Students discuss what keeps them from voting

Editor’s Note: Student Union’s weekly columns are a joint effort of the region’s high schools, the Bangor Daily News and Acadia Hospital. The following column was written by Mount Desert Island High School students. Their adviser is Beth Blugermanes.

Nov. 4 is Election Day, and Maine voters will be casting ballots on six referendum questions and a variety of local candidates. Sadly, out of those eligible to vote in Maine, on average only 71.9 percent vote in a presidential election year, with fewer casting ballots in the typical midterm or referendum election. Voter participation for young people is even more dismal, with 11 percent of Maine voters ages 18 to 24 going to the polls, according to the Web site, carnegie.org. These statistics are startling, given that the Secretary of State’s Office reports that Maine had the highest voter turnouts in the nation in 1996 and 2000, and was second to Minnesota in 2002.

It seems odd, with a weak economy and American soldiers stationed overseas, that our opinionated young people would give up their right to speak out on important social issues.

According to a poll conducted last week at Mount Desert Island High School, students ages 18 and older will defy the national and statewide trends and head for the polls. Some of their reasons include: “So I can state my opinion, so my voice can be heard.” “You can’t change the government without voting.” “If people are fortunate enough to choose their leader, they should.” and “I want to try and change the United States, every vote counts.”

However, many young people say they aren’t presented with enough information to make good decisions on political issues. Younger voters often don’t understand the impact that referendum items will have on their ability to live and work in Maine in the future. Many times referendum issues are discussed on the news or during talk radio programs that are not directed at young people.

Many young people are unfamiliar even with election vocabulary, and this can make them feel intimidated and overwhelmed. For example, our survey population could not identify the meanings of terms such as referendum, initiative, and bond, let alone understand the complicated language of the proposed legislation.

Ironically, voter turnout should be highest for referendum elections because they present the rare opportunity to practice direct democracy. In a referendum, the voting public is polled on issues.

Generally, it is the Legislature’s role to vote on issues, and our participation is limited to electing those government officials. An initiative is a new law that is proposed by citizens by a petition process, as opposed to the more standard sponsorship by a member of the Legislature. A bond is a certificate promising to repay borrowed money.

Tomorrow’s statewide ballot includes three initiatives: on tax reform for public education funding, slot machines at already existing race tracks and the construction of a new casino by the Passamaquoddy Tribe and Penobscot Nation. Meanwhile, bond issues total nearly $90 million for water quality improvements, college and library projects for handicapped accessibility, and transportation improvements to roads, harbors and airports.

Tuesday’s election will come and go, and if past trends hold true, too few people will vote, and young voters will be the most poorly represented group of all. This is in spite of the 26th Amendment, which reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1971, and programs like “Rock the Vote,” created for the 1992 presidential election by cable channel MTV.

As it turns out, it isn’t laziness or apathy that is keeping people from going to the polls; it is lack of understanding and an overwhelming amount of confusing information. What is really needed is a way for people to learn about the issues. Programs like “Rock the Vote” should not only inspire people to participate, but to inform the public about the issues as well. Voters should take the time to read the current Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election, found on the www.maine.gov Web site, which explains each of the referendum items and is one of the most important books a citizen can read during election time.

As Chip Gavin, from the Maine Secretary of State’s Office said, “High voter participation is something that Maine prides itself on and is so important to our country’s democracy.” As citizens of the state of Maine, it is our duty to not only turn out for the vote, but to vote wisely.

Schools participating in Student Union include Hampden Academy, Brewer High School, John Bapst Memorial High School, Old Town High School, MDI High School, Stearns High School in Millinocket, Nokomis High School, Hermon High School, and Schenck High School in East Millinocket.