Why Millennials Aren't Showing Out in the Polls Preview

Millennial voters have significantly lower numbers at the polls compared to other generational populations, according to a study by New America. In the 2012 presidential election, despite making up 23 percent of the overall voting population, only about half of Millennials actually voted. There are many possible reasons for this. Dave LewAllen, a weekend news anchor at Channel 7 WXYZ Detroit who has covered elections for years, noticed that the type of election matters. “The thing we notice most…as it relates to age of voter, [sic] younger people are much more excited and energized by a presidential race…than you get for local elections or even statewide elections,” he said. He wasn't wrong; according to International Business Times, only 21.3 percent of Millennials voted in the 2014 midterm elections. So, why else aren't Millennials getting out and voting in elections? According to a couple of Millennials, it has a lot to do with cynicism and lack of investment.