ng. Last November, in the election to determine who will likely lead this city for the next eight years, just 25 percent of eligible voters came out to the polls in Philadelphia. The highest percentage of those voters were 50-64; 18 to 29 year olds made the poorest showing. Nationally in November, a record low 36 percent of eligible voters came out to the polls, according to Generation Citizen, a youth civics education program that works with Vote16USA. Among 18 to 29 year olds, only 19.9 percent voted, the lowest turnout ever.
With civics education on a decades-long decline, that number is not going to change on its own. That’s why organizations like Generation Citizen and the Rendell Center for Civics Education are working to bring civics learning back in to schools and communities. Klugman says lowering the voting age is one way to boost civics education: If high school juniors are expected to vote, then their schools will need to teach them about how their vote works. And the results could be monumental: If high schoolers were able to vote, might politicians be more inclined to make sure schools are fairly-funded?
Voting is direct action, and has been shown to create more civic involvement. Civic education goes deeper; it teaches students how to get involved beyond election —from writing letters to representatives in Congress, to volunteering on campaigns, to educating peers and even parent about the importance of issues like education. This, research has shown, is not only how you create a nation of civic-minded citizens. It’s how you create a Democracy.
Header Photo: Flick/Phil Roeder