For Hawaii voters who know how consequential the Nov. 5 presidential election is, Wednesday’s front-page article on “The Youth Vote” felt like a punch in the gut. The apathy and disengagement revealed by students at the University of Hawaii-Manoa were truly disheartening. And while their voter lethargy shouldn’t be entirely surprising given overall low turnout in Hawaii’s elections, it’s a serious problem. Such apathy cannot worsen into a passive citizenry that doesn’t care enough to have a say, and stake, in the building of their government’s pillars and policies, which in turn affect their own lives.
Even the revved-up competition between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump failed to spur enthusiasm. Granted, the interviews at UH’s Campus Center by reporter Dan Nakaso were mere snapshots — “I’ve never really paid attention to politics,” “I don’t have a lot of time to focus on those things” — but still concerning if such attitudes persist among Hawaii’s young-adult electorate. More awareness must counter the lack of interest in voting and in issues that do directly bear on American lifestyles, such as reproductive rights, student-loan debt and affordable housing.
On the national level, at least, it’s good to see the Harris-Trump race reinvigorating some voters. Harris has seen a social media surge orchestrated by a Gen Z team, featuring “brat summer,” “femininom- enon” and coconut tree memes. It shows that pathways to youthful engagement exist; it’s a matter of what snags attention and how it’s held.
Getting more people to vote is a worthy goal, certainly. But beyond the numbers is the imperative for a better-informed citizenry, for critical thinking that goes beyond cults of personality to delve into issues and pursue ideas for the greater good. To that end, more robust civics classes are needed in schools to teach the value of being open to others’ viewpoints and for spirited yet respectful discussions.
A stronger community also means growing engaged voters — and for this, resources abound, such as Tufts University’s CIRCLE, the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, a nonpartisan organization focused on youth civic engagement (808ne.ws/youngvoters). Riffing off of some CIRCLE recommendations:
>> Start early and start young. It’s never too early to start building civic responsibility, so talk to kids and teens about voting as one way to improve our communities. Service organizations and others can help get the word out on registering to vote and getting enthused about voting, to foster a lifelong habit. Locally, projects such as Kids Voting Hawaii must sustain their efforts and remain robust.
>> Build youth voice and power. It’s valuable to integrate diverse young people’s voices into discussions and decision-making to “help combat adultism,” as CIRCLE notes. Participating in civic activities helps youth understand how their interests can connect to issues and opportunities for action. Perhaps the Honolulu Youth Commission, a City Charter-formed panel now in its fourth year, could include youth-vote outreach as a mission.
>> Form partnerships for outreach and awareness. In Hawaii, voters are fortunate to have many favorable laws that make it convenient to vote, such as mail-in balloting and election-day registration; even online registration is easy (see elections.hawaii.gov). More opportunities must be created for young people to be part of the process — be it via class-assignment volunteerism, or as an intern or worker in election offices or in youth-led outreach teams.
For 30 years now, the nonpartisan “Rock the Vote” campaign has been a laudable model, working to spread the importance of voting and to build up the political power of young people. Such outreach and interaction are critical to building a sense of community: When young people are brought into discussions about issues and elections, they are more likely to turn out and cast a ballot.
In Hawaii, a 2023 poll by Pacific Resource Partnership, the Hawaii Carpenters Union’s political arm, found voter apathy to be highest among 18- to 34-year-olds; nearly one-quarter were not even registered to vote. That’s in stark contrast to findings among residents age 65 and older — 97% of whom were registered, with 63% saying they vote in every primary and general election.
Clearly, there’s a lot of uphill work to be done: Ingraining the habit of — and enthusiasm for — voting will be an ongoing effort to be continually seeded and sustained. So here we are, just nine weeks from the Nov. 5 general election. Political fatigue may have set in for some people who’ve been immersed in these critical races for months now — but for many other voters who’ve yet to engage, there’s still time to research the candidates and make informed decisions.
As Pat Mitchell, former CEO of PBS, once said: “If we don’t vote, we are ignoring history and giving away the future.” For young voters, in particular, it’s time to realize that each ballot cast can help shape the laws and policies that govern your life. Do not give away your future.
