THE IMPACT OF STATE LAWS ON THE VOTER TURNOUT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE 2010 MIDTERM ELECTION IN THE UNITED STATES

摘要

Young people, particularly those aged 18-30 tend to not be as involved or interested in the political process as older adults. More young people are not identifying with a particular party, and are less active than other adults in politics as a whole. Participation goes beyond voting, though that is a key component. It would also include paying attention to news involving government and politics and participating in some form of campaign activity. This paper seeks to expose the contributing factors to the trend of a lack of youth participation, specifically looking at various state laws and their implications on the registration and voting process. It will then examine the empirical evidence of turnout and participation in the 2010 midterm election cycle and offer solutions to increasing youth participation.