Age and voter turnout.

From the line graph Education and Voting Behavior on page 22 of this week's issue, you learned about the education of U.S. voters. The bar graph below shows the participation levels of two groups of American voters, 18-to-24-year-olds and 25 years old and older. In 1971, Congress approved the 26th Amendment, which set the minimum voting age at 18. How have America's young people voted since then?

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Questions

1. Which age group has had the higher voter turnout since 1972?--

2. What was the voter turnout for both age groups in 2000?--

3. How does voter turnout for both age groups in the 2000 election compare with their turnout in the 1972 election?--

4. Which election had the highest turnout among voters 25 years old, and older?--

5. Why do you think voter turnout among 18-to-24-year-olds has decreased since 1972?--

6. When did the greatest decrease in voter turnout among 25-year-olds and older occur?--

7. When did the greatest increase in voter turnout among 18-to-24-year-olds occur?--

8. In which election was there the greatest difference in voter turnout between the two age groups?--

9. Given that voter turnout among 19-to-24-year olds has declined since 1972, do you believe that this age group should still be allowed to vote? Explain your answer.--

10. What do you think can be done to increase voter turnout in the U.S.?--

Answers

1. 25-year-olds and older

2. 64 percent of 25-year-olds and older and 37 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted in the 2000 election,

3. The voter turnout for both groups was lower than in 1972.

4. 1972

5. Answers will vary.

6. Voter turnout decreased by 6 percent between the 1992 and 1996 elections.

7. Voter turnout increased by 7 percent between the 1988 and 1996 elections.

8. In 2000, 64 percent of voters 25 years old and older voted. Only 37 percent of voters 18 to 24 years old voted in 2000, a difference of 27 percent.

9. Answers will vary.

10. Answers will vary.