I love how you focussed your response around engagement, or rather disengagement. I find that this is not only an issue prevalent amongst young voters but is also to be found amongst the older more apathetic electorate. For some, elections are viewed as platforms for the promulgation of what will become yet another merry-go-round of empty promises, campaigns clouded by controversy and corruption, and unclear confusing political ideology. So the easiest approach is simply to opt-out of voting. To me, this is a cop-out and I applaud your handling of the question and your insight in the final line of your response: "we must begin to take responsibility by educating and representing ourselves." Too many people have sacrificed too much for the rights of universal suffrage. It is up to citizens of western democracies to ensure we do justice to what was hard-won, by educating ourselves, doing our own research, and ensuring we play our part in the people's voice being heard through our vote and keep democracy alive and all hints of totalitarianism at bay.