As Election Season Approaches, First-Time Voters Must Self-Educate

Caroline Blake

January 5, 2024

After walking away once again from my family’s politics-infused dinner table discussion, using the excuse of being eaten alive by mosquitoes—which wasn’t untrue—I ran upstairs to our hotel bedroom. Sick of feeling excluded and uneducated, I opened my phone to download all of the news, media, and vocabulary apps I could find.

My family’s annual summer trips to Ireland demanded preparations to discuss American politics with my Irish relatives and eliminate the apparently common notion that “Americans are ill-informed on their own country’s politics.”

For years, I’d relied heavily on my parents and sister’s political insights and views, justifying my behavior with the excuse that I was simply the youngest and didn’t know any better. In reality, though, my silence arose from a feeling of helplessness.

Every political conversation I heard voiced skepticism and despair at the state of our nation and especially its politicians, an attitude that I took on passively. I didn’t feel motivated to educate myself when, from what I heard, it didn’t seem like I could make a difference. Still, at family dinners like these, my ignorance humbled and disappointed me, feelings that compelled me to do something about it.

While this moment of so-called atonement happened over five months ago, I’m ashamed to admit that my political knowledge hasn’t improved a lot since. That’s not to say that I haven’t cared deeply about specific issues at stake, but that I haven’t taken the time to research and consider the politicians tasked with handling such matters. This disconnect has produced many more moments of personal shame in recent months, especially since next November, I’ll be old enough to vote.

As much as I am at fault for my ignorance, I’m not alone in feeling skeptical or hopeless when it comes to the state of America’s politics and fulfilling our civic duty to self-educate and vote. According to a poll by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School, many young voters doubt the 2024 presidential candidates’ ability to handle key issues. This lack of confidence is a great concern, considering that most young people are motivated by the issues rather than the candidates themselves, a notion seen most prevalently in recent ballots on abortion rights.

It’s this divide between young people’s passion for issues, not candidates, that might explain why less than 50 percent of 18-29-year-olds "definitely" plan on voting in the 2024 presidential election, a drop of nearly ten percent since the last election. In fact, a report exclusively obtained by NPR found that young people between the ages of 18 and 34 express the most concern about their futures pertaining to the political system’s effect on their lives.

While feelings of helplessness are understandable in a country where disinformation and partisan polarization persist, we must put our misgivings aside and fulfill our civic duty, a responsibility that includes not only voting but also preparation. If we’re to stand any chance at fixing the issues we’re passionate about, we must do our part to bridge the disconnect between issues and candidates—through our own education.

As this election year begins with U.S. presidential, congressional, state, and local elections being held, it's essential that we, first-time voters, educate ourselves on each candidate regardless of our preconceived notions. If you search up almost any issue and type “2024 candidates,” you’ll find an abundance of articles with each candidate's take and action plan. While this flood of resources can seem overwhelming at first, prioritizing the issues you care most about can make the difference between an all-consuming Google deep dive and a timely read. Once you’ve categorized these issues, document your research and keep track of whose views align closest with yours. It’s inevitable that no candidate will match your views perfectly, a discrepancy that can feel disheartening, but remember that demanding perfection may impede progress.

To that point, I must acknowledge that we aren’t entirely responsible for this issue-candidate discord; it’s a two-way street. While we must educate ourselves on candidates, similarly politicians should do the same for us. As Molly O'Rourke, the senior adviser with the Sine Institute of Policy and Politics at American University, argues, politicians also “have an opportunity to fill gaps in confidence and trust among young voters ahead of the next election by honing in on issues [young voters] care about.” Whether these candidates take on such opportunities or not, we must uphold our end of the bargain and, by extension, hold them accountable.

Bowing out of this election out of discouragement or passivity will not get us anywhere. Even if your research leads to disappointment, sorting through the candidates who undeniably oppose your views will help you realize what’s at stake. Whether we like it or not, next year, one of these candidates will be seated in office, and we have the chance to decide who will assume that position. Millennial and Gen Z voters will make up almost half of the electorate this year, an influence that, while exciting, also comes with a great deal of accountability. Make an effort to sit uncomfortably in your ignorance and strive to learn, not just for one night’s worth of phone storage space but consistently, so that come next November, you’ll be ready to make your vote count.

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