All across the nation, more and more young people are becoming increasingly involved in both state-level politics and national politics. More specifically, students have recently spiked interest in topics regarding human rights and activism.
Following the 2020 and 2022 elections, in which those between the ages 18-29 played a critical role, political involvement within the younger generation has grown substantially. A 2023 survey found a third of youth have signed a petition or joined a boycott, with 28% saying they plan to protest or would do so if given the opportunity and 1 in 7 saying they have participated in a march or demonstration.
Senior Grace Schmidt has taken a particular role in influencing local politics. “Even though I’m not old enough to cast my vote, I still wanted to be involved in politics. As an intern for Eric Sorensen’s campaign I’ve had a much greater influence on the election than just one vote. I encourage other students to do the same,” said Schmidt.
Following the upward-rising trend, youth voter turnout increased 11% between the 2016 presidential election and the 2020 presidential election and is projected to break records in the 2024 presidential election. Young voter turnouts have surpassed the early voter turnout prediction by 20%, based on the 2022 voting preference rates.
Surprisingly, young voters have even been more involved than older generations. According to the Georgia secretary of state, voters 18-24 years old have cast more early votes than those aged 25-39, 30-34 and 35-39.
Many of those involved have expressed concerns regarding the path the nation is on, with the majority of concerns regarding human rights; 55% of young people believe the country is going in the wrong direction, and 76% of respondents believe that the younger generation has the power to change that.
Such concerns have been demonstrated by the student body within the Pleasant Valley halls. Amnesty Club, which focuses on human rights and student advocacy, serves as a platform for high school students to come together to learn and act on human rights issues.
“Amnesty club helps advocate for human rights and inform people about current human rights issues plaguing the world. As a club, we do a number of things like write letters to free wrongly incarcerated people, sign petitions urging governmental officials to change laws and we hold different events to talk about issues around the world, ” shared club co-president Swetha Narmeta.
Likewise, such measures to get students politically involved have been taken by the administration. At the recent senior class meeting, the administration integrated information on voter registration. In this meeting, students were given information on the importance of being registered to vote as well as a form to register.
Junior Mau Sanchez Carmona has taken a stance in local politics by canvassing for congress candidate Christina Bhohannan. “It’s important for students to be aware of the political climate and educated on political issues. Starting to participate at a young age ensures that there is a future in which people are willing to participate in their democracy,” expressed Sanchez Carmona.
Young voices should be prioritized in the political community. Local and national governments make decisions on school curriculum, public transportation, college debt relief and more – all having a direct impact on younger generations.
