How To Get The Millennial Generation To The Polls

Having disenfranchised voters is never a good thing. Having a significant portion of a single demographic disenfranchised by choice is worse. 

That is the situation with voters and potential voters between the ages of 18 – 34; the Millennial generation.

As of the end of July this year, this age group comprised 26 percent of the total registered voters in Nevada. What should be of interest to both major political parties is that 27 percent of Millennials have registered as Non-Partisan. Another 8 percent have registered with minor parties. Both the percentage registered as Non-Partisan and the total 35 percent who have chosen not to affiliate with either the Democrats or Republicans is nearly 10 percent higher than the overall state percentages. (See Major Party Registration In Nevada Declines – Non-Partisan Registration Up 18% - UPDATE on this blog)

These figures only show part of the picture. What about those Millennials who do not register to vote. According to a recent Harstad Strategic Research, Inc. study highlighted in The Atlantic, 26 percent of Millennials nationally do not intend to register to vote. An assumption has to be made that younger voters in Nevada maintain a similar attitude.

Of those not registered to vote, 30 percent made that choice because they are cynical of the system. They do not believe their vote makes a difference and they don’t trust the parties. Another major reason for both the voter registration rates and choice to not affiliate with a major party if they do register, is that the parties do not represent their views on the major issues.

With only 28 percent of Millennials planning to vote this November nationally, something needs to be done to reverse this trend. Those in a position to act should not ignore these statistics.

The Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act (NEMRA) might be the change needed. As studies linked in the post; Nevada Election Modernization and Reform Act - The Details show, open, non-partisan, blanket primaries and the use of a ranked choice / instant runoff system for the general election brings the focus back towards the median voter and results in a less contentious legislative body. The inclusion of all candidates and all voters participating in the primary election allows for a broader discussion of the issues. The fact that the top-three finishers in the primary move on to the general election where the winner is guaranteed to have a majority of at least 50 percent +1 and the possibility for a winner to be declared in the primary election with a similar majority makes every vote count.  

This is what Millennials want to see before they get involved. 35 percent of this age group who are registered to vote have voluntarily disenfranchised themselves from the primary. Another 26 percent have chosen not to participate at all.

The challenge to the 2015 session of the Nevada legislature is to show this generation you are concerned, you genuinely want their participation. This can be accomplished by openly discussing NEMRA in committee hearings followed by a vote in both chambers. Will the legislature accept this challenge? For the sake of an entire generation, let’s hope so.