Why Young People Won't Vote

[Cowperson]

Globe and Mail article with polling statistics that reveal: Today's twenty-somethings are much less likely to vote than their parents were in their 20s.

Some astonishing data throughout the article.

What do you young whippersnappers have to say for yourselves?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Art...804/COELECT04//

Cowperson

[calf]

Originally posted by Cowperson@Aug 4 2004, 10:08 AM
What do you young whippersnappers have to say for yourselves?#

I voted.

seriously though, no idea why you wouldn't vote. As the lady at the polling booth said: if you don't vote, you can't crab.

I say blame the East!!!

[Pagal4321]

Young Canadians know less because they pay less attention to politics

I think taht one line says it all. I voted and got into the whole campaigning thing about 10 days before voting. But I know lots of people who don't care for whatever reason. And I also know people who care to a large extent. I think it goes both ways but I know for a fact there are alot of '20-somethings' who don't vote and don't care.

[Cheese]

Originally posted by Pagal4321@Aug 4 2004, 11:12 AM
Young Canadians know less because they pay less attention to politics

I think taht one line says it all. I voted and got into the whole campaigning thing about 10 days before voting. But I know lots of people who don't care for whatever reason. And I also know people who care to a large extent. I think it goes both ways but I know for a fact there are alot of '20-somethings' who don't vote and don't care.

and those people who "dont care" will be the FIRST to jump up and down when a NDP government sneaks in and our taxes end up doubling! It is simply stupid to bury your head in the sand.

[AaronSJ]

I would suggest, given the data in the article, that young people don't vote because the outcome of an election really doesn't affect their lives. Let's face it - our two major parties aren't really philosophically different. While their roots are vastly different, their opinions on most major issues are pretty consistent (save for differences in funding levels). Ask yourself this - Had the Conservatives won the recent election, would things be fundamentally different today? Next year? In four years? My guess is no.

Contemporary elections simply do not affect the lives of the average 20-something. Conservative or Liberal, 20-somethings are still likely going to be in good health and still carrying large debt loads from education. Why should they care about politics when it doesn't affect them?

[kermitology]

There isn't a great deal of motivation for the youth of today to get invovled, or interested in things like politics. It's getting worse now.. youth today aren't motivated by anything other than who they'll ######, what they'll drink, or what they'll smoke.

Add to that, there isn't much reason to vote for young people. They think in the now, and they aren't really considered in the now by those in power.

[spydermal]

i blame schools. We learn about all the old governments, canadian and u.s but we never really learn current in canada or anything about what there plans are. We had one teacher who tried to teach about it but i was not in his class.

[Yellefan]

I voted... will I vote in the next election? Maybe, but probably not... why? Because I'm tired of my vote not counting for anything... the current system doesn't allow for my vote to count for anything! Living in the riding of calgary SW and not being a supporter of the conservatives/reform/alliance party doesn't really give my vote much of a say, so why bother?

[Cowperson]

Originally posted by Yellefan@Aug 4 2004, 05:52 PM
I voted... will I vote in the next election? Maybe, but probably not... why? Because I'm tired of my vote not counting for anything... the current system doesn't allow for my vote to count for anything! Living in the riding of calgary SW and not being a supporter of the conservatives/reform/alliance party doesn't really give my vote much of a say, so why bother?

Others more learned might correct me but I believe every vote goes to generating a certain amount of federal funding for the party you are supporting, within a certain threshhold to eliminate fringe parties.

So technically, if I have that right, every vote does help advance your opinion in a way.

Cowperson

Give me a L - Give me an A - Give me a Z - Give me a Y.
What does that spell? Meh.

[Yellefan]

Originally posted by Cowperson@Aug 4 2004, 12:01 PM
Others more learned might correct me but I believe every vote goes to generating a certain amount of federal funding for the party you are supporting, within a certain threshhold to eliminate fringe parties.

So technically, if I have that right, every vote does help advance your opinion in a way.

