Kevin Canarte

10/15/18
Period 1

Why Youth Choose Not to Vote

There are many young people in America who would vote in elections if they could, and
there are others who simply choose not to. Some young Americans cannot vote due to the fact
that they are restricted and the voting system is not trustworthy or reliable, and there are some
young people who don’t feel interested in participating in elections.

First of all, one of many important reasons as to why youth choose not to vote is
because they believe that the voting system is not trustworthy or reliable. This claim can be
supported by the text in Document Four, where it says, “Why have I never voted in an election?
Because the voting system is so antiquated and inefficient. Voting for me, as it is for most young
people, something between a hassle and an impossibility. If you clear the barriers, more people,
and especially young people, will vote”. This quote supports the claim because it is explained by
the author that the voting system is so unreliable to the point where is puts down barriers to
young people and makes it an “impossibility” for them to vote due to the “barriers” that have
been placed upon young Americans. Furthermore, the barriers that are mentioned in the
document that prevent youth from voting are the requirements that are listed in the article “Why
Youth Don’t Vote” where it says, “Many states in America require people to present
government-issued ID in order to vote, Many young Americans do not have driving licenses,
hunting licenses or passports, and it is a chore to get a special voter’s ID, so many end up
unable to vote”. This evidence connects with the quote from document Four because it specifies
what exactly some of the barriers are that make it so difficult for young Americans to vote.

Secondly, another reason why youth choose not to vote is because they do not feel
interested in voting. This is because they believe that the political issues in America do not
affect them and don’t feel that there is even a point in participating in elections. This claim can
be proven with the text from Document Six where it says, “Many young people don’t make it a
point to vote because political issues usually involve taxes, social security, and welfare reform.
These issues, however important, do not relate directly to young people today”. This textual
evidence supports the claim because it adds on to the idea that youth feel as though there is no
point in voting in elections. Provided that youth have such negative opinions on voting, another
reason as to why they feel this way is because they feel as though their voices are not being
heard. This claim is supported by a quote from the article called “On the Sidelines of
Democracy: Exploring Why So Many Americans Don’t Vote” where a 31-year-old massage
therapist in Rhode Island states, “I feel like my voice doesn’t matter”, and “People who suck are
still in office, so it doesn’t make a difference”. This quote supports the claim because the woman
states how she personally does not feel as though her voice matters as an active citizen
because she believes that it doesn’t make a difference in the country, which is most likely how
many other young Americans feel about the voting system.
 Although there is plenty of evidence supporting the reasons as to why youth choose not
to vote, there is still evidence that can, in fact, support the reasons why youth do choose to vote.
For example, In document Three, the author states, “I believe that my generation must be
educated on the importance of politics and the changes that they, themselves, can induce
simply by participation. It is not up to the select few to run our country, it is up to us”. This
evidence supports the counterclaim because it explains that some youth do choose to vote
since it can actually make a difference and that it is their duty of their generation to their
government.

In conclusion, there are several reasons as to why young Americans choose not to vote,
and sometimes it is for reasons that is out of their hands. Young Americans choose not to vote
because they believe that they are being suppressed by the government and voting system and
just want to be heard in order to make a difference in their country through participating in
elections with no restrictions