographics cannot make a difference, in actuality, it is the opposite because today’s youth hold a lot of power in society.

Because many political decisions strongly impact young people, it is important for students to be politically active as soon as possible. Voting in elections is one powerful outlet to exercise one’s democratic rights. While each vote appears to be futile, collectively, they decide monumental political precedents such as selecting the officers that will run America for years. This is why it’s so important to participate in voting. Your opinion can and will be heard, and voting is one way to make it happen.

Today’s politicians indeed recognize the importance of a voting youth.

Although not unique for their outreach, the Democratic Party has been particularly recognized for their efforts to connect with youth. For example, Hillary Clinton strives to connect with young people and sometimes falls short. With her social media campaigns and attempts to connect to youth popular culture, she expresses her desire to appeal to young Americans.

Additionally, in this 2016 Presidential election, Bernie Sanders has been recognized for his captivating appeal to young people due to his honest, enthusiastic campaign strategy.

The trend of Democratic appeal to youth may stem from the fact that a Millennials tend to be more liberal than other generations. Interestingly, CNN asserts that Millennials, people born after 1981, are “most likely to vote Democratic. The eldest of them are in their 30s now, and they continue to be much more liberal than previous-age cohorts at the same point in their lives.” Although voting trends do not prove one side is better than another in any way, it is interesting to see how mindsets have evolved and how that impacts the political climate.

This year’s Republican nominees target a slightly different demographic: people who believe in conservative, less regulated government style. Trends illustrate that some of their policy platforms are more in line with older generations. Since 1989, the Republican Party’s appeals to the younger demographic have not been that successful.

However, this year’s Republican candidates utilize social media—quite popular among young voters— to be more accessible. Because the Republican Party’s policies are often conservative, they often find it harder to connect to the younger generation many of whom are liberally minded. For example, the Republican Party, though definitely not all individuals within it, stands for the traditional concept of marriage, yet a large portion of the LGBT community are young, and have successfully pushed for legalized marriage for all couples.

Although some of the Republican Party’s policies are conservative while a large number of younger people have favored liberal policies, it is important to stay holistically informed and recognize the different ways the candidates appeal to the younger demographic.

Even though these two main parties sometimes connect to voters of different age ranges with their policies and campaign styles, it remains important to politically educated with an open, holistic mind before voting. Each party has a diverse selection of candidates to choose from, all of which propose various solutions and programs for the future of America.

Appeals to young voters and their voting patterns are interesting; however, there is a growing concern is that not enough young people are voting at all. Multiple sources indicate that there is a decline in young voters.
As this year’s election quickly approaches, consider researching the political candidates and vote if you can. By voting, you help shape this nation’s decisions. Younger voices are powerful, especially because the officials selected will greatly impact us. When a greater percentage of the population votes, it will ultimately result in a president who fully reflects the collective opinion of America’s voters.