Abstract
Written as a class-wide collective research project for a Political Communication course, this qualitative study explores young voters' perceptions of the meaning of voting. After conducting in-depth interviews with 66 eligible voters aged 18-25, the authors conducted a theme analysis. This study reveals that young people who tend to vote have a well-developed understanding of the ritual significance of voting which, in turn, contributes to their ability to recognize an instrumental effect. In contrast, those who do not vote tend to focus on the limited instrumental effect of voting, even as they argue that the effect of a wrong vote deters them from voting. This study provides data that would indicate a PSA campaign focusing on the instrumental effects of voting may be misdirected. Instead, it appears that the more ephemeral consummatory effects resonate more deeply with young voters.
Journal Title
Iowa Journal of Communication
Volume
36
Issue
1
First Page
45
Last Page
69
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Palczewski, Catherine H.; Boyd, J. Aaron; Gillespie, Sarah A.; Hamer, Marie E.; Hanson, Patrick G.; Kelsey, Michelle; Lyon, Stacey E.; Reicks, Alison; Tuhy, Sarah; Wendt, Amber; Wisgerhof, Laura; and Zimmerly, Kathryn M.
(2004)
""It is Just What I Do" to "It Doesn't Really Matter": Youth Voters' Considerations of Voting as Instrument and Ritual,"
Iowa Journal of Communication: Vol. 36:
No.
1, Article 5.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/ijc/vol36/iss1/5
Copyright
©2004 Iowa Communication Association
