Train children in the right way and when old, they will not stray. -Proverbs 6:22, The Green Bible
Me, my grandson J, and my husband/J's grandfather.
I’m blessed to have six grandchildren who I love and adore. Two of them are athletes who entered college this August with full scholarships! I’m very proud of all of their accomplishments and grateful they have parents who are raising them with the Christian values our family shares: kindness, justice, and right relationship with others.
I spoke with J, my eldest grandson, recently, in an effort to understand what young people think about voting.
As we discussed his first voting experience, J mentioned that he voted in the August Primary because his parents asked him to... But he really didn’t know what he was doing.
When I asked him if he planned to let his voice be heard and vote in the November General election, he said he didn’t know.
As we know, elders like me have much higher rates of voting than young people. 74% of people aged 65-74 voted in the 2020 election. But just over half of people my grandson's age, 18-24, voted that year. And yet, our children and grandchildren arguably have the most at stake in our elections-- namely, a stable climate and a livable future.
As a college student away from home for the semester, J wasn't sure how to vote in November. After all, he wasn’t scheduled to return home to Michigan until at least Thanksgiving and, if his football team made it to the finals, he could remain away at school until Christmas!
This is a common issue for our young people, who are new to voting, and who may be away from home for the first time (whether they're working across town or at school across state lines).
As we know, elders like me have much higher rates of voting than young people. 74% of people aged 65-74 voted in the 2020 election. But just over half of people my grandson's age, 18-24, voted that year. And yet, our children and grandchildren arguably have the most at stake in our elections-- namely, a stable climate and a livable future.
Fortunately, one of the best policies implemented due to COVID in Michigan is this: anyone registered to vote in Michigan can request and vote absentee. No excuse is required. You only have to request the absentee ballot ahead of each election.
Fellow elders, this is my ask of you: talk to your young people about voting. Whether they're your kids, or grandkids, or your neighbors. Ask them what they need cast their ballot on November 8 and how you can help!
Here are some resources you can share with young or new voters to help them Say Yes to Voting:
***Once you've talked with your young person, we'd love to hear about it! Let us know whether they plan to vote and what their #1 most important election issue is here. We'll share the results.***