Developing the Political Citizen: Uncovering the Origins of Political Attitudes and Opinions (2019-2020)

This Bass Connections project examined the development and measurement of political attitudes and voting behavior in the United States. The project team continued work begun in 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 that focuses on understanding the political attitudes and behavior of young voters (and nonvoters).

Team members conducted surveys, held interviews, and evaluated policy reforms. They found that young people are not apathetic (surveys show high levels of political interest and intention to vote), but they fail to follow through on civic intentions due to personal and institutional barriers. Possible policy solutions evaluated include rethinking civic education and electoral reforms to make registration and voting easier.

Timing

Summer 2019 – Spring 2020

Team Outputs

Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action (Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase 2020)

Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action (poster by Donovan Bendana, Lindsay Campbell, Edgar Cook, Austin Connor, Carter Forinash, Chloe Golfinos, Chelsea Hamlet, Amanda Kang, Caroline Kincaid, Sakiko Nishida, Stefanie Pousoulides, Tina Tucker)

Audio

Capturing the Millennial and Gen Z Vote

Charlotte Talks: Will Young Voters Get Off the Sidelines in 2020?

Youth and Civic Action

Reflection

Amanda Kang

This Team in the News

A Wish for Super Tuesday: Get Young People to Vote

Why Many Young Folks Don’t Vote. How to Change It

Duke University Professor Co-authors Book Exploring How to Get Young People to Polls

Why Young People Don’t Vote – And How to Fix That

This project team was originally part of the Education & Human Development theme of Bass Connections, which ended in 2022. See earlier related team, Making Young Voters: Policy Reforms to Increase Youth Turnout (2018-2019).

 

Image: Day 036: Primary, by Jess Liotta and Colin Liotta, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Day 036: Primary.

Team Leaders

  • Edgar Cook, Arts and Sciences–Political Science–Ph.D. Student
  • Kyle Endres, University of Northern Iowa
  • Sunshine Hillygus, Arts & Sciences-Political Science

/graduate Team Members

  • Brian Guay, Political Science-AM, Political Science-PHD
  • Tina Tucker, Political Science-PHD

/undergraduate Team Members

  • Donovan Bendana, Political Science (AB)
  • Lindsay Campbell, GCS in Literature Program (AB)
  • Austin Connors, History (AB)
  • Carter Forinash, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Chloe Golfinos, Political Science (AB)
  • Chelsea Hamlet, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Amanda Kang, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Caroline Kincaid, History (AB)
  • Sakiko Nishida, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Stefanie Pousoulides, Political Science (AB)

/yfaculty/staff Team Members

  • Christina Gibson-Davis, Sanford School of Public Policy

/zcommunity Team Members

  • Wake County Public School System