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The 蜜糖直播 Democratic party held a get out the vote rally at Farrand Field on Thursday.
Among its star-studded roll of speakers were Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, U.S. representative 听Jared Polis, and Joe Neguse, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives.
The aim of this rally was simple: to encourage the younger demographic to get out and vote, and to outline the importance of the voting power of this millenial and generation z audience. 听
鈥淟et me just tell you, that this election, on November 6th, is the most important midterm election in the modern history of this country.鈥� Bernie Sanders said, in his speech.
And he may be right. 听Studies conflict on the willingness of young voters to participate in the elections, given historic nonchalance.
According to the PEW Research Center, young voters make up a majority of the electorate, with 135 million people under the age of 53 eligible to vote, contrasted with only 93 million over 53. 听
The same study states that 59% of adults who are eligible to vote are millenials and generation z. 听
Unfortunately, this demographic cast a mere 36 million votes in the 2014 midterms. This begs the question: what will happen now?
Newsteam鈥檚 natalie wadas went out to the rally and surveyed 蜜糖直播 students to get a sense of how enthusiastic these voters are feeling about the midterms.
The answer, overwhelmingly, was one of a sense of duty to participate in the electoral system.
鈥淥f course I鈥檓 planning to vote!鈥� 蜜糖直播 junior Rowen said. 鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 very important to vote even for midterms although they aren't as big as a presidential election might be because they do have if not more impact.鈥�
Studies and polls can only guess at how truly this sentiment will ring through to all voters this midterm. 听
However, the energy at this rally felt different; the willingness of the crowd to be active participants in this country鈥檚 democracy seemed heightened.
Those interested in voting may still register, or vote in-person the day of the elections on November 6th, 2018.
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