( CNN ) -- Scotland may have voted no on independence , but 16- and 17- year-olds offered a resounding yes to the question of whether young people can be motivated to take part in the political process after being allowed to vote for the first time . With voter turnout reportedly edging close to a remarkable 90 % in some areas , many are pondering what we can expect from the youth vote in the upcoming U.S. midterm elections . As members of America 's largest generation , the millennials , young voters certainly made their mark on U.S. politics when they turned out in force and paved the way for Barack Obama to win the Iowa caucuses in 2008 . In fact , if that vote had taken place only among caucus-goers over 30 , Hillary Clinton would have won Iowa ( and likely would be president today ) . Six years later , however , a different picture emerges . Rather than being empowered to remain active in politics after making history in 2008 , young voters are sadly becoming more disillusioned and distrustful of all things Washington . In our most recent Harvard Institute of Politics survey , only 23 % of 18- to 29-year-olds indicated they would `` definitely '' be voting in November -- a number that has grown smaller as the election nears and that trails the benchmark from 2010 . Meanwhile , trust in almost every institution tested annually in our survey has also fallen since the last midterm campaign : Trust in the presidency is down 12 percentage points to less than one-third , trust in both Congress and the federal government is also down -- to 14 % and 20 % , respectively . Meanwhile , the number of young voters who believe that elected officials seemed to be motivated by selfish reasons has increased from 54 % in 2010 to 62 % today . The factors leading up to Obama 's runaway victory against John McCain in 2008 were clear . The older millennials were raised in the shadows of the patriotism Americans felt after 9/11 ; they felt let down by President George W. Bush 's handling of Hurricane Katrina and the march to Baghdad , had witnessed two razor-thin presidential wins in 2000 and 2004 and quickly connected with the first-term senator 's powerful combination of message and media . Young voters came out in force then , turning red states to blue because in their mind , in this one instant , politics mattered . For millions , the election of 2008 was their chance to become an active participant in an unfolding chapter in America 's proud history . The same went for Scotland on Thursday , with the vast majority of teenagers over 16 voting because it mattered to them as well . Like their cousins in America , they imagined a time telling their grandchildren what it was like the day everyone voted . The problem today is that through word and deed , it seems like every elected member of our government is going out of his or her way to illustrate to young people that government does not matter , that the fundamental challenges of our time are better left for others . This is why youth turnout has fallen in every election since Obama 's first . In a poll we released a few days ago for Politico , for example , we found that millennials are less likely than every other age group to vote in November , they are less enthusiastic about the election , and more than 60 % disapprove of the way that each party is doing its job in Congress . It is impossible to have an election without choices , even bad ones . This week Scotland chose to remain part of the union rather than forge its independence , a choice with real consequences . Unfortunately , young U.S. voters by and large just do not see the midterm elections offering legitimate choices because , in their eyes , Congress has proven to be largely ineffectual , and worse uncaring . By eschewing regular participation in electoral politics , young people are making the choice to serve their community and country in other ways , namely through volunteerism . It is now up to the President and members of the House and Senate to take heed of this disillusionment and make a choice to inspire our largest generation to be civic-minded , to participate in the debate and process of politics working together to make our country a better place . In fact , when you step back and think about it , it really should n't be a choice at all .
Young voters paved the way for Obama to win Iowa caucuses in 2008 , John Della Volpe says . Recent survey shows 23 % of 18- to 29-year-olds `` definitely '' plan to vote in November . Young voters do not see midterm elections offering legitimate choices , he says .