Is Voting for Young People? With a Postscript on Citizen Engagement

"For years, political scientists have told their students that it doesn't make a difference whether they vote because one vote won't make a difference. This book is antidote to that argument." Richard Niemi, University of Rochester "Marty Wattenberg's new book is a brilliant analysis of a big and growing problem in modern democracies; it is also an urgently needed wake-up call. How can we call ourselves a democracy if fewer and fewer people participate in elections and, in addition, if these voters are far from representative of the whole population? The author's recommendations for remedial action, including the adoption of mandatory voting, deserve the most serious consideration." Arend Lijphart, Professor Emeritus of Political Science, UCSD "This text is likely to become one of the seminal works on voting - readers of all levels cannot help but be impressed by the clarity and strength of Wattenberg's answer to why young people do not vote, and his solution will spur debate about the meanings of democracy, rights, and responsibilities." Sean Matheson, Knox College "This is first-rate scholarship. Wattenberg synthesizes the current scholarship in the field of voter turnout, and integrates competing theories in an accessible manner. Wattenberg's [book] makes an important contribution to our understanding of voter participation, while at the same time speaking directly to young people." Miki Kittilson, Arizona State University "This is a fine example of putting first rate social science research in the service of larger normative concerns. Not everyone will agree with Wattenberg's prescription, but his description of the disengagement of younger citizens here and in other advanced democracies, his explanation for their disengagement, and his identification of the consequences of their disengagement are compelling." Morris Fiorina, Stanford UniversityWattenberg, Martin P. is the author of 'Is Voting for Young People? With a Postscript on Citizen Engagement', published 2007 under ISBN 9780205518074 and ISBN 0205518079.