Youth Vote Rivals Largest in American History

11/8/08 Update: The latest tallies show that approximately 23 million 18-29 year olds voted on Election Day 2008, the most young voters ever to cast a ballot in a presidential election and an increase of 3 million compared with 2004, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

Turnout among young voters was up from 2004 to 52-53%, the highest level since 1972, making 2008 the third major election in a row where young people have increased their turnout!

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The tallies are in and young voters have proven their power at the polls.

On November 4th, approximately 24 million 18-29 year olds cast ballots in this historic election, a turnout rate of 54.5%, up nearly 6 percentage points from 2004. This youth turnout figure is based on a turnout estimate from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), and overall turnout calculations from Professor Michael McDonald of George Mason University and results from the National Election Pool exit poll.

Across the country, young voters’ turnout made a significant impact on close races in battleground states. In Virginia, North Carolina, Colorado, and other states, young people propelled Barack Obama to victory. Nationwide, 66% of 18-29 year olds voted for the President-Elect; state-by-state, this strong support made the difference in a number of contests.

Yesterday’s record turnout marks the third major election in a row with increased young voter turnout. In 2004, the youth turnout rate was 49%, an increase of 9% points over the 2000 election; in 2006, young voters turnout went up by 3% points over 2002. On November 4th, 18-29 year olds’ turnout rate increased by nearly 6% points over 2004 levels, resulting in 4 million more young voters than in 2004.

“Yesterday more young people voted than in any election since 18 year olds won the right to vote in 1972. This is truly a remarkable moment; young people have spoken and elected the next president,” said Heather Smith, executive director, Rock the Vote. “No longer can pundits and politicians say we don’t vote. The face of our democracy is forever changed and young people have shown the world we are taking our country into our own hands.”

This year Rock the Vote ran the largest voter registration drive in history, using a combination of online, mobile and grassroots outreach resulting in more than 2.5 million individuals downloading a registration form.

After registering a record number of voters, Rock the Vote ran an extensive get-out-the-vote effort, using popular culture and new technology to reach young people nationwide and mobilizing volunteers in key states. Our efforts on Election Day included:

• Sending more than 100,000 mobile subscribers an Election Day text message reminder;
• Phone-banking 13,300 young voters to remind them to get to the polls;
• Accompanying Ohio State University students to the polls;
• Providing shuttles to the polls in Blacksburg, Virginia and several other schools;
• Helping protect young people’s votes at Drexel University; and
• Dispelling inaccurate attempts to disenfranchise young voters through online and mobile messaging.
  

On college campuses and in cities and communities across the country, Rock the Vote was on the ground yesterday supporting the 24 million young voters who cast a ballot yesterday. Visit www.rockthevote.com or more stories, videos and pictures from the field.

“We’ll now take this incredible energy and momentum and demand action on the issues young people care about such as the economy, the war in Iraq, heath care, voting rights, and the environment,” Smith commented. “This is only the beginning.”

Young Voters Make History

You did it.

Tonight Rock the Vote is celebrating alongside young Americans nationwide as reports indicate record turnout in the 2008 election. From coast to coast we have witnessed young voters flooding the polls excited and enthusiastic to cast their ballots.

For 18 years Rock the Vote has promised that young people would reward elected officials and candidates for public office with their support on Election Day if they were reached out to in a sustained, substantive and authentic way.

President-elect Obama did precisely that and more. He responded to the concerns and questions that they have. He found them on the Internet, engaged them through text messaging and technology and devoted resources and time to earn their trust.

This is a transformative moment. Research shows that once people register and vote for the first time, they become active members of the electorate for the rest of their lives. The same people who elected President-elect Obama will now ensure that he has the support to make the real changes so many of us have been calling for. And in the future public officials who overlook them as a bloc will do so at their own peril.

“Young voters have dispelled the notion of an apathetic generation and proved the pundits, reporters and political parties wrong by voting in record numbers today,” said Heather Smith, the Executive Director of Rock the Vote. “The Millennial generation is making their mark on politics and shaping our future.”

Rock the Vote has worked tirelessly to respond to those people who were skeptical about whether and to what extent young people care to get involved in politics. After tonight, there is no question: young people care deeply about and are very motivated to serve the vision they have for their futures.

