Discussions lead to the following conclusion.
In recent years, there has been growing concern over declining civic involvement among the nation's young people. Voter turnout among people aged 18 to 24 was estimated at between 29 and 32 percent in the 1996 presidential election, compared with 50 percent of the same age group voting in 1972. A recent survey of Americans between the ages of 18 and 24, conducted for the National Association of Secretaries of State, found that less than 20 percent voted in the 1998 congressional elections. Many of these young respondents cited a lack of information about the candidates and their stands on issues as their major reason for not voting. The young people also noted that they received little civic education in school and rarely discussed politics with their parents.