Eighteen- to 24-year-olds are at a historic low in voter turnout, with only 15 percent of eligible voters heading to the polls in 1996.

Secretary of State Chet Culver is working to change those statistics.

“These young people are going to be the future leaders that are going to be running this state and running this country,” Culver said. “I’m a little bit concerned that if more young people don’t get involved, our democracy is at stake here.”

The United States ranks 137th in voter participation out of the 167 democracies worldwide. Culver said nationally, Iowa is ranked “in the middle of the pack” in voter turnout among the 18-to-24 age group. Culver hopes to move the state to the No. 1 voter turnout in the nation.

Culver was joined Tuesday in the Memorial Union by campus and city political leaders in a non-partisan effort to get students registered to vote.

College campuses are a focus of Culver’s statewide “Get Out and Vote Tour.” He will be visiting all of Iowa’s college campuses throughout his four-year term to encourage voter registration.

“It’s up to young people to pick their party and to pick their candidates,” he said, “but someone has to get out there and encourage them to register and encourage them to vote.”

Democrat Jane Greimann is campaigning to fill a vacancy left by Cecelia Burnett in Iowa House of Representatives District 61. Greimann said she would like to see more students get involved in city government as well as national government.

“We want to get young people involved in the political process,” she said. “I think voting is a habit. They need to start doing it as soon as they turn 18.”

Judie Hoffman, city council member running for re-election, also was on-hand to recruit Iowa State students to register.

“I think it’s important because if students register and start voting when they are young, then they will continue doing it throughout their lifetime,” she said. “Democracy is not a spectator sport.”

Hoffman said young people would be more satisfied with government if they would vote. “So often people complain about what government is doing,” she said. “If you don’t get involved, then you probably shouldn’t complain.”

Greimann said young people aren’t voting because they are content with the way things are. “There’s not an issue they feel strongly about,” she said.

Culver said another reason people in the 18 to 24 age bracket have such a low-voter turnout is because many candidates don’t take the time to address them.

“In fairness to young people, sometimes they are not given the opportunities to get involved,” he said. “Learning about government is a lot like learning about math or science. Someone has to teach you how and why to get involved.”