Millennials Are Making Change During Midterm Elections

Nada Aly

Midterm election results are in and after about thirty years, Rod Peterson, Iowa’s WHO TV’s
Channel 13 News Director, says at the core things have not really changed considering midterm
elections.

“We report facts, relevant, timely facts.” Peterson says history is always being made.

“In this case on an election night, it’s history, right? First woman elected governor of Iowa, first
two women going to the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa.” Although, women should
have more of a stance and impact according to Peterson. “That may seem stunning but it’s 2018
and we’re just sending women finally to Congress, and actually electing a woman to be our
leader.”

History is always in the making, and in Iowa as well as among the nation, milestones and great
change is made during elections. “So, every time, it seems like we have a moment that is
important and when U.S. Senator Joni Ernst was elected, that was another moment,” Peterson
says.

One of the biggest changes and differences in this midterm election was found in the increased
number of voters, specifically young voters. Just looking at early votes for voters ages 18-29,
there were more than 3.3 million voters. A 188 percent increase in since 2014 according to a
Target Smart data analysis in Julie Beck and Caroline Kitchener’s story with The Atlantic.

More and more young people are using their voices and freedoms to make a difference and show
what they believe in.

Peterson emphatically believes young people are more engaged then people think them to be. He
speaks of his son and daughter and what he has seen in them, and in others.

“I watch them. I hear you. I hear your classmates and colleagues from other schools, and I
couldn't be more encouraged by the engagement.” Peterson says that the stereotypes and views
many have of Millennials are inaccurate. “Everybody talks about short attention span, or not
caring! I’m not buying it- because you also- when you care about something, seek out that
information religiously.” Peterson says that technology brings young people closer, creates
positive change, and does not distract but it informs.

Logan Davis and Margaret Hoffman, students at Iowa State University, both believe that their
voice matters, and vote truly does count.
“You want to feel represented in the government,” Davis says.

Hoffman is very avid about politics and government as a Political Science major. She believes
that to get even more votes, it is just a matter of educating and informing.

“The majority of time when people talk about government they learn about it in fourth grade,”
Hoffman says. In high school, if people are taking government a lot of the time they are not of
age to vote yet and feel like they cannot be involved as much, she says.

Young people will continue to impact the nation and the future. They are the future.

This is a hat I - a young voter, student and journalist - wore when helping input poll counts during
midterm election night at Channel 13 News in Des Moines. To me, it represents the youth and our
engagement in the government.

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