Voting in the Age of the Internet
Let’s face it, we’ve all felt the growing pains of the upcoming general election on November 4th, 2020. Maybe your pain is rooted in mailing in a ballot for the first time or which party to side with given the current state of a world affected by COVID-19. Either way, there are some doubts about the legitimacy of the voting process this year. As well as a lack of response from the federal government assuring citizens that it is business as usual. And although doubts may be circulating, the vote must go on. So, it’s safe to assume that voter turnout is a topic that everyone wants to hear more about.
According to a recent study from The Pew Research Center, “Currently, 83% of registered voters say it really matters who wins the presidency, up from 74% four years ago and the highest share saying this in two decades of Pew Research Center surveys.” With that being said, ensuring one of our highest voter turnouts is not only a hope, but it’s likely to occur given the research at hand. Additionally, “Signs are growing that voter turnout in 2020 could reach the highest levels in decades—if not the highest in the past century—with a surge of new voters potentially producing the most diverse electorate in American history,” according to an article from The Atlantic.
By now—a trend that is somewhat consistent with previous elections—pamphlets and envelopes are flooding mailboxes urging the masses to join the voting efforts. So, with statistics from The Pew Research Center showing, “… a record share saying it “really matters” who wins in November when it comes to making progress on important national issues,” all outlets are pushing for voter registration-some more unique than others.
Social Media and Voting
One of those unique strategies is social media advocacy for registering young voters; it’s only a larger push toward growing those numbers. Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, are working to ensure that people are given the tools to access the right information in regard to the election.
Whether it’s a tab on the need to know information surrounding candidates or a button that will lead to registration within your state. Users have no need to fear with the internet on their side. By pushing this agenda, social media outlets have made it front of mind with generations of users who mainly connect to one another by social media platforms.
So, with innovative ways to engage audiences it has become easier to join the conversation. When outlets can reach the masses, they can get more results like the following graph from The Pew Research Center.
And in a couple of months, millions of Americans will receive their mail-in ballots as the pressures of COVID-19 stays atop of everyone’s mind. While others will trail to the polling places to stick to the status quo.
In these unprecedented times, this massive presidential vote absolutely determines our next four years as a country. As we attempt to recover from climate problems, health concerns, human rights matters, and many more pressing issues that bombarded 2020 in a significant way.
As voting is a major right of citizens, nurturing the existing ways to seek out more voters o
nly benefits society as a whole. And social media platforms surely are excited to be included in the conversation. And in the end, are helping to revolutionize the way we see voting in America.