Bernie Sanders’ revolution doesn’t matter: Young people still won’t vote

For all there is to celebrate about Bernie Sanders engagement with young voters, there’s also a harsh reality: Young people don’t vote. Older voters do, and it may be why Hillary Clinton is still winning despite getting killed with younger demographics.

John Stoehr, contributor for U.S. News World Report, claims that “Bernie’s Revolution Has No Future” and dismisses arguments that Sanders is bringing about the future of the Democratic Party. For one thing, the party is already becoming more liberal. 

“At best, claiming he represents the party’s future is like a consolation prize. At worst, it feeds into the already entrenched notion among Democrats that all they need to do in order to win is wait for demographics to change the electorate,” Stoehr writes.

He also notes that the exit poll excitement and readings are “misleading.” While there may be some “notable upticks” in voting, primary results are still low among young people. Millennials make up the largest demographic, but have had the lowest voter turnouts for 2012 and 2014, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Exit poll data may also overstate young voter significance while understanding it for older voters, according to a 2007 study comparing exit polling data to state voting records.