Politicians turn to peer-to-peer websites to attract young voters

As the November 7 election draws near more attention is being focused on young voters. Media outlets all across the country are running stories about how politicians are going after young voters and how Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 have the opportunity to shape the election.

Take for example Penn State University’s Daily Collegian, which ran a story today entitled, "Politicians using sites to reel in young voters.” The article discusses how politicians are turning to peer-to-peer websites like MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube to attract young voters.

Could this phenomenon of engaging young voters online galvanize youth voter turnout? We at Rock the Vote certainly think so. That’s why we’re active on Facebook and MySpace and will soon be collecting short video statements about what makes Americans want to vote on AOL’s UnCut Video.

The press is taking notice. Campus newspapers like Marshall’s The Parthenon and UConn’s The Daily Campus have run stories about our Facebook group and our efforts to engage college students online. And we’ve gotten mention in other outlets like PC World and The International Herald Tribune.