It's Time to Vote!

This is not a post about politics or political parties. This post is focused on an interesting article that I came across in US News Weekly titled, “Why Older Citizens are More Likely to Vote.”

I did not find the title of the article surprising. I know that the majority of voters tend to be older citizens, but what I did find interesting were the statistics on voters’ ages. According to the article, “some 61 percent of citizens age 65 and older voted in the November 2010 election, the best turnout of any age group. More than half (54 percent) of those ages 55 to 64 also cast a ballot. In comparison to the youngest demographic that is allowed to vote. “Not even a quarter (21 percent) of the youngest citizens—ages 18 to 24—entered a voting booth in 2010.”

The main reason for this voter turnout may be that it was not a presidential election year, but the  article suggested several other reasons. First, older voters want to protect government benefits such as Social Security and Medicare. Second, they are less mobile and are usually situated in one place and registered to vote. Third, they have the time to go out and vote. Finally, it is more of a social norm for older individuals to vote. They think of themselves as voters and are proud to participate in elections.

After reading this article, a thought came to me. Each generation of voters can learn from each other. I am always looking for a bridge between two generations! 

• Every vote counts. Encouraging younger populations to get out and vote is important. Just as I stated above, older voters care about voting and hold a sense of pride because they are voters. This needs to be instilled in today’s young voters.

• Technology plays a significant role in politics. When mobilizing individuals to go out and vote technology is a major driving force, especially through social networking. Older voters can definitely learn from younger voters when it comes to utilizing technology during election time.

• Younger voters need to connect early on with politics. Building a relationship with the political process early on is essential to making it a lifelong habit that older voters have acquired. If you’ve always voted in elections, you’ll be much less likely to pass over a vote in the future.

Regardless of political affiliation, participation is important so that voters elect leaders who represent the needs of both young and old alike in our country. So I encourage Lifelong Learners to get on Facebook to encourage your children and grandchildren to get out and vote. If you do not have a Facebook account, ask them to help you create one!

Source:

Brandon, E. (2012). Why Older Citizens are More Likely to Vote. US Weekly News. Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2012/03/19/why-older-citizens-are-more-likely-to-vote