Tonight, Rock the Vote celebrates the historic levels of turnout we witnessed in this election with the more than 2.5 million young people who downloaded registration forms from our website, attended our rallies, responded to our text messages, wore our t-shirts, visited our bus. They changed our country and politics forever. It will never be the same.

Open Thread-- Evening Results

Young voter turnout nationwide is showing significant increases compared to 2004 vote totals. Across the country, young people are voting at historic levels. In Virginia and Pennsylvania, where polls have already closed, we are seeing how their turnout is making the difference in close races.

For example in Virginia:

Early reports indicate young people will help make or break the state for the presidential candidates. According to just-released CNN exit polls, young people made up 21% of all voters in Virginia – one in every five voters – up from 17% in 2004.

What's your voting story? Where did you vote? Were there long lines? Help tell the young voter story.

Field Update: Precincts Surpassing 2004 Levels Already

More good news! We're hearing that several youth-dense precincts in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida, and Nevada indicate that voter turnout among 18-29 year-olds has already surpassed 2004 levels, or nearly has.

Here are the numbers:

Drexel University (Philadelphia)
2008(as of 1pm): 500 votes cast
2004 total: 425 votes cast

Virginia Tech (Blacksburg)
2008 (as of 3pm): 2,465 votes cast
2004 total: 2,069 votes cast

Florida State University (Tallahassee)
2008 (as of 3pm): 721 votes cast
2004 total: 625 votes cast

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2008 (as of 4pm): 811
2004: 860

At Virginia Tech University and Drexel University lines are now hours long. Download video footage of the situation on the ground at Drexel here: http://qs1195.pair.com/rockvote/110408/

We also continue to see young voters experiencing attempts to keep them from the polls. Voters in Florida, Texas and Arizona have reported receiving the following text message: "Due to long lines today, all Obama voters are asked to vote on Wednesday. Thank you for your cooperation." View screenshots here: http://www.rockthevote.com/electionday/?name=precincts/pennsylvania.html

In addition, we have also been notified that students attempting to vote at Florida State who are showing student IDs are being turned away. By law, students may use student IDs to vote in Florida, as long as the ID is signed. We are urging individuals to call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if they encounter any problems.

"Across the country we are seeing surges of young people hitting the polls," said Heather Smith, executive director of Rock the Vote. "However; there are still significant obstacles, including three to four hour lines, logistical challenges and attempts to make voting less accessible to students. Election protection advocates are working hard to make sure every person who registered to vote is allowed to vote."

Stay tuned: Rock the Vote will have more up to date information as polls begin to close across the country.

Visit www.rockthevote.com for more stories from the polls.

Field Update: Youth Turnout Strong, Problems at VA Tech

We're hearing from Rock the Vote organizers and volunteers in the field that early turnout at youth-dense precincts across the country is strong!

We have people on the ground in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, and elsewhere - early numbers, photos, and video from polling places in these states show long lines and big numbers of young voters. For example:

• At Drexel University in Philadelphia, 395 people had already voted by 11:45 am, with another 179 in line. Compare this to 2004, when 425 people total voted in that same precinct all day!

• At Penn State, 1,000 students were in line this morning, and turnout is exceeding what it was this early in the day in 2004. Check out photos of voters in line here.

“Early tallies in youth dense precincts indicate that young people are taking their enthusiasm to the ballot box,” said Heather Smith, Executive Director of Rock the Vote. “Get Out the Vote efforts across the country, on the ground, and through mobile and online technology are bolstering the turnout we are seeing in Virginia and Pennsylvania this morning.”

Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, young adults are also facing obstacles in trying to vote today.

More than 5,600 people, mainly Virginia Tech students - who faced voting rights violations already this year - are registered to vote at precinct E1 in Blacksburg in Montgomery County in Virginia. That number is nearly double what the state law allows for polling stations - to make matters worse, the poll place is 6.5 miles from campus and has almost no parking.

Despite this, young adults are organizing their peers to get to the polls and arriving today to the polling place in large numbers, according to those on the ground.

