Should parents of 18-25 year olds incentivize them to vote?

[Funtatlaguy]

I keep hearing the pundits saying that there will only be normal turnout in midterms years in the 18-25 year demographic on Nov 6.
And that supposedly has Democratic political strategists very worried that they could be the difference in a lot of races.

So, I’m asking parents of young adults 18-25 if their family members are excited to vote.
If not, would you consider an enticement to go with you to vote or provide proof they voted elsewhere? Maybe a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant, or Pottery Barn, cannabis oil,
Bed, bath, and beyond?

[elleng]

1. I'd say 'encourage,' and why not?

[TheBlackAdder]

22. Exactly. Whatever works. Parents know what motivates their children. Luckily mine vote.

.

I can't say the same for my 24 year old niece. My 30 year old nephew is finally coming around to it.

.

[aikoaiko]

2. I have some dim memory of there being laws against such incentives.

But a lot is dim these days. lol

[Funtatlaguy]

3. No cash exchanged. That would be illegal, yes.

[aikoaiko]

13. Ok Thanks. The dim memory involved a free beer if you voted.

Or some such incentive.

But I don't know anything.

[mysteryowl]

4. I don't know, for me, when I was 18

I was proud to vote. It was an event for me I will always remember.

I think teaching your children about democracy and voting, is the better way.

[dewsgirl]

57. I couldn't wait to vote. Unfortunately for me it was the 2000 election, hanging

Chad debacle.
My son and DIL(both 21) were very excited to vote as soon as they could and are eagerly looking forward to voting in the midterms, along with many of their friends.

[TexasBushwhacker]

5. If the possibility of legal weed won't get them to the polls, nothing will.

It's stunning that they will allow their future to be decided by a bunch of crusty old farts like me. I just don't get it.

[ProudLib72]

25. If you vote you'll get purple kush

If you don't vote you'll get stems and seeds... if you're lucky.

[Funtatlaguy]

8. Wow, look what snuck in under the sewer.

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. got em within seconds!

[Funtatlaguy]

12. I'd never seen a real live Trumper on this site before. Disgusting pigs, they are.

[Brother Buzz]

21. MIR Team members don hip boots and patrol the sewers of DU 24/7....

dislodging turds before they backup into DU.

MIR Team member extraordinaire, Ed Norton, learned all about politics after working under city hall for three weeks (one of the perks of the job).

[Tavarious Jackson]

7. I do mine.

[David__77]

10. Who not incentivize?

...

[Funtatlaguy]

14. Good call. I changed it.

[David__77]

15. I think bribe implies the voting would lack integrity.

If the young person has no break in personal integrity and is true to him or herself, I see no problem!

[LanternWaste]

50. You then are unable to perceive the relevant difference between incentive and bribe?

If a poster has no real need in his life to perceive the nuances of basic grammar and English, I see no problem!

[H2O Man]

16. I've heard pundits

talk about "if" there is a normal mid-term turnout of voters ages 18-25 years, but haven't heard anyone predict that. I think that there will be a large turnout. I interact with a fair number of young people, and get the sense that they know how important this election is.

All of my children are politically active, and have been since well before they could vote. I think that most of their friends vote. Usually these days, one of them stops to give me a ride to vote.

Your OP has me thinking about my siblings and their children. Only one nephew doesn't vote. I know that all of my cousins vote -- with my father being one of fourteen siblings, I have a lot of cousins. Two are republicans, while over fifty are Democrats. And most of them have children who vote.

I also interact with students in the colleges in this region. What is interesting this fall is that the female students are leading the way. And there are female college students in more leadership positions in the House campaigns than I've ever seen, and I've been doing this a long time.

I apologize for not really answering your question. It's just outside of my experience. But I found the OP/thread interesting.

[Funtatlaguy]

18. Poll from late August. Hopefully it is wrong in November.

https://www.vox.com/2018/8/29/17795718/poll-millennial-young-vote-2018-midterms

[H2O Man]

37. Thank you for that!

Much appreciated.

[Control-Z]

34. Wait a minute - are you a cousin or second cousin of mine?

"I know that all of my cousins vote -- with my father being one of fourteen siblings, I have a lot of cousins."

My grandmother, on my mother's side, had sixteen pregnancies. However, one ended in a miscarriage and another was stillborn. So my mother was one of fourteen siblings (live births). I too have a lot of cousins.

You never know, right?

[H2O Man]

36. Right.

About thirty years ago, at a Native American support group meeting, a woman was talking about her family's Revolutionary War-era history in PA. I told her that we were related. She thought I was nuts (correctly, of course). But ten years ago, while doing internet work on her family tree, she encountered my (maternal) aunt. Sure enough, we are related.

