Youth Engagement and Get-Out-The-Vote Organizations: Are they a Viable Solution to the Problem of Youth Engagement?

Abstract

Get-out-the-vote organizations are thought to be one of the many solutions to address the issue of youth voting. Yet, research into the success or failure of these organizations has been very limited. Research indicates these organizations are not targeting the correct segment of the youth population. The initial postulation of this paper is that these organizations are failing in their mandates, as they are already targeting the segment of the youth population, namely university students who are voting regardless of these efforts. Why do these organizations continue to invest money in an area that doesn’t need it, and why do governments continue to give them money? Are they merely a sandbox for youth organizers, a way for governments to feel that they are trying to tackle the problem or simply a product of the times, with no real ambition or idea to solve the problem of youth voting?