Mock election could spur voter turnout

By Zachary T. Baker
The upcoming presidential mock election at Western Illinois University was designed specifically to educate students about the political process of electing a president. But can such an event really change students’ outlook?

“Overall, events like the mock election here on campus will educate students a lot better in making informed decisions; that they’re not just going to the polls, but they’re actually making a decision that suits their ideals best,” said Joe Lanane, vice president of the Student Government Association. Janna Deitz, an assistant professor of political science, agrees.

“In terms of the type of methods that we’re using, such as the mock election, it’s really hands-on,” she said. “I think this type of active learning has a much stronger link to getting people to engage in the behavior that you want them to.” In other words, a simulated election is more effective than having someone say, “Here, read this information. Go online and read about these candidates.” Lanane hopes it helps.

“This mock election is a huge help for all students looking to increase the political process here because it’s been pretty sad in the past,” he said. “Voter apathy among younger voters, students in particular, is still very high.” He believes students’ indifference toward the process is declining every election.

Indeed, 11 percent more voters aged 18-24 cast ballots in 2004 than 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, but youth voting still remains lower than older voters. Social scientists from Yale’s political science department found two reasons turnout among young voters is low: Young people are seldom the focus of campaign messages, and they are rarely the focus of person-to-person mobilization campaigns.

“Instead of feeling like our voice isn’t being heard, maybe we should come in with the mindset that your voice is going to be heard more than anyone else,” Lanane said, “because if you’re the future, you should have your opinion be taken into account a little bit more.” Further, Deitz said, the “youth vote” could make as much of a difference as other demographics.

“When talking in terms of affecting the presidential election, if we have a close election, then it’s possible that young voter turnout can make a big impact,” she said.

The 2000 presidential election taught us that candidates were not focused on younger voters. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, despite billions spent on campaigns in 2000, not one Presidential campaign advertisement targeted young voters. Because most candidates feel that young people don’t vote, campaigns don’t waste resources targeting them, and that leads to continued disengagement, according to CIRCLE.

The increased turnout in 2004 could reflect differences between generations X and Y. Harvard University and MTV claim that the younger Generation Y pays more attention to politics and is more involved in their communities.

“Generation X is supposed to be somewhat apathetic, having grown up during a time when nothing really had happened,” Deitz said. “There was no situation of war or scarcity, no major developments in terms of affecting ‘my’ political socialization.”

It may be that young voters have gotten a bad rap, so what are the chances of another increase in overall turnout among young voters? The Vanishing Voter study at Harvard University concluded that powerful issues like Iraq, the economy, and a polarizing president influenced higher turnout in 2004. But if these issues aren’t relevant in 2008 and intense partisanship continues, it would be less certain that young adults will flock to the polls again.

Organizers of the mock election hope they can reach those students that would not have voted otherwise by giving them a first-hand experience of how the election process works.

“If we can start engaging students a little bit more during this mock election in 2008, you’ll see some better voter turnout at Western Illinois University in the long run,” Lanane said.

-- Baker is a senior journalism major