Empowering tomorrow: Urgent call for young C.O. voters to cast ballots and make their voices heard
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Trends in Deschutes County indicate people aged 55 and older have the highest voter participation, while young adults aged 18 to 24 years old are the least likely to turn in ballots and make their choices known and voices heard through the political process.
The county has launched an “I Voted" sticker contest for students to inspire civic participation early.
“In November, we'll be highlighting the winner for sixth through 12th grade ‘I Voted" sticker contest, which closes at the end of June," Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison said. "They’ll have their sticker or their artwork highlighted on the cover of our (Voters') Pamphlet.”
At OSU-Cascades, Adam Nickerson studies political science and is the chief of staff in OSU's student government.
"It's affects everyone," Nickerson said. "I think I've sat around the Thanksgiving dinner table and had all my relatives complain about one thing or another, when it comes to policy and taxes. So I feel like it's the one thing that connects most of us."
According to the Deschutes County clerk, in the 2008 May primary election that led to Obama’s presidency, about 28 percent of registered voters 18 to 24 years old, equating to fewer than 2,000 people, voted in the county. That's just over 3% of the total ballots cast in the county for that election.
Nearly 7,000, or 36 percent of registered voters between the ages of 25-39 cast votes in that election, while 13,000 people, or 53 percent of registered voters between the ages of 40 to 54 voted, while 27,000, or nearly 75 percent of registered voters age 55 and up voted.
“Trying to get people thinking about it at a younger age is important," Dennison said.
From the 2016 May primary resulting in Donald Trump’s presidency to Joe Biden’s 2020 presidency , voter registration rose from nearly 108,000 to 142,000 people in Deschutes County -- although it still remains lowest among 18 to 24 year olds.
"The largest obstacles for young voters is this feeling of disengagement, where they don't feel like their voice of their vote counts," Nickerson said. "I feel like a way that can increase engagement is just to personally talk to young voters.
"Like, we table here to help get students registered to vote and talk about how to actively engage in policy. I think the easiest way is to tell young voters they do count, they do matter, and keep reminding them their voices should be heard."
Dennison agrees: “Every voice does count, and your voice does matter."
