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8.26.2008
There are more than 32 million 18-25 year olds that populate the United States as of 2006. That's nearly 10 million more than the baby-booming era 40 years ago. Only 49 percent of those 32 million eligible youth voters turned-out to vote in 2004.
What are some predominately shared values?
One of the most striking trends amongst young people over the past 35 years is the decline in the percent of young people who are married. Nearly 50% of 18-25 year-olds were married in 1968; 15.4% of young residents 18-25 were married in 2006. This comparison hints at a newly "less-committed" youth lifestyle.
The youth unemployment rate of 2006 was 8.6 percent. As has been the case over the last 35 years, young people have higher unemployment rates than their adult counterparts. These numbers are almost expected in observing high consumption and debt rates.
The relative smoothness of the population of employed young people when compared to the unemployment rate is attributed to young people moving in and out of the labor force—most likely to pursue educational opportunities.
In 2006, there were an estimated 16.2 million 18-25 year old American residents who had no college experience. This makes roughly 50 percent of the estimated total of 32.1 million 18-25 year old residents in America. Non-college attending young Americans have consistently voted at levels below college attending youth in both presidential and midterm election years.
What political policies/issues are particularly important to this demographic in this election? Why?
Young people are less likely to have any military service record than ever before. Since the mid 1970s, the percentage of young people who are either active military or veterans of the armed forces has declined from nearly 12% to a bare 0.6% who are currently active.
To a large extent this is a function of the elimination of the draft in 1974. These results can easily be identified as a total decline of political interest beyond the ballot, continuing towards patriotic negligence versus educated voting.
Are there any cultural references your demographic identifies with? What?
Not since 1920 have immigrants represented a higher percentage of the U.S. population. In 2006, 13.3 percent of young people—18 to 25 year olds—were born outside of the United States with an additional 6.5 percent born to only foreign-born parents. This reflects a growing diversity among young people. From 1994 to 2006, the percentage of young people who were born outside of the U.S. grew from 10.8 percent to 13.3 percent. Currently, the immigrant population accounts for 12.1 percent of the entire U.S. population.
In 2006, 85.8 percent of young people lived in a metropolitan statistical area. Young people are less likely to live in the central city of an MSA than in the suburbs. As expected, the largest metropolitan areas also have the greatest number of young people, but not necessarily the highest local youth population share.
What does their graphic landscape look like?
Including the AIGA document and other sources, what are the issues cited for this group not voting?
Since 1968, young people have been taking to the streets to angrily protest war, economic policy, and the painful way modern societies have been failing them. Noncompliance and disinterest in campaign issues are the greatest factors in promoting this personal agenda.
SOURCES:
"Taking Back the Vote - Getting American Youth Involved in Our Democracy"
Jane Eisner - 2004
"No Longer Spectators: The Future is in Their Hands"
Senator Birch Bayh - 1968
"Invisible Citizens: Youth Politics After September 11"
Previn Warren - 2003
LINKS:
CIRCLE - A Nonpartisan Research Center Studying Youth Civic Engagement
Electoral Engagement Among Non-College Attending Youth
Immigrant Youth Demographics
Are there any cultural references your demographic identifies with? What?
Not since 1920 have immigrants represented a higher percentage of the U.S. population. In 2006, 13.3 percent of young people—18 to 25 year olds—were born outside of the United States with an additional 6.5 percent born to only foreign-born parents. This reflects a growing diversity among young people. From 1994 to 2006, the percentage of young people who were born outside of the U.S. grew from 10.8 percent to 13.3 percent. Currently, the immigrant population accounts for 12.1 percent of the entire U.S. population.
In 2006, 85.8 percent of young people lived in a metropolitan statistical area. Young people are less likely to live in the central city of an MSA than in the suburbs. As expected, the largest metropolitan areas also have the greatest number of young people, but not necessarily the highest local youth population share.
What does their graphic landscape look like?
Waggener Edstrom Worldwide released research on how young internet voters from 18-25 years of age are using digital communications to gather information on the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
"Just as radio and then later television in the 20th century vaulted American elections into distinctly new political eras, so will the Internet in the 21st century as even now the young Internet voters are transforming the way millions of voters want to be heard in this 2008 election", said Lance Tarrance, WE Global Public Affairs Advisory Council member and veteran political pollster. This different data set benefits from previous studies because it focuses exclusively on the media consumption habits of the Millenial and Generation X demographics.
Including the AIGA document and other sources, what are the issues cited for this group not voting?
Since 1968, young people have been taking to the streets to angrily protest war, economic policy, and the painful way modern societies have been failing them. Noncompliance and disinterest in campaign issues are the greatest factors in promoting this personal agenda.
SOURCES:
"Taking Back the Vote - Getting American Youth Involved in Our Democracy"
Jane Eisner - 2004
"No Longer Spectators: The Future is in Their Hands"
Senator Birch Bayh - 1968
"Invisible Citizens: Youth Politics After September 11"
Previn Warren - 2003
LINKS:
CIRCLE - A Nonpartisan Research Center Studying Youth Civic Engagement
Electoral Engagement Among Non-College Attending Youth
Immigrant Youth Demographics
