Most Arizona 18-year-olds aren't registering to vote. I don't blame them

I can’t say it surprises me, and I can’t say I blame them.

Roughly two-thirds of Arizona’s brand new adults are not motivated enough, or interested enough, or engaged enough, to register to vote.

And, seriously, if you were turning 18 years old, would you want to become a participating member of the democratic process after contemplating the two septuagenarians running for president and witnessing online or in the media the recurring back and forth BS in Congress?

One member recently mocked the ”fake eyelashes” of another, who shot back a slam on that member’s “bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body.”

Surveying the political landscape you’d see geezers and gaslighters, no one who speaks to you, no one who understands you, no one who is actively courting you and, most importantly, no one who inspires you.

Majority of potential new voters take a pass

So, no, it didn’t surprise me to read in an article by Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services about the roughly 94,000 Arizona young people who turned 18 recently and didn't bother to register to vote.

He wrote about an organization called The Civics Center that is trying to motivate young people to get involved.

The founder, Laura Brill, said, “We train high school students and also educators in how the students themselves, with administrative support within their schools, can get their peers involved and run voter registration drives.”

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It’s a good thing.

And a tough sell in an era when grievance-based losing candidates like Donald Trump and Kari Lake spend so much time tearing down the electoral process with wild, disproven conspiracy theories.

That not only discourages potential voters turning 18, but those who’ve been around for a lot longer.

Many long-time voters also have been turned off

Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer pointed out this week that roughly a quarter of the eligible county residents are not registered.

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes said, “Students today have an interest in being involved. But we need to meet them where they are so they can see the benefits of the democratic process and get invested in their interest.”

The problem is not where the students are, however. It’s the low, dark place where we are. And where our elected officials are.

Given that, we probably shouldn’t be lamenting the fact that 75% of 18-year-olds didn’t register to vote.

We probably should be celebrating the fact that, in spite of us, 25% did.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Most Arizona 18-year-olds aren't registering to vote. No wonder