The turnout in the 2014 midterms was the lowest in any election since 1942. Only 36 percent of the voting-age population bothered to cast a ballot in November 2014. A Pew Research Center report tracked down 181 registered voters who said they did not vote this year and asked them their reasons for doing so. A full two-thirds said they simply didn’t have enough time to vote. More than half of this group claimed that scheduling conflicts with work or school kept them from getting to the polls. Another 34% of the total said they were simply too busy, sick, out of town, or forgot about Election Day. 20% said they didn’t like the candidates, didn’t know enough to vote, or simply didn’t care.

Without having the majority of the people voting, a democracy isn’t being represented. This issue is crucial nationwide because the elections allow us, the people, to have a voice and choose who we want to be in charge. These elections are what define us as a democracy, but how can we have leaders who were chosen “by the people” if a large percentage of the people don’t vote? Citizens need to know about the future of America’s government and be able to take part in its future. So, the government needs to provide the necessary education concerning voting to the public, along with allowing voting to be more accessible through the Internet. Moreover, action that could be taken includes instilling mandatory classes, funded by the U.S. government, to educate the citizens about candidates, candidates’ platforms, and our government during the campaigning season throughout community colleges and high schools.

By creating classes and increasing the use of technology for all, thousands of jobs would be created and the economy would improve. Overall, by using these two alternatives, we can increase voter turnout and therefore increase the functionality of our government.