Young voters made the difference

Congressman Joe Courtney has a lot to say about the power of young voters. He credits his razor thin election victory of just 91 votes to the rise in turnout among student voters.

Congressman lauds voting to Ellis Tech youths
By RAY HACKETT
Norwich Bulletin

DANIELSON -- The proposal on the Democratic agenda in the first 100 hours of Congress that won the most support from Republicans was the measure that cut interest rates on student college loans.

"That wasn't a coincidence," U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, told students Tuesday morning at Harvard Ellis Technical High School. "It wasn't a matter of members of Congress being nice people. It was a reaction to the impact that young people had on Congress in the last election."

Younger voters, especially those 18 to 25, turned out in higher numbers in November than in any previous elections since 18-year-olds were given the right to vote in 1972. The result was a shift in power as Democrats regained control of both chambers of Congress.

"The more you vote, the more politicians are going to pay attention to your issues," Courtney said, noting in past elections, politicians and candidate focused on issues concerning older Americans who are more likely to vote.

"But that's changing," he said. "And it is a change that is important for the future of this country."

Traditionally, 18- to 25-year-olds avoid elections, registering the lowest percentage turnout of any age group. Most young people say they don't vote because they're not convinced their vote matters.

Courtney hopes to dispel that belief, using his victory in November as an example of how important those votes are. Courtney won by 83 votes out of more than 240,000 cast -- the closest congressional race in the country in 2006. He attributes his victory to the higher turnout of young voters.

"That was pretty shocking," said Samantha D'Anna, 16, of Plainfield, a hairdressing student.

D'Anna was one of 10 students selected to pose questions to Courtney during the hourlong assembly. The topics included gas prices, education, the war in Iraq, possible reinstatement of the draft and global warming.

There also were questions on gay marriage, which Courtney said should be left to the states to decide; and dairy farming subsidies, which he supports.

The students gave Courtney high marks for his answers.

"I understood everything he was saying about the questions we asked him," D'Anna said.

Still, his point about the impact of younger voters on changing the outcome of elections surprised her.

"I didn't get it at first," added Robert Smith, 15 and a sophomore from Plainfield, "but when you think about it, it makes sense. Every person has a different way of looking at things, so I can see where one age group could have a different opinion."

"If I leave you with one thing to remember today," Courtney said, "it's this: No group is more affected by the decisions being made in Washington, D.C., than you, the young people in this country. And Congress is paying attention because of the way young people impacted this last election."