Why Toreros don’t vote

A professor asks his class, “What are we doing the first Tuesday of November?” Students rustle their papers looking for an answer. “Voting. We are voting.” Nov. 6 is the date of this year’s midterm elections and some students are completely unaware of the importance of this election. 

Casey Dominguez, Ph.D., is a political science professor and a leader in the USD Votes campaign. Dominguez teaches about campaigns and elections, so naturally, voting is a subject about which  all of her students should be knowledgeable. 

“I know what the research says about why young people don’t vote,” Dominguez said. “There’s nothing wrong with them. They’re not less interested than other people who are like them, but young people and college students are people who have recently moved. Anybody who has moved in the last couple of months, no matter how old they are or how much education they have is gonna find it hard to register to vote again.”

Dominguez discusses one of many reasons students find it difficult to vote. They may be in a new state and potentially overwhelmed by the steps they must take. She explains the process of voter registration and that citizens must re-register every time they move. 

“They have an identity question: where is my home, do I want to vote at home, do I want to vote here, how do I decide, how do I do that?” Dominguez said. “So there are a lot of reasons why young people don’t vote. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t, but it means that they need support.”

Some students and young people find excuses that enable them to avoid the pressures of voting. Whether they do not have the right resources or sufficient information, the country is missing a drastic amount of young voters. 

“18-24 year olds are an enormous block of untapped voting power in this country,” Dominguez said. “Our laws are written by older people, and they are written to benefit older people, right? Older people get free healthcare. Older people get a retirement benefit. Young people don’t get those things because they don’t show up and so you say, ‘Well, the politicians should come and talk to us.’ Show up and they will.”

Besides being uneducated on the voting process, some might believe their vote is useless or irrelevant in elections. Many youth can find themselves conforming to their friends’ or family’s opinions that they may not completely agree with. Some also may believe they are not educated enough on the topic or would prefer to not vote altogether. 

Ally Kracoff is a sophomore at USD and a volunteer for the USD Votes platform. She encourages student involvement and has a strong opinion regarding a citizen’s duty to vote. 

“Students, and youth in general, are put into a position where they are patronized or made to feel inferior for not knowing as much as the older generations, so they are less likely to get involved with the voting process,” Kracoff said. 

The University of San Diego created a school-wide movement to encourage student voter registration called USD Votes.
Anderson Haigler/The USD Vista

According to NPR, baby boomers (63-75 year olds) make up 31 percent of the electoral vote. Today, millenials make up the exact same percentage as baby boomers. This statistic suggests that millennials have the potential to control about one-third of the electoral vote.  In 2016, about 69 percent of baby boomers voted and 51 percent of millennials. Millennials will be affected by what happens in this country much longer than older generations and can contribute to the decisions that will then impact their own lives. Kracoff explains the importance of voting in any circumstance. 

“I think politics are so important because even if you are voting for a local government, a student government, or the national government, it is going to impact your life in some way,” said Kracoff. “I highly encourage people to go out to vote because they should want to be involved in a process that affects their life so much and in so many ways.”

Voting is a right that all eligible United States citizens have. Exercising rights allows the United States democracy to work as a system and as a privilege. It is a citizen’s duty to educate themselves in order to make the best possible decision. 

“Voting is a way to honor people like the military, civil rights leaders, and suffrage activists who have helped us to make our democratic system the way that it is and to secure our voting rights, and we have a duty to exercise that right,” Kracoff said. “Your vote definitely matters, so students shouldn’t leave elections up to chance when they can impact it so much. Politicians won’t address students’ needs if students do not vote, so if you are lucky enough to have a voice that people will listen to and that can affect change, use it.”

Some organizations have recognized the low rate at which young people vote, and are taking it upon themselves to see change. Students can find registration forms being handed out on campus, as well as take advantage of the USD school website to register online in California or their home state. 

I feel like the majority of the students do not know how to register, which is why USD Votes is there to help them to register correctly and to make sure they understand the process. 

“We also have voting registration help on http://www.sandiego.edu/vote/, which explains how to vote by state, if you can vote by mail, etc.”  Kracoff said. 

Students are able to exercise their rights and register as a college student, a member of a community, and a civilian. The midterm elections take place on Nov. 6 and every student can find a way to get involved this year and voice their opinions.