Young adults have always turned out at a lower rate than the voting-age population as a whole. Young adults tend to be less settled, and tend not to have the kids and mortgages that connect people to their communities - and to the elected officials who make decisions that affect them. But what concerns observers most is that as each successive generation matures, a smaller and smaller share is converting to the voting habit. Now, the civic-minded World War II generation is giving way to younger generations that, in growing proportions, never feel compelled to vote. With just a month to go before election day, expectations for turnout among America's youngest voters have never been lower.
Political ads play down party differences, because candidates are always gunning for swing voters.
Many young people don't know the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Many young protesters said they didn t see a need to vote. Along the same lines, but further outside the mainstream, are the legions of young protesters who took to the streets of Seattle, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Boston during the past year. Then there are young adults like Dave Palmer and the three others helping him register voters at the WWF restaurant, who provide a sharp contrast to the young nonvoters coming here to dine. It instilled in me the values that I have today.