For many of us that are voting for the first time, the political process can be overwhelming. It’s difficult to carefully examine the issues and carve out political beliefs in a matter of weeks. Consequently, a majority of young voters cite their upbringing — not the policies — as the strongest influence when it comes to casting their vote.
It is completely logical that parental influence would shape a young voter’s political beliefs. As disenfranchised minors, youth are directly affected by the votes cast by their parents. Often, adults will vote in the best interests of their family. Naturally, these interests foster children’s political ties to their parents.
Constance Flanagan, a professor at UW-Madison, believes parents affect the political beliefs of their children, even implicitly. In her recent book, Teenage Citizens: The Political Theories of the Young, Flanagan explains that when parents set standards for model behavior, they demonstrate the type of citizens they want their children to become.
Personally, I come from a largely liberal background. Most of my relatives fall left of the left on the political spectrum, and the neighborhood I grew up in was described as one of the bluest in the nation. Throughout my childhood, I was spoon fed various political musings, and by the time I was old enough, my parents’ beliefs became mine.
Recent studies suggest that another reason for these inherited values is a shared socioeconomic background. The Journal of Multicultural, Gender, and Minority Studies measured the correlation between the beliefs of each gender with those of their parents. While there is a slight shift to the left in both groups, it remains evident that parents are incredibly influential in determining their child’s vote.
I decided to address this issue of youth voting patterns because of a conversation I was having with my friends. They emphasized how difficult it would be for them to diverge from their families’ conservatism. They reasoned that the way they were raised would irrevocably affect, not only their voting inclination, but their political perspective.
That being said, a 2010 study done by the Pew Research Center indicates that youth are more independent than ever. The millennial generation is comprised of more open-minded and self-sufficient individuals than generations past. This could come into play in an interesting way for the 2012 election. In 2008, many young voters mobilized and got behind the Obama campaign. In fact, young people were credited with voting Obama into office four years ago. This August, polls showed 40 percent of youth are Team Romney.
It is difficult to turn your back on the values with which you were raised. Our parents taught us right and wrong, and it is not easy to come to terms with the fact that their “right” may be your “wrong.” However, as first time voters, young people owe it to themselves to evaluate the political principles they were taught at a younger age.
My mind quickly opened upon arriving at Northwestern. As a blue-blooded New Yorker, the political diversity on campus was new to me. Meeting and talking to people with different sets of ideas has allowed me to forge a set of beliefs that I can safely call my own. While I still retain much of my family’s political beliefs, I know I am going to the polls on Election Day as an informed, open-minded first-time voter. All I ask from my peers is to do the same. By exploring the political landscape while adhering to your family values, you have the potential to become a truly informed voter.