Young voters make up 30% of the electoral vote but still don’t represent great voter turnout. One local brewery in Philadelphia is taking a unique approach to try to change that.
Love City Brewing Company is giving out a free 10 oz. beer to people who fill out a voter registration form right in the brewery. Brewery owner Melissa Walter says that she and her husband wanted to do this because they value civic engagement and wanted to give young voters an extra incentive to get out there and vote. College students are their primary targets.
Young voters are especially prevalent during election time because they account for a significant portion of the voting population. And while young people make up a decent share of the voting public, older Americans (Baby Boomers) are still the ones primarily going to the ballots.
Many students don’t vote because they aren’t informed about who the candidates are, they aren’t registered on their college campus, or they simply don’t feel like their vote will matter. Long lines at the polling booths close to campus are also setbacks in the voting process.
Temple student Gerhard Williams said that it’s vital for students to make their voices heard so politicians will be more responsive to the younger generations desires.
Abby Williams, another student at Temple says “young people are afraid to voice their own opinions now because everybody is so judgmental but the election is the one chance to voice your opinion and be your own person.”
Temple University, as well as organizations like Vote that Jawn, have launched programs to get more young people to the polls. Love City Brewing Company says they look forward to doing this again during next election season.
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