Local young adults share their opinions on the importance of voting

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — In preparation for today's primary election, WAND News spoke with local college students and young adults about voting.

Terrence 'TAT' Taylor said that he thinks it's extremely important for young people to exercise their right to vote since they're "change makers."

Though experts expect that youth turnout will be lower than in recent elections.

A national poll released by the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School found that young Americans are likely to show up to the polls in lower numbers than they did in 2020. The poll found that, compared to the last general election, the number of Americans between 18 and 28 who "definitely" plan on voting for president has decreased from 57% to 49%.

"The biggest misconception I hear when it comes to young voters is that their vote doesn't count," said Rhys Deiter, a Millikin University student.

Deiter disagreed with this common sentiment and stressed the importance of voting. "It's a way to see any change on any issue that you may have. Whether that's in a small, local community or on a larger scale."