BANGOR, Maine — Young voters are historically less likely to vote than people in other population groups.
Voter mobilization groups like NextGen have been knocking on doors, setting tables on college campuses and helping students register to vote on Super Tuesday for the primaries and in November for the elections.
Today at The University of Maine, the organization encouraged students to vote and even offered free rides to the Orono Town Office for students to conveniently cast their ballot.
Some of the most common topics that young Americans are driven to the polls include:
- Gun control laws
- Healthcare
- Immigration
- Student Debt
- Unemployment
- Climate Change
Doctor Mark Brewer is a Political Science professor at the University of Maine.
He thinks more young voters will cast ballots this year.
"There is a high degree of energy, now part of that has to do with thoughts on both sides of the spectrum on the current president, part of that has to do with the very tightly contestant Democratic presidential nomination, but I also think there is going to be more energy down-ballot for congressional elections and maybe even some state elections," said Dr. Brewer.
According to Dr. Mark Brewer, the youth vote is always the lowest turn out of the population.
"In many cases people don't get fully engaged in the political process until they get older and they start to settle down, get married, have families," said Dr. Brewer.
Other cases include young Americans being transient, as people move around they tend not to register and vote, and also how young people tend to be more disengaged in the political process than older voters.
That's why voter mobilization groups like NextGen are calling on the American youth to have their voices heard.
Founded by one-time democratic presidential candidate Tom Steyer, NextGen is a progressive advocacy nonprofit.
"Voters 18 to 35 are projected to be 37 percent of the electorate this year...we are just trying to help them take those issues to the ballot box," said Elizabeth Rosen, press secretary of NextGen Maine.
Senator Susan Collins spent the weekend prior to Super Tuesday in Maine, telling NEWS CENTER Maine the Republican Party has a platform that appeals to young voters.
"The one area that I think we haven't done as good a job is on environmental issues, I believe that we need to do more to let young people know that we care just as much about clean air and clean water as they do," said Senator Collins.
The UMaine College Republicans also working to get young conservatives to the polls.
"Even if we don't win the ticket in Orono, having kids out there voting is all we really care about...we just want that participation from the conservative voice," said student Anna Zmistowski, a member of the UMaine College Republicans.
"The American system doesn't work unless some critical mass of the citizenry educated and engaged and I think we try and make that clear to students that..it's an obligation that falls on them," said Dr. Brewer.