Virginia Gazette
November 9, 2010
WILLIAMSBURG — A study released Monday by the Colonial Williamburg Foundtion and Montpelier finds Virginia’s youngest voters less informed about our system of government and less engaged in both the political system and in their communities.
The Virginia Civic Health Index 2010 underscores the need for more civics education, according to the two organizations.
The study examined voter turnout and other measures of civic engagement.
Among the results are that, even in 2008 when an influx of young voters were credited with helping to elect Barack Obama, voters 18-29 voted less frequently than their elders. Turnout for the state’s youngest voters was 59% in 2008. While that was up from 43% in 2004, it was below the 71% turnout rate for citizens 30 and older. Young Virginians did vote more than their counterparts nationwide, who turned out at a 51% rate. In general, the younger the voter, the less likely they were to vote.
Only 37% of younger Virginians chose "because it is my civic duty" as a reason to vote in a federal election, lower than previous generations. They were also less likely to say that "voting regularly" was important to good citizenship.
Younger voters were also less likely to have attended public meetings, volunteered in their communities or donated to charity than their elders.
Virginians under 30 also had less knowledge of the constitution and apparently less respect for it. Fully 30% said it was time for a new constitution, as opposed to just 7% of those over 55.
Read a complete version of this story in Wednesday’s Virginia Gazette.