“The long lines in Blacksburg are filled with excited new and young voters, many Virginia Tech students,” said Rock the Vote’s Amanda Eckerson, on site in Virginia today. “Today we are seeing young people in Virginia and across the country casting ballots despite poor logistical planning, long lines and bad weather.”

More updates to come! Visit www.rockthevote.com for voter stories from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and elsewhere.

Young Voters at the NASDAQ!

Today a group of young voters joined Rock the Vote to ring the NASDAQ bell in NYC! After, the group hung out by the AT&T mobile bus and had their picture taken with the AT&T Samsung BlackJack II phone!


Remember, tomorrow November 4th is Election Day! Make sure you VOTE! If you have any questions or encounter problems at the polls, call 1-866-OUR-VOTE! Rock the Vote will also be at The Early Show TOMORROW for Election Day! Come to 59th and 5th at 7:45am to cheer us on! Let's make sure the youth vote is represented! Help us ROCK THE VOTE TOMORROW!

To all the skeptics

There have been some great news stories out there lately about how many new people - particularly new young adults - are getting registered to vote this year. Nine million according to the Associated Press - and here at Rock the Vote, we hit two million registration downloads last week, and are already long past that, ending last week at 2.3 million.

But at the same time, I'm seeing tons of stories with headlines like "Young voters: Engaged, but will they vote?"or with skepticism like in that Associated Press story, which follows talk of new registrations with sentences like "If they show up" and the authoritative-sounding "Historically, voter turnout among new registrants has been low."

Now, when I read that, I got suspicious. I know that in 2004, 81.6% of registered 18-29 year olds voted, a turnout rate not low by any definition.

Of course, not all of those were new voters, so I decided to check it out a bit further.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2004:

• 83.3% of registered 18-year-olds voted;
• 79% of registered 19-year-olds voted;
• 81% of registered 20-year-olds voted;
• 82.3% of registered 21-year-olds voted.
  

Nearly all of these voters were "new" by virtue of age, and all were new to a presidential election.

What's the lesson? Whether young or new, or young and new, if a person is registered to vote, they are very likely to cast a ballot.

So to all the skeptics I want to say - knock it off! You're telling the easy story, the "will those darn kids really vote?" - but not the factual story. Don't believe me, believe the facts: you can be sure that those kids will indeed overwhelm the polls come November 4th.

Now, does that mean political campaigns or organizations like Rock the Vote should look at the new registration numbers and sit back and relax for the next three weeks? Of course not. (damn)

For the campaigns, the fight is only beginning for the hearts and minds of these new voters - while our polling does show that young voters heavily favor Senator Obama, there are plenty of young voters for all candidates to target and persuade - 44 million eligible 18-29 year olds, to be exact, from the most diverse generation in American history. A prime persuasion and turnout target for both presidential campaigns and for candidates on down the ballot. And you can bet that the campaigns that get out there and ask for young people's votes - go to campus, knock our doors, attend candidate forums, and phonebank us - will reap the benefits on Election Day.

And for Rock the Vote and our partners in nonpartisan youth outreach, we want to make sure that we get young people all the information they need to vote on Election Day - polling place info, facts on voting rights, early voting and absentee voting details, and more.

Voting can be confusing for those brand new to the process - what ID do I need? where do I go? can I vote where I go to school? how do I get an absentee ballot? - and we're hard at work making sure we make that info available to everyone we can reach. (check out our Election Center) Part of the reason 81.6% of 18-29 year olds voted in 2004 was the massive GOTV efforts Rock the Vote and other organizations - PIRGs New Voters Project, the U.S. Student Association, Black Youth Vote, Music for America, the Bus Project, the College Republicans, the Young Democrats, and more - implemented leading up to Election Day. And we're doing the same - just more and better - this year.

So please, skeptics, give the youth of America some credit. Or at least get the facts straight. We're paying attention, we're getting registered, we're organizing our friends, and we're planning to vote. We'll see you on Election Day.

New MTV/USA Today Poll: Young Voters Engaged in the 2008 Election

On Monday, MTV, USA Today, and Gallup released a new poll on young voter attitudes toward the presidential candidates and the upcoming election. The survey confirmed the primary finding of the recent Rock the Vote poll: young voters are engaged in the political process more than ever, with 75% indicating that they are already registered to vote.

