Essay Example on Vote Now: Pre-Register to Cast Your Ballot at Age 18!

The voting age for all federal and state elections in the United States is 18. However, some states allow potential voters to register at certain points before theory eighteenth birthday. On average those who are 16 or 17 are allowed to pre-register for voting so that as soon as they turn 18, they become eligible to participate in an election (Nava, 2018). Some of the conditions for registration include proof of residency, mental competency, and proof that one is not on parole or prison (King & Hale, 2016). Nevertheless, youth participation in elections has been significantly low (Romero & Fox, 2016). In 2008, for instance, only 58% of youth aged 18-25 registered for voting, and only 48% of this population bracket voted (Cherry, 2011). Due to the problem of low voter turnout, especially among young people, innovations such as pre-registration have been used to address to issue. There is a positive impact of pre-registration on voter turnout in the United States.

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Pre-registration increases the morale of the pre-registrant to vote as they eagerly wait to turn 18. According to an analysis of Florida's election behavior in 2008, those who registered before turning 18, were 4.7 more likely to participate in voting than those who voluntarily registered upon turning 18 (Cherry, 2011). This evidence is consistent with research conducted by McDonald and Thornburg (2010) who found out that the increasing number of fresh pre-registrants from about 30,000 in 2000 to about 78,000 in 2008 led to an increase in voter turnout among the pre-registrants as compared to those who registered after their eighteenth birthday. This information demonstrates that pre-registration has a longtime impact on the voter.

There is a positive relationship between voluntary pre-registration and voting. Those who pre-register feel part of the system thus are more likely to turn out during elections that those who are taken through automatic voter registration and those who register after turning 18(Garnett & Miller, 2018; McDonald & Hanmer, 2019; Seljan & Gronke, 2019). A general positive turnout among pre-registrants is also reported by Fowler (2017) who affirms that pre-registration is likely to increase voter turnout by approximately two percentage points. The positive trend is a clear indication that pre-registration is highly likely to increase the general voter turnout.

Pre-registered voters are eligible to vote even after dropping out of school thus increasing voter turnout. Drop-out rates, for example, among minority citizens is highly likely to occur, thus pre-registration helps ease the process they would have to endure upon turning 18 (Lee, 2014; McDonald & Hanmer, 2019). The expansion of voter registration through universal responses such as pre-registration has helped reduce racial gaps in election participation (Gartner, 2015). Pre-registration, therefore, provides a platform for political participation among minority groups in the United States.

It is clear that there exists an affirmative interconnection between pre-registration and voter turnout. Apart from boosting the morale of the pre-registrants, pre-registration makes the pre-registered voters feel that they are part of the system, and it also gives an opportunity to the vulnerable to register as voters even before they turn 18. Research shows that pre-registrants are more likely to participate in elections than those who register after turning 18. This evidence demonstrates that pre-registration has a positive impact on voter turnout. Therefore, all states should consider pre-registration as one of the most effective ways of encouraging more youth to participate in the voting process. With the initiative, it is possible to address the problem of poor voter turnout among the youth in the United States.

References

Cherry, C. (2011). Increasing youth participation: The case for a national voter pre-registration law. U. Mich. JL Reform, 45, 481.

Fowler, A. (2017). Does Voter Preregistration Increase Youth Participation?. Election Law Journal: Rules, Politics, and Policy, 16(4), 485-494.

Garnett, H. A., & Miller, P. (2018). Registration Innovation: The Impact of State Laws on Voter Registration and Turnout. esra.wisc.edu

Gartner, D. (2015). The Voting Rights Act and the Enduring Challenge of Participation. Election Law Journal, 14(3), 278-281.

King, B. A., & Hale, K. (Eds.). (2016). Why Don't Americans Vote? Causes and Consequences. ABC-CLIO.Lee F. (2014). Enfranchising America's Youth. Issues in Election Administration, Policy Paper.

McDonald, J., & Hanmer, M. (2019). Understanding and Confronting Barriers to Youth Voting in America.

McDonald, M. P., & Thornburg, M. (2010). Registering the youth through voter preregistration. NYUJ Legis. & Pub. Pol'y, 13, 551.

Nava, P. (2018). Challenges and opportunities. Losing 1.4 Million Eligible Voters (so far) a Bad Prescription for Healthy Democracy: Do the Secretary of State and DMV Have the Right Medicine? report no. 224, Little Hoovers Commission.

Romero, M., & Fox, J. (2016). Uneven Landscape: Mapping Underrepresentation of Young Adults in California's Electorate. National Civic Review, 105(4), 40-51.

Seljan, E., & Gronke, P. (2019). Happy Birthday, You Get To Vote.