I was convinced my mother would die on 5 November 2008.

Earlier that year, she had stopped treatment for her cancer and was already in hospice by the end of September. In October, I helped her cast her absentee ballot. It did not seem likely that she would survive until election day.

Sometime after I dropped her ballot into the mail, my mother learned that if she died before election day that her vote would not count. She was passionate about the election and announced that she would survive until November 4 so that her vote would count. Once she insured that her vote would be counted, I figured she would die the following day.

Unfortunately, such dedication to voting is not the norm in American. In the last election my mother voted, over 40% of Americans didn’t vote. Because next week’s election is a mid-term, more than 50% of Americans will likely choose not to vote. But the percentage of young voters who do not vote next week could be nearly 70%. For example, in the last midterm election, only 23% of young voters cast their ballot.

Is there anything that professors can do to encourage youth voting? The answer is “Yes.” However, telling students about my mother’s last vote or stories of women’s suffrage or civil rights is not an effective strategy. History is important, but strategies designed to convince students to vote miss the mark.

Recent studies show that students don’t vote because of ignorance of the voting process and lack of knowledge about what is on the ballot; not because they don’t want to vote.

Because I came from a family of voters, my parents explained what to expect when I voted the first time. But, statistically, half of my students’ parents are non-voters. As professors, we can help students by explaining the voting process. But, most importantly, we can help students understand what is on the ballot.

Next week, I am asking students to print out the sample ballot for their precinct; something easily available through the Secretary of State’s office. During class, we will do research on the candidates and ballot proposals. By educating students about the ballot, it will help eliminate one of the fears that we know cause students to avoid the polls.

Because I teach classes that focus on research, writing, and history, it is easy to work ballot education into the curriculum. But it is not so hard to incorporate ballot education into other courses as well. What is the psychology of voting? Use of statistics/mathematical models in polling or get-out-the vote initiatives? Architecture of voting spaces? STEM and STEAM issues advocated or not advocated my candidates? The ramifications of business issues as a result of ballot proposals such as Michigan’s Proposition 1 which would legalize marijuana.

When professors teach our students about the ballot, we are not advocating partisan positions. As I tell my students, Mr. Berg may care deeply about how they vote, but Dr. Berg “doesn’t give a damn.” And it is Dr. Berg who grades their assignments.

Telling my mother’s story is important as is educating students about women’s suffrage and civil rights. But educating students about ballot issues is critical if we really care about the youth vote.

–Steven L. Berg, PhD

 

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