Young people are aware of the unique nature of the 2008 race. Over two-thirds of the 18-29 year olds surveyed indicate that they have given quite a lot of thought to this year’s contest between John McCain and Barack Obama. More than 80% feel that this is one of the most important elections of the last fifty years. And no matter who wins the White House, young people believe the new president will have a measurable impact on their lives.

On the issues, young voters don’t differ much from the electorate as a whole. 30% of registered young people listed the economy as the single most important issue this November, while 13% named the war in Iraq. When asked to list all issues influencing their decision, health care/insurance, foreign affairs, and energy/gas prices also made the list.
However, despite concerns about the economy and the war, young voter attitudes toward the future reflect the generally upbeat perspective the Millennial Generation use to greet almost every other area of their lives. In the poll, 67% of respondents reported feeling very or somewhat optimistic about the country’s future.

Of course, the MTV/USA Today survey also produced interesting findings on the presidential candidates. When asked who they would prefer to have a beer with (52% - 27%), have as a teacher in class (65% - 27%), have as a boss (63% - 28%), or ask for advice (51% - 36%), young people preferred Obama over McCain. However, this doesn’t mean they’re not interested in John McCain: when asked whose private diary they would most like to read, respondents chose McCain over Obama by 43% to 39%.

Finally, on the most important question 26 days out from Election Day, the news was good for the Democrats. Young people identified themselves as Democrats/Democratic-leaning over Republican/Republian-leaning by a 2-1 margin. And if the election was held today, 61% would vote for Barack Obama, while 32% would cast their ballot for John McCain.

Where is the love?

Last Wednesday, David Segal wrote an article in the Washington Post lamenting the lack of passion and political engagement from young people today. He dismissed young voters as inarticulate, uninterested in the world around them, and lacking in intellectual curiosity when compared with the student protestors that threw Nazi flags and pitchers of water on foreign ambassadors in 1968.

This has got to stop.

Despite the surge in voter turnout among 18-29 year olds in 2004, 2006, and the 2008 primaries, many analysts and members of the media have stuck by their assertion that young people are apathetic, uninformed, and unwilling to participate in the political process. Perhaps this willing ignorance to the facts is rooted in the lack of visible protest and unrest in the Millennial Generation that Segal points out.

However, just because young people aren’t burning effigies of political leaders in the street doesn’t make them less interested in or informed about the world – it just means they’re not interested in refighting the culture wars of the 60s. Student protests of the Johnson and Nixon era, while radical and attention-grabbing, didn’t affect much actual change. In fact, they caused a backlash from a majority of Americans and elected officials that deemed them unpatriotic and ungrateful.

Do young people today think things in this country have gotten off track? You bet. In the latest RTV poll of 18-29 year olds, a full three-quarters of respondents said they thought the country was moving in the wrong direction. But, they’re not taking their anger out by trying to avoid or destroy “the system.” The Millennial Generation has learned the power of playing by the rules of the game – in their own way.

They stay informed through a variety of formats – they watch TV, read internet news sites and blogs, share articles and videos with each other on Facebook and MySpace, and organize events via text message. They spend their weekends registering voters, knocking on doors for their favorite candidates, and talking to their family and friends about the issues they care about. And, most importantly?

They vote.

Keep rockin’, people. We’ll show ‘em in November.

Absentee Voting and You

[Ed.'s note, if you live in Michigan, Virginia, Louisiana, Tennessee or Illinois, visit www.longdistancevoter.org to see if you are affected by these laws.]

Monday, after participating in my first voter registration effort with Rock the Vote in partnership with the Baltimore Ravens, I was thrilled to be practicing what I had preached. Yesterday, while in an effort to request an absentee ballot from my home state, Tennessee, I noticed a caution statement at the bottom of the list of absentee voter requirements:

CAUTION: If you register to vote by mail you must vote in person in the first election after your registration becomes effective. You CANNOT vote by absentee ballot...

