NORMAL, Ill. – With the recent 2022 Illinois midterm election, false voting beliefs may leave individuals apprehensive about casting their ballot in the future.
Although the voter turnout of young individuals and college students has increased in the recent election cycles, Center for Civic Engagement assistant director Harriett Steinbach believes there is still an opportunity to have a larger impact in the future.
The participation of youth and first-time voters, primarily ages 18 to 21 years and 22 to 24 years old, has significantly increased from the 2016 and 2018 elections to the 2020 election, according to the Student Voting Rates for ISU campus report.
“Data from the U.S. Elections Project, as compiled by Dr. Michael McDonald of the University of Florida, show increases in turnout from younger voters,” said Illinois State University department of politics and government associate professor Carl Palmer. “From the 2014 to 2018 midterm elections, turnout among voters 18 to 24 increased from 17% to 32%, and comparing between the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, turnout increased from 43% to 51%.”
Many assume their individual vote will not make a difference in the mass of votes cast. Palmer believes the margins may be tight in local elections as they have an impact on the community.
“It is easy to think, in races where millions of votes are cast, that one vote won’t make a difference, but you have to consider that even in presidential elections, we are not talking about one election, but 50 different elections where the winner of a state may come down to a handful of votes,” said Palmer.
However, voting is not accessible for everyone as the history of suppression in marginalized communities has discouraged individuals from voting, according to the Center for Civic Engagement.
“This is largely dependent upon the state you live in since elections are regulated by the states, but certain folks have more challenges to cast their ballot,” said Steinbach.
Native Americans, the Latinx community, people of color and individuals with disabilities are some of the communities who face difficulties when voting, according to the Center for Civic Engagement.
Palmer wishes voting was easy and accessible for everyone; however, he believes there are hurdles that may discourage or keep an individual from voting.
“States are granted the power to regulate elections, which may take the form of anything from voter registration and when you must be registered, to whether or not a person must present identification prior to voting as opposed to verifying their residence, to being able to take time away from work to cast a ballot or obtain an absentee ballot or vote prior to election day,” said Palmer.
Many individuals recognize voter fraud as an extreme problem in the U.S. elections; however, Palmer explains there does not appear to be consistent evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Steinbach recalls hearing ISU department of politics and government associate professor Meghan Leonard say there is very little fraud in terms of people voting multiple times or dead people voting.
Additionally, Palmer and Steinbach believe all elections are important as the results put individuals in power who make decisions that shape the local community and the direction of the U.S.
“From national issues like access to abortion, or inflation, to setting the state minimum wage, to road repairs and wintertime snow removal, these outcomes are all the result of elections, and not just presidential elections,” said Palmer. “Midterm elections might not feel as glamorous as voting for the president, but they are equally as important if not more so.”
Steinbach believes a community can feel the effects of local government decisions more directly and quickly than federal elections.
“Midterm elections in Illinois determine who is representing the state in Congress (doubly important after the census redistricting) as well as governor and other state level offices,” said Steinbach. “Plus, in McLean County, we have several countywide races.”
Although McLean County citizens voted for many federal and state Republican candidates, according to the McLean County Government, Democrat candidates took the lead in the 2022 Illinois midterm election.
The Center for Civic Engagement provides information on how to register, ways to vote, the positions and candidates on the ballot and more in the Redbird Voter Guide.
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