(Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images)
New York City, NY — As the nation is about a week away from the midterm elections, The Financial Times reported that this will be the most expensive midterm election in history due to inflation and the battle of control over the two houses of congress.
Some officials state that youth voters could be the group to make difference in the midterm elections if they cast a vote.
The youth vote usually has low turnout during the elections. Research shows that 31% of those under 30 voted during 2018 midterm elections, according to Tufts University.
Although the number is significantly lower compared to those 65 and older who voted, which is 65% according to Tufts University, it is historically big compared to past years.
From 1994 to 2014, youth voter turnout was consistently in the low 20% range, according to Local 21 News. In 2018, there was a 10% increase as young voters gained more interest in taking action to create change.
However, many are skeptical if that number declines back to the 20% range this year as the nation faces many new complications such as COVID-19, monkeypox, inflation and more.
Some say that influencers could also have a large impact that can help attract more youth to vote this year.
In early September, Vote.org invested $10 million to help engage young voters before the midterm election. The organization launched “Vote Ready” to engage with more than $4 million young voters from ages 18 to 30.
“One of the big things is to meet people where they already are,” Vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey told Politico. “We want to reach out through the influencers and people that they already are following to make sure they’re receiving all the voting information they need.”
It is up to the youth whether they want to make the change they would like to see in the midterm elections.