The League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania (LWVPA) has invited Pennsylvania's high school students to "Get in the Game" by producing a 30-second video that demonstrates and encourages the importance of participation in the democratic process.

For its first statewide video contest for high school students in Pennsylvania, the LWVPA chose the theme "Get in the Game (Democracy is not a spectator sport)."

Susan Carty, president, LWVPA, said, "Young people between the ages of 18 and 24 represent an upcoming, very large group of viable voters whose voice needs to be heard. We have to do a better job of engaging this age group and demonstrating why their vote matters."

According to the United States Census Bureau, voting rates, which represent the number of voters relative to a given population or subpopulation, have varied across recent election cycles with the general outcome being that voting rates increase with age. In every presidential election since 1964, young voters between the ages of 18 through 24 have voted at lower rates than all other age groups, although young-adult voting rates have fluctuated from one election to another.

Overall, America's youngest voters have moved towards less engagement over time, as 18- through 24-year-olds' voting rates dropped from 50.9 percent in 1964 to 38.0 percent in 2012.

Voting and registration rates tend to increase with age. In the United States in 2012 only 41.2 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted, compared with 72.0 percent of those 65 and older.

Voter turnout for the 2014 General Election represents the lowest voter turnout in any election cycle since World War II, according to the United States Election Project. In that election, only 36 percent of Pennsylvania's voting-eligible population turned out at the polls.

Contestants in the video contest must be at least 13 years old, and no older than 19.The 2015 contest begins Jan. 15, and the submission deadline is midnight, March 1. Winners will be announced April 1. The top entry will receive $1000; $500 second prize; $250 third prize; and $250 for the media center of the high school with most submissions.

Official contest rules and submission forms can be found at www.palwv/org/videocontest.