The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research Volume 9 Article 10 2007 America's Electoral Dilemma: A Case Study of Political Participation at St. John Fisher College Jacob Morley St. John Fisher College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur Part of the American Politics Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited ou?y Recommended Citation Morley, Jacob. "America's Electoral Dilemma: A Case Study of Political Participation at St. John Fisher College." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 9 (2007): 36-44. Web. [date of access]. <https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol9/iss1/10>. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol9/iss1/10 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. America's Electoral Dilemma: A Case Study of Political Participation at St. John Fisher College Abstract In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. Freedom and opportunity, the greatest virtues of American idealism, are now cornerstones of democratic and capitalist philosophies throughout the world. These ideals have impacted the collective social psyches of generations of Americans, providing them with hope for the future and goals for which to strive. Throughout its young history, Americans have seen their nation as a beacon of these virtues and have sought to spread American-style democracy throughout the globe. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/ vol9/iss1/10 Morley: America's Electoral Dilemma America's Electoral Dilemma: A Case Study of Political Participation at Saint John Fisher College Jacob Morley America's Electoral Dilemma exercise their electoral rights. America's youth is among the groups that have seen a decline in Freedom is not merely the opportunity electoral participation in recent decades despite to do as one pleases; neither is it efforts to stimulate electoral participation merely the opportunity to choose amongst young Americans. The 26th between set alternatives. Freedom is, Amendment, ratified on July 1, 1971, granted first of all, the chance to formulate the voting rights to citizens aged 18 years for the available choices, to argue over them first time. Upon ratification of this amendment, - and then, the opportunity to choose. President Nixon remarked, "The country needs -Charles Wright Mills (Lewis) an infusion of new spirit from time to time. As I stand here, I sense that we can have confidence Freedom and opportunity, the greatest that America's new voters will provide what this virtues of American idealism, are now country needs" (qtd in Wattenberg, 98). cornerstones of democratic and capitalist Generations of young Americans have failed to philosophies throughout the world. These ideals live up to the aspirations outlined in the words of have impacted the collective social psyches of President Nixon through their continual failure generations of Americans, providing them with to voice their political opinions at the polls. hope for the future and goals for which to strive. Since the ratification of the 26th Throughout its young history, Americans have Amendment, turnout amongst eligible American seen their nation as a beacon of these virtues and voters between the ages of 18 and 24 has have sought to spread American-style remained consistently low in presidential democracy throughout the globe. elections. Participation amongst this age group This form of idealism is best symbolized by reached a peak of 49% in the 1972 contest America's unique system of republican between Richard Nixon and George McGovem government, which seeks to represent the (Wattenberg, 99). This record turnout was collective wishes of American citizens and to largely a result of timing, as the 1972 election provide for the common good of the American was the first opportunity for Americans between people. The shared responsibility of the ages of 18 and 21 to participate in the implementing such ideals rests upon two groups electoral process. Since the 1972 election, - representatives and citizens. While it is the levels of participation in presidential elections representatives who resolve the issues facing the have been significantly lower, reaching a record American people, it remains the citizens' low in the 2000 contest between Al Gore and responsibility to choose their representatives George W. Bush. The 2000 election saw only through the American electoral process. Charles 31% of America's eligible 18-24 year olds vote, Wright Mills, a 20th century American as compared to a rate of nearly 65% amongst sociologist, contextualizes the idea of freedom, voters aged at least 45 years (Jamieson, Shin, emphasizing the importance of active and Day, 4). A sad testament to the significance participation in American government. Ideally, of each and every vote, if young Americans had American democracy is meant to be driven by not voted in such low numbers in the the voices of its people, responding to their presidential election of 2000, the outcome could changing concerns and implementing solutions have been completely different, as the 2000 race for the common good of all (Smith). However was one of the closest in American history. when one group fails to make its voice heard, its An examination of voter turnout in midterm concerns often fall upon the deaf ears of its elections reveals an even more disheartening representatives. reality. While it is true that midterm elections Currently, the American republic is in the draw fewer voters from each age demographic midst of an electoral dilemma, as segments of than presidential elections, 18-24 year olds the American population are turning away from participate at staggeringly lower rates in the American political process by failing to elections that do not decide the nation's highest 36 Published by Fisher Digital Publications, 2007 1 The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research, Vol. 9 [2007], Art. 10 office. Since 1974, turnout in midterm elections Recognizing that a majority of young amongst eligible voters between the ages of 18 Americans are now pursuing education beyond and 24 has never eclipsed 25% (Wattenberg, the high school level and that this age 116). In comparison, turnout rates amongst this demographic has consistently failed to same age group have never been below 30% in a participate in recent elections, it is important to presidential election (Wattenberg, 99). examine why a group that has been provided "Many observers thought that Al Qaeda's with unprecedented access to political attack on American soil and the on-going war knowledge continually fails to display its against terrorism would reinvigorate electoral collective opinion at the polls. Increased access participation in America, especially amongst the to political knowledge both inside the collegiate young" (Wattenberg, 116). This hopeful assess­ classroom and in the media should seemingly ment might ring true in presidential elections. In have the opposite effect, yielding high levels of November 2004, the presidential election participation amongst American youth. between George W. Bush and John Kerry This essay seeks to examine the level of yielded the first turnout rate above 45% amongst electoral participation and political awareness eligible 18-24 year olds since the amongst the student body at St. John Fisher aforementioned 1972 election (Holder, 4). Just College, investigating news consumption habits, two years prior, in a midterm election that student turnout, and participation in politically- featured such critical issues as the War on Terror affiliated groups, both on and off campus, and a potential invasion of Iraq, that same age amongst multiple demographics within the group registered a turnout rate that failed to campus community just prior to the midterm eclipse 20% for the first time since the elections of 2006. Through research into these ratification of the 26th Amendment (Day and particular aspects of campus life, this essay will Holder, 6). show that political awareness and electoral Perhaps the most unique aspect of this participation are low amongst specific groups phenomenon is that it has occurred despite within the current student body at St. John drastically increased educational opportunities Fisher College. Secondly, this essay seeks to for America's young people. Between the years reveal methods through which political of 1970 and 2004, fall enrollment in degree- awareness and electoral participation can be granting institutions has more than doubled, increased amongst the student body at St. John totaling over 17 million in the fall of 2004 as Fisher College. compared to the 8 million enrolled in 1970 (US Department of Education, 2006). Rapid rates of Research Methodology technological advancement throughout these Having defined the aspirations of this essay, years have also provided these generations with it now seems pertinent to establish the increased informational opportunities. The methodology through which its writer has introduction of cable news networks such as researched the topics covered within this paper. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News has provided This essay is formatted to serve as a case study Americans with unprecedented access to a of political awareness and participation among wealth of political information literally 24 hours several groups within the St. John Fisher campus a day. The advent of the internet has likewise community. provided American youth the freedom to access For the purpose of measuring political political information at their leisure. Despite awareness amongst various groups within the this wealth of both freedom and opportunity to student body at St. John Fisher College, 200 learn about political events, a broad segment of surveys1 were conducted in the week prior to the American youth is failing to participate in the 2006 midterm elections. These surveys required political process, and the impact of this trend participants to list six pieces of information could be damaging to their welfare.