Honors Projects

Abstract

Historically, college students have had a low voter turnout despite having particularly high political engagement. This is a problem because it is instilling a bad habit of not politically engaging to the extent that a productive United States citizen should. By not voting, Americans are losing their rights to representation that reflects their views and beliefs. In this paper I discuss why this low voter turnout is negative and what the United States can do, via the government and educational institutions, to increase voter turnout. In this research, the reader will discover the reasons for low voting rates among college students, the reasons for high political engagement, and ways to solve the low voting rates. The solutions include modification of voting laws, increased communication of voting, the understanding of the importance of political participation in the United States, increased civic education and civic-based programs, and the engagement of students while learning about civics. This research concludes that by enacting these solutions, it will increase college students' voter turnout substantially.

Major

Integrated Social Studies Education

First Advisor

Arthur Lewandowski

First Advisor Department

School of Teaching and Learning

Publication Date

Spring 5-2020

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