I am a first time voter so I immediately contacted my election board to clarify if I had, in fact, registered by mail. Because I had, they told me the law stood as is, unless I traveled 840 miles home to re-register or participate in early voting I would not be able to vote absentee in the state of Tennessee. Overwhelmed with the thought of being denied the right to vote absentee as a Tennessee resident, I immediately thought of all the people who will not know this law until it is too late. The thought of thousands of college students and first time voters who will not be able to travel to their designated precincts to cast their vote on November 4, but will not be able to vote absentee because of this law infuriates me. I consider myself lucky because I received this information early enough to fix the problem. But what about those who will not?

It is up to all of us who know our rights to inform others of the different stipulations legislation puts on voter's eligibility. In every election young voters are faced with all the twists and turns that prohibit them from being eligible to vote and in retrospect...silencing their voices. Let your voice be heard this election. Stand and up, Speak out, and Choose to Rock the Vote.

-Cortney D. Griffith

New Rock the Vote Poll

Today, Rock the Vote released the results of our latest poll of 18-29 year olds, the first to ask young people their thoughts on McCain-Palin vs. Obama-Biden and the most recent to ask young voters what issues are deciding their vote this fall.

Here are some interesting tidbits; you can check out the full results here.

The faltering economy is at the top of young voters' minds.

• 41% of those surveyed said the next president, whoever he is, should take action on the economy and jobs as his first move in office.
  
• 51% said "creating jobs" was a 10 on a scale of 1-10 (most important) in deciding for whom to vote in November - higher than anything else, although nearly tied with "gas prices/energy" at 50%.

We want more talk of issues in this presidential campaign.

• Health care, college affordability, jobs and the economy, the environment - for nearly every issue we asked about, young voters said the presidential candidates are spending "not enough time" talking about them.
  
• 63% want to hear more about creating jobs, 56% want to hear more about health care, and 64% want to hear more about college affordability. 54% want more on gas prices/energy and 50% want more on immigration.

Young voters are paying serious attention to this election, and know they will play a major role in a historic moment.

• 87% plan to vote in November (up from 82% in our February poll);
• 92% have talked with friends or family about the election;
  
• 57% are following the election extremely or very closely (up from 42% in February);
• 88% think that, as a group, young people have the power to change things in this country;
  
• 82% think this election is an opportunity to make history by electing the first African American president; 69% think this election is an opportunity to make history by electing the first woman vice president.
  

Young voters continue to trend Democratic.

• In today's poll, 50% of 18-29 year olds say they are Democrats, 29% say they are Republicans, and 12% say they are Independents.
  
• When asked for whom they will vote in November, 56% say Barack Obama and 29% say John McCain. 13% remain undecided.
  
• For Congress, 49% say they will vote for the Democratic candidate and 27% for the Republican candidate.

Clearly, young people are energized, paying attention, and keyed into top campaign issues - candidates from president on down to city council should get out there and talk to young voters. All signs point to 2008 being the third major election in a row with increased young voter turnout - and the more we see on the ground, from our polling, and online, the more likely it looks like we might hit record turnout levels on November 4th.

41 days to go! See you at the polls.

Campus Media Buzz About Voter Registration

College media groups across the country reported great strides in campus voter registration efforts over the past week.

Here’s a few of the newspapers out there that reported the good words:

The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University’s student newspaper, said one of the campus’ student-run political groups, Vote CSU!, successfully opened up voter registration stations throughout CSU’s student center. Vote CSU! is working to open up additional voter registration stations at convenience store counters across CSU’s campus. The organization’s goal is to register 10,000 voters by October 6, Colorado’s voter registration deadline.

The University of Massachusetts at Amherst’s student paper, The Daily Collegian, reported that numerous campus political groups banded together to form the Voter Registration Coalition. The group’s innovative and creative plans for increasing voter registration include playing games such as “Jeopardy” to educate students about the voter registration process. The Voter Registration Coalition hopes to register 9,000 voters by October 15, the general election voter registration deadline for Massachusetts.

In Tennessee, the University of Memphis’ student paper, The Daily Helmsman, told how numerous campus groups collectively held a 12-hour voter registration drive in one of U Memphis’ main venues. The event’s organizers, which included political clubs and greek life organizations, encouraged students from out-of-state to complete and send in absentee ballots. The university’s chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity spiced up the event through donating money that was used to bring in food, bands and DJs.

Students like these are making democracy proud.

