As autumn leaves begin to fall and thanksgiving turkeys await carving, votes are prepared to be cast, but will the votes reflect the current political feeling in Virginia or will it change for the better. Following a presidential election that saw 152,320,193 people participate, why are experts worried about voter turnout in the Virginia governors race. 4,410,480 Virginia residents voted in the 2024 Presidential election, but with nearly six million registered voters, the discrepancy is clear and showcases the arising problem and concern of voter participation.
According to the Virginia department of elections, the previous Governors race, which saw Glenn Youngkins surprise victory, only drew 49.28 % of registered voters to the polls.. Youngkins victory was considered an upset as Virginia tends to lean democratic, with Democrats winning the state in every presidential election since 2008, but was the upset genuine, or is it a consequence of the growing voter apathy, the question looms over the upcoming election between Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle Sears.
Virginia stands out with it’s demographic, with the 2020 census revealing that 7.4% of Virginia’s population was 13 years old, meaning by 2025, these individuals will now be eligible to vote. Will the influx of young voters be able to solve the participation problem?
Mr. John Logan, a government teacher for Briar Woods High School, has the unique task of educating high school students about the complexities of government. One of his early assignments requires students to research all of the local elections, from the governor’s race to the person’s own district. Despite the research open to the kids, “voting has never been easier” Logan said. But Logan is also starting to notice a troubling trend “ kids have never been less interested. With Virginia’s young population, their votes are crucial, but they are overexposed to politics through social media, leading to cynicism”
In Mr. Logan’s government class, not a single student has inquired about the election between Sears and Spanberger “you would be the first one” he remarked when asked about this topic.
His concerns on the overexposure and cynicism are vindicated in the election advertisements. Rather than focusing on commercials highlighting policy and solutions for the many problems in Virginia, Sears and Spanbergers ads primarily consist of personal attacks on each other.
These tactics are not as effective as politicians think, as several seniors were asked about Sears and Spanberger and their platforms, responses ranged from the uninformed “I don’t know who that is” said senior Max Marburg to the the slightly more aware “I’ve not heard any of the candidates views”
These answers reveal a prevailing sense of indifference and detachment among the young voters, suggesting a disconnect from politics all together.
As Youngkin’s’ 2021 victory demonstrates, elections are impossible to predict, but if the sentiments of Briar Woods High school seniors are any indication, voter interest may continue to trend down, posing a significant challenge to Virginia’s democratic process.