Twenty years ago, at a community-based meeting for families that got services at the mental health clinic I was employed at, a woman was talking about her family's roots in the Old Sod. Again, I said we were related. She was clearly offended, as she considered her family "lace curtain." When years later, my book on the contributions of the Irish immigrants contributions to the northeast came out, she noticed the photographs of my ancestors' family cemetery in Ireland. She compared them to photos she had taken to her ancestors' cemetery. I had been correct, much to her surprise.

And I have encountered a friend on DU who is a "distant" cousin. Small world. My children and I have done a couple of the available DNA tests, and have encountered cousins across the country. It's fascinating.

[Luciferous]

17. My daughter is very excited to "vote the fucksticks out" her words lol

[Funtatlaguy]

19. Good for her. Hope all of her friends are too.

[Luciferous]

20. She says they are so we'll see...

[Polybius]

23. It was the opposite for me

I was a 19 year old voter in 1992 and incentivized my mother to vote.

[Turbineguy]

24. As in:

"You keep these fucking republicans in office and don't be surprised when we show up at you house with a 'we're movin' in'!"

[Funtatlaguy]

26. Works for me 👍

[Blueman13]

27. Here is how I would approach it:

They are on the hook for their own cell phone bill if they do not vote (for those whose parents are paying the bill). Make them pay for something that they really should be paying for in the first place -- that will scare them to the polls. lol

[OhioBlue]

30. I disagree. We shouldn't use sticks and carrots for 18-25 year olds over voting.

We SHOULD explain to them why it is important that they vote. We SHOULD model the behavior by taking them with us to vote, helping them register and letting them see us volunteer and offer opportunities or them to volunteer with us. Encourage them to attend political debates, round tables and rallies with us.

We want to encourage their hearts and stimulate their minds, not offer punishments or enticements for voting.

[unitedwethrive]

28. My 23 and 21 year old daughters are extremely excited to vote.

No bribes needed here.

[OhioBlue]

29. I have taken my son with me to vote since he was little. I tell him it is my duty as a citizen.

I took him with me when I knocked doors and he was still in a stroller. He has been to an Obama rally at age 5, several events with Senator Brown and various other candidates. He helped me knock doors for Hillary. I hope this instills in him that it is part of one's civic duty to at the very least vote.

IMO - I would approach older children the same way. Get them registered and take them with you to vote. Make it an event. Go vote and have lunch, see a movie, visit a park. If you both have to work on election day, see if you can vote early on a weekend at the BOE. I would not personally give someone a gift card for voting.

[Haggis for Breakfast]

31. My niece attends Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL

Yes, THAT Parkland. The worst school shooting massacre in recent history. Seventeen dead in less than seven minutes. Three teachers and 14 students. My niece knew everyone of the dead children. They were her friends. They were in her classes. She's not yet eligible to vote, but for all of the teens that turned 18 and graduated last June . . . . They are ALL registered.

I would rather have seen them incentivized with a trip to The Keys or Disney. But this is what life handed them, and believe me, these young people are VERY incentivized. They have plans to go as groups to the polls, vote and then go celebrate their first time voting. Then they are holding a vigil for all of those who would have graduated with the senior class but didn't make it.

Incentives come in many forms.

[Laffy Kat]

32. If you involve them in voting from the beginning, it will evolve naturally.

My mother always made sure I accompanied her in the voting booth from the time I was a baby. When I got older she let me pull the leavers and open the privacy curtain. I was so proud the first time I voted by myself and I knew exactly what to do. I did the same with my boys. If I went to a polling place I made sure to go when they could accompany me and when we started voting by mail ballot I made sure they sat down with me while I filled in the bubbles.

The only problem is that they are so lazy, they just copy my ballot without studying the issues or candidates. In a way it's nice because it's like having three votes, but I would prefer if they thought things through for themselves. Still, I can live with this, LOL.

I would be disappointed if they didn't want to vote and would let my feelings known, but I wouldn't bribe them.

[Phentex]

41. I agree with this...

you get them involved early and it will stick with them. We've even discussed how sometimes we aren't sure where people stand on certain issues (in the smaller, local elections) but how you can find the info online (usually, unless the candidate is lazy) and you can make a decision from there. With email available now, absentee ballot for the one in college is a piece of cake. I must admit I still send him the stamps.

[DFW]

33. I sure as hell never needed that

As soon as my children turned 18, they registered and have voted ever since.

[treestar]

35. I encourage my nephews to

Register and vote. Not sure I’d be willing to do the bribery.

