Only fifty percent of eligible American youth, ages 18-29, voted in the 2016 Presidential election, according to Civic Youth.

According to Ms. Caracci, an AP Government teacher, these statistics are normal.

“If you look back statistically, older people vote much more highly than younger people,” Caracci said. “You could also say that about a lot of other demographics. People with more education vote more than people with less education.”

“In the last presidential election, 72 percent of Americans age 65 and over voted, compared to just 41 percent of those age 18 to 24,” according to The Guardian.

Jessica Steiner, Div. 870, worked as an election judge for the second year in a row on election day, March 20. She sees how it is easy for young people to formulate reasons why they don’t vote.

“Growing up it’s like you think voting is just an old people thing to do — like it’s something you see your parents do, your grandparents do, and when the opportunity comes to you, it’s so easy to make excuses for why you aren’t voting,” Steiner said.

Ms. Sebestyen, who teaches Law in American Society, said there is a reason for such high numbers of older people voting.

“They have learned from experience,” Sebestyen said. “I don’t think they voted when they were in their twenties. I think the older generation gets it. I think their lives are in a different place.”

Caracci is opposed to the statement ‘My vote doesn’t make a difference.’

“Civic engagement is highly valuable, useful, and necessary for a democratic society,” Caracci said.

She believes voting is critical to making this system of government function properly.

“If your voice isn’t being heard, then you actually aren’t part of the society and therefore the democracy isn’t working,” Caracci said.

In order for voting to be successful, Sebestyen believes everyone should know that their vote counts.

“I think when you take that notion that your vote doesn’t count, you start eradicating the whole voting process,” Sebestyen said.

She said she hopes that more young people will participate in the upcoming election.

“Why can’t we get this meter up to sixty or seventy, or in a perfect world eighty or ninety? It’s because of these cliches; ‘My vote doesn’t make a difference,” she said. “I was apathetic when I was a teenager. I didn’t think my vote made a difference.”

However, Sebestyen believes that the school shooting that happened in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 28 is going to be a “game changer” and a turning point for getting young people to the polls.

“Having fully grown adults threatening the lives of the kids, death threats,” Sebestyen said. “I hate to say it, but the only positive thing that is going to come out of this is a stronger electorate.”

She believes social media is being used more in politics and as a way to “fact check” candidates.

“People are using it to spread information and as information is spread, people are realizing that a lot of people have a lot of thoughts and ideas in common,” Sebestyen said. “I think this is only going to strengthen the electorate, as people start getting information out there.”

While Caracci agrees with this sentiment, she also says there is a catch.

“There’s a spirit of activism among the youth that is maybe a little bit different than what we’ve seen recently, but again it all depends on whether or not those voices actually show up at the polls and make themselves heard,” Caracci said.