New NEA Poll on College Affordability

At no time in history has a college education been more necessary or expensive - students are resorting to loans in greater numbers and in greater amounts than ever before.

A new National Education Association poll released yesterday on college affordability found that 61% of current students and 77% of recent graduates used student loans to finance all or part of their college educations. The amount of student loans has also increased for our generation. 34% of recent college graduates totaled their student loan debt to $20,000 - $49,999. Only 6% of parents shouldered that same financial burden for their college years.

College costs are obviously a huge concern for young people, with a full three-quarter of current students naming it as a very important issue for them in the upcoming election. Students have been hit hard on a number of fronts by the faltering economy – tuition is rising, textbooks are more expensive, and even filling up the gas tank to get to class can be a challenge. The debt students accumulate in school can follow them around for years after they graduate, severely impacting the quality of their lives as they struggle to repay loans. But, not many elected officials are actually talking about the high cost of education and the impact it is having on our generation. Another 83% of survey respondents said Congress has done a poor or just fair job on the issue of college affordability.

A majority expressed support for increased federal involvement in finding a solution for rising college costs. According to the NEA poll, respondents favored a plan to offer all incoming college students an annual $4,000 tuition credit in exchange for 100 hours of public service per year over a proposal to expand the lender-of-last-resort capability of the federal student loan program and demand higher standards for private lenders by a 2 to 1 margin.

So where do the current presidential candidates stand? Check out Barack Obama’s position on education here. John McCain’s plan can be found here.

So, what do you think of the proposals currently on the table? What’s your idea for making college affordable for everyone? Let’s hear it!

Fall Interns!

With only 2 months to go until Election Day, Rock the Vote is excited to welcome our new fall interns.

Here's a word from Sarah Dallon, a student at Roger Williams University:

I’m Sarah and I am interning for Rock the Vote this fall. I’m so excited to be here in D.C. during such an exciting election year! Seeing this is my first time voting in a Presidential Election and I’m only in D.C. for the semester I had my absentee ballot sent and I’m ready to Rock the Vote! Back at school in Rhode Island I have participated in political fund raisers, rallies, and meet and greets, but this is my first time other than voting in the primary to truly have my voice heard. As a young voter and political science major I undoubtedly have an interest in politics but with everything going on recently who couldn’t help but become interested and inspired about the upcoming election.With that said hope to see you at the polls on November 4^th Rocking the Vote!

More from the 81.6 tag team

I couldn’t help but get a little nervous when they started handing out staple guns tape and black t-shirts. I’ve seen heist movies before and most have a scene like this in them.

Later, when the map of downtown Denver was unfurled on the carpet, I knew I was in for an interesting night.

In the cover of night, three teams of Rock the Vote staffers hit the streets with posters and a plan. On the poster was the number 81.6 in big white font that represent the 81.6% of registered young voters that voted in ‘04. The plan, well the plan was for Denver to wake up to a chalk 81.6 colored onto every street corner and posters on every telephone pole.

On the dark streets of downtown Denver, under the stars and neon bar awnings, we postered our hearts out. We put the signs up in front of all the major hotels all the major gathering areas and as close as we could get to the convention center. Cars and people on foot stopped to ask us about these black signs with big white numbers on them. We told them to text DENVER to RTVOTE to find out more. We posted so many posters I'm gonna hear the sound of the sticky part of tape ripping from the smooth side in my sleep… if I get any sleep.

I have to say I felt like some kind of poster posting Batman. Though I'm sure Batman would not caught dead in the purple flannel I was wearing. In any case I can’t wait to do it again, another night another number…keep an eye out.

-- from Rock the Trail reporter Donny Lumpkins

Young Voters on TV

Okay, maybe that's not exactly big news, since we do make up the entire prime-time lineup on the CW. But the NY Times reported yesterday on the rise in coverage of the youth vote on cable and network news.

"With polls showing a surge in primary-season ballots cast by voters under 30, media outlets are out to convert the newly energized voters into viewers. On cable news, CNN promotes a “League of First Time Voters” and the Fox News Channel is covering what it calls the Y Factor with a full-time correspondent. On broadcast, NBC has assigned Luke Russert, the son of the late anchor Tim Russert, to the youth vote beat and ABC, CBS and PBS are all running stories by student journalists."