[WeekiWater]

38. Took my 20 month old to the polls in the primaries.

Will take him again in the general. Sorry he won't have a vote in this election but I'm working to get him ready for 2035.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

39. It would be cool if Taylor Swift told people to text her

After they voted and she would reply back. Honor system. Bet fans would love that.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

40. They shouldn't need a gift to get them to vote. Just drag their asses to the polls.

Explain to them how it is important. Don't give them gifts for things they should just do as an adult. They aren't children anymore. They shouldn't expect instant gratification for everything they do. That's part of being an adult.

I don't have a child that old just yet. My oldest will be turning 16 next week. He will be voting in 2020 because he'll understand how important it is. He won't be receiving any gifts from me for it though. Nobody gives me gifts for voting.

[Hortensis]

45. I'd definitely be in for "drag their asses to the polls" if

that were necessary and possible. I'd consider it a continuation of raising them, and my duty.

"The Only Thing Necessary for the Triumph of Evil is that Good Men Do Nothing." And just how many times can people refuse to act and still be good?

[MrsCoffee]

42. So they think they get a prize whenever they vote?

The prize is having the right to vote.

The prize is having a say in your own future.

The prize is having a chance to make lives better for others.

The prize is being a part of the process.

I mean, if you teach them that their vote has a price, then they become susceptible to the highest bidder.

Some things in life require work and duty. You don’t always get a cookie for doing the right thing.

Sorry, woke up in an extremely cynical mood.

[Funtatlaguy]

43. Desperate times.....we need to fight this admin with all we have...no luxury for lessons now.

[MrsCoffee]

44. That no luxury for lessons leads us to the situation we are in now.

Teaching civics education must be a Trump era priority.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

48. Yeah, plus the child needs to learn to do things without incentives from the parent all the time

I can't be doing that my whole life and I'm not going to be around forever.

I tell my oldest to mow the lawn. I don't give him anything for it, because I'd get nothing for it. You do it because it needs to be done and it is important to help each other out.

[EffieBlack]

46. Yes, but they shouldn't have to bribe their kids to be responsible adults and citizens

Frankly, I'm tired of hearing about what the national Democratic Party isn't doing to motivate young voters when the party is pulling out all the stops.

Where in the hell are these kids' parents? What kind of examples were they? What values did they instill in their children? Shouldn't THEY be doing something to get their kids' engaged?

Yes, they should incentivize their kids but if the only way to do it is to bribe them with material goodies, they already screwed up pretty bad.

[FSogol]

47. If you raise then properly, teach them responsibility, critical thinking, and compassion, you won't

be able to stop them from voting.

[inwiththenew]

49. 100% agree

I couldn't wait until I could vote because my parents instilled in me early on the importance of voting.

[RobinA]

51. I Put It On

schools as well. Kids have to be taught why some of this "politics" they always hear about is important. They shouldn't be showing up just when it's about them, because what isn't about you today may be about you or a loved one tomorrow. Kids complain about how there will be no social security when they retire and then don't vote. If there's no social security when they need it (which, frankly, I doubt will come to pass) it will be directly because of voting that takes place today and moving forward.

[Skidmore]

52. What? Give them a bonus on the allowance?

When leaving home, my kids heard reminders about their responsibilities as citizens, taxpayers, and human beings in communities along with the fact that mom wouldn't be there to do it for them. If they are old enough to serve in the military, live independently, marry without consent, etc, they just need to step up. Cripes, you get a sticker for participating. Isn't that enough?

[Codeine]

53. My kid can't wait to vote.

I swear she’s gonna snatch her mom’s absentee ballot and fill that shit out herself if she gets a chance!

I think you just need to model the proper behavior, make sure you discuss politics intelligently with your kids, and ensure that they’re always in the presence of political material (magazines, newspapers, whatever) and they’ll do right by you.

[CountAllVotes]

54. They have no incentive to vote?

What fools they are!

As soon as I turned 18 I registered to vote. I could hardly wait! This was after the Vietnam war had about ended. I'd seen enough death and destruction and sick men coming back that I KNEW how important it is to vote.

Maybe they need to learn how important it is to vote. I don't think a cannabis laced cupcake will quite do the job

If they are too self-involved to care, well they shall reap what they sow which in this case will be a giant nothing. How very sad.

[meadowlark5]

55. My oldest will vote this midterm (19)

He voted last year and I have twins that will be 18 for the 2020 election and they will be happy to vote. All are aware enough to know the horror that currently squats in our White House.

[MichMary]

56. "Boundaries"

So, no. Parents should allow their ADULT children to live their lives as they see fit, and not bribe, threaten, or otherwise interfere with their decision-making.

[Runningdawg]

58. If my child needed incentive to vote

I would consider myself a parenting failure.

[CozyMystery]

59. My 4 kids are in that age range; they always vote and always vote D. nt