Much to the short and long-term benefit of the Democratic party, the results of this month’s midterm elections showed a sharp increase in the youth voter turnout. The number of voters aged 18 to 29 increased by 2 million nationally since the last non-presidential election and are largely attributed as the deciding factor in a host of close national and state races across the country. These statistics come as good news for the Democratic party as it stands to retain wide support from the young generation as they age.
Regardless of the partisan implications of the high youth turnout, the Emerald commends young voters for stepping up to the plate. The results of this election are proof that the youth vote is highly influential and should not be neglected or taken for granted by politicians. Our voice is powerful when heard and we expect that in future political campaigns, we will be listened to even more as a result of these statistics. If we can maintain our voter turnout, our demographic may even start to see policy created in its favor.
We take our hats off to the student groups that worked tirelessly to register new voters this fall, the ASUO for leading the registration initiative on campus and to all the students who took the time to consider the issues at stake and vote.