Cowperson

Under new financing rules, each vote is worth $1.75 per year.

so 7 bucks over 4 years

I'll mail them 10 bucks next election and sit at home on my L-A-Z-Y Ass and watch the reform/conservative/alliance win the seat in my riding by a landslide again on my TV in my living room while drinking a beer on my L-A-Z-Y-BOY!

[CrzyCanuck]

The younger people are typically in lower tax bracket jobs. Wait until they start getting paid more and see there $$'s don't go as far. Then they will go out and vote for the party that raises taxes the least!

[nfotiu]

Because I am a resident in a different country that I am a citizent, I am not allowed to vote in any country, that is why I don't vote. Can I still crab?

[Cube Inmate]

Young people (other than those of us who actually *do* care) must see government as something that's done FOR the people, and not BY the people.

They don't realize that we are a self-governing people and that voting, running for office, or otherwise making noise are the fundamentals of government...that WE are all the government of Canada. It's not the buildings, it's not the offices...it's people.

Having said that, I don't know how you show young people that government is not some all-powerful entity that just happens to be there. Maybe the old education system needs some re-vamping?

Bah! Another 2 elections and I should be old and bitter enough to stop caring

[FlamesAllTheWay]

I definitely voted. I, personally, am very interested in politics at home and abroad so this sort of thing is always of interest to me. But I think this puts me in a very small minority of kids my age. Some reasons I think people my age don't vote are laziness, apathy, lack of understanding or knowledge about candidates/parties/politics, feeling their vote wont matter.

The way I see it, if you don't vote then don't complain about the way the country is being run. We are very lucky to have a say, how very small it may be, in who we want in power. Also, voting shows respect to all the vetrans of WW1, WW2, etc, where people fought and died for our freedom so we could do things like take part in elections. So I see it as somewhat of a responsibility of mine to go and vote when the opportunity comes up...

[Crazy Flamer]

Originally posted by fotze@Aug 4 2004, 05:51 PM
Let's be honest here, does the government really affect your life on a daily basis? I thought when the liberals were elected that my life would be the sh*ts but it's pretty much the same whoever is in power. I think the economy dictates lifestyles much more than government actiuons (inaction).

As a percentage the government in power probably affects my life 0.1 %, and that's exactly the way I like it.

I am not supporting the liberals by any means, don't get me wrong.

I think as people get older they get more bitter about how uninspired their life has been and the easiest target is not themself but the government.

I'm definately not supporting government either, quite the opposite, I think they are not important, especially for the amount of money they collect.

and no I know the government is important, health care, police, etc, but all the party in power needs to do is just keep the status quo. I will be inspired by a party that will try and think of a better way while keeping the current system going.

I think you underestimate how much the government has to do with your life. Not just the federal goverment but all levels. Look at all the things the government has a say in. How much money you have in your pocket because of tax rates, how much you pay for gas in your car, electricity, the shape the roads you drive on are in and so on and so on...

And yes while it seems that sometimes things do not move at all in politics, I can assure you if they truly were staying put at status quo, you would start to realize if very quickly.

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Originally posted by Cowperson@Aug 4 2004, 01:08 PM
Globe and Mail article with polling statistics that reveal: Today's twenty-somethings are much less likely to vote than their parents were in their 20s.

Some astonishing data throughout the article.

What do you young whippersnappers have to say for yourselves?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/Art...804/COELECT04//

Cowperson

hey I voted, and I graduated with a Poli Sci degree, and am taking Public Administration

it's not me their talking about

infact it's my biggest peeve when people don't vote

what's your excuse you old fart ?

[Cowboy]

[quote]Originally posted by Hockey_Boy@Aug 5 2004, 02:06 AM

Originally Posted by fotze,Aug 4 2004, 05:51 PM

I think the economy dictates lifestyles much more than government actiuons (inaction).

And who dictates which way the economy is going to go???

Employment rates, interest rates...so on and so forth are directly affected by governments, many of us don't remember what it was like before the liberals were in power but the statistics were not quite as appealing as a whole for the country

[Cowboy]

I worked on a campaign this summer....and voted...

Great way to meet people of all backgrounds...especially when helping the Liberal party...