OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Leah Bectel is 23-years-old and has been working at the election polls since she was 16 while growing up in Georgetown Township. Having worked nearly 15 election polls in her young career and experiencing first hand the importance of voting in an election, Leah is spending additional time these days to help motivate her peers and encourage young voters to turn out on election day.
"A lot of the workers are usually older, I mean my grandma worked elections, because that's just what you did - you were involved with your community," she says. "She was a big inspiration for me and I've been recruiting a lot of friends so I think its on a good trend right now to have young people getting involved. I'm really excited to see the workers in November."
This trend is not unique to Michigan of course, but all across the nation young voters are finding ways to motivate their young peers to get involved in the upcoming election. On campuses across the country, including Hope college in Holland, college-age voters are engaging with college organized groups and events.
Hope College professor Bob Pocock says what he's seeing on campus mirrors what he sees in the community.
"There are people on both sides who are polarized and are very engaged because of that polarization. It seems the people in the middle are having a tough time making a decision," says Professor Pocock. "I've seen more students register to vote in Michigan because they live out of state. What I have seen on campus is that the interest in the political party organizations either Hope republicans or Hope democrats has diminished while what has increased in involvement in an organization we call 'Vox Populi,' which is Latin for 'voice of the people' and students are more active in that than in either political party."
To learn more about Vox Populi, click here.
Despite the uncertainty of some voters across the country, young voters are expected to turn out in great numbers for the November election. Last month, the Washington Post reported on a national poll that was released by the Harvard Institute of Politics, that found that 63% of the 18-to-29 year old respondents they polled said they will “definitely be voting” in November’s election.
In Michigan, voter organization Next Gen Michigan reports that so far, there have been 321,386 ballots requested from young voters under 35 in the state, and so far 196,395 of those have been returned.
"Young voters are voting in record numbers and are showing an intensity and engagement that is unprecedented," says Next Gen Michigan field organizer Lateshia Parker. "This is fighting the narrative that young voters aren't going to get out and vote."
Polling place worker Leah Bectel says she believes that in the upcoming election, everyone will be pleasantly surprised by youth voter turnout.
"We are in the midst of a pandemic and traditionally older workers would be working at the polls and I think its time that the younger generation steps up to really help out with these elections they don't just happen," Leah says. "And it's our right to vote, but it's a long process to get people to the polls to work them to make sure everything runs smoothly. People will be pleasantly surprised in November to see the youth vote turnout so stay tuned."
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