We might not be watching the nightly news-- with the exception of the Daily Show-- but we're making headlines.

And once we hit our goal of 2 million new young voters this election season, we'll be network regulars.

Young Grassroots Voters

Although polls say that presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama has a 36% lead among young voters, grassroots organizers in both parties are working to turn out record numbers of people aged 18-29.

The Washington Times reports:

In an attempt to pump up enthusiasm for Mr. McCain and the Republican Party, the youth group is hosting a weeklong program in Minneapolis from Aug. 26 through Sept. 4 - just before and during the Republican National Convention in nearby St. Paul. The program includes educational classes and social parties for a younger audience.

But Democrats aren't just waiting for young voters to turn out. In Florida, the Sun-Sentinel describes the activities of the Palm Beach County Young Democrats:

Efforts to increase voter awareness among young people include teaching them how to volunteer: canvassing, phone banking and the important nuts and bolts of grassroots campaigning. And the group's objectives don't end with registered voters: It has started Young Democrat clubs or made contact in high schools such as Atlantic, Palm Beach Central, Suncoast, Dreyfoos, Park Vista and St. Andrews.

Recent media coverage is telling us that we are the targeted demographic in this year's election. In past years it's been all about the soccer mom, or the NASCAR driver. This year, it's about us.

Young Voters in the District

Everyone's got something to say about young voters this year. Will young voters turnout? Do young voters care?

I wanted to see what young people thought. I figured if there are tons of articles online predicting what young people will do (or not do) in November, we have a right to input our own predictions on the actions of our peers.

I was particularly interested in interviewing young people, especially in the neighborhood where I live. There are so many young people who are dressed in perfectly pressed business suits, rushing and running to what I assume to be an internship. I think that it’s a pretty cool connection I share with thousands of strangers who live down the street from me- we have all ventured off to (in my case a completely foreign city), away from home and most of what we know, to make difference and propel our careers, futures and perhaps even the futures of others.

So, on my way to the Metro this morning, I decided to put down all those conflicting articles and hit the streets myself. I stopped several young people in my path. Some were willing to chat up a storm while others wouldn’t give me their first name. I talked to one person on our seven flight journey in the elevator in my building, two while standing on the corner waiting for the light to change and another just randomly walking on the street.

Ian, 23 thought that young voters are probably taken seriously because of the increase in focus on young voters and their impact on politics.

Tanaz, 29, disagreed however and said that young voters were not taken seriously. She said, “People try to do outreach but unfortunately, young people just don’t vote…it's our fault that we aren’t taken seriously.”

Ryan, 21, said that, “Yeah, we are taken seriously because candidates see us as a swing vote.”

On my Metro ride into work, I tried to make sense of the whole thing. In my Chemistry class, during lab, there is always a conclusions section in my notes. However, I don’t think this blog post will have any “conclusions.”

What do you think?

Update from Netroots Nation

I'm at Netroots Nation this week, meeting progressive activists and bloggers from across the country. Last night, DNC Chairman Howard Dean gave the keynote address and spoke about the power of the youth vote.

Back in the 60s he said young voters changed the course of a presidential election. And this year, we're doing it again.

So just in case you were wondering, bloggers, candidates and political leaders are paying attention to the young voters and all that we're going to accomplish this year.

Al Gore Speech

Rock the Vote interns took a break today to go hear Al Gore speak at the DAR Constitution Hall.

Wow! That was such an amazing experience! I just got back from seeing Al Gore speak about the environment and what we can do to help solve the energy crisis that we are currently facing. The DAR was packed! There were only a few seats left empty. The seats were filled with people such as will.i.iam from the Black Eyed Peas, Al Gore's daughter and wife and several other important members of congress.

Today, Al Gore said "never have I seen so much wrong simultaneously". He spoke about changing the way we live our lives and that the answer to several of the problems that we currently face is ending our reliance on Carbon based fuels. Gore said that this solution, and other environmental solutions are in actuality, the answer to sky-high prices everywhere from the gas pump to the grocery store, problems with taxes and problems with employment.

Next, Gore posed a challenge to America. He challenged us to commit to producing 100% of electricity from alternative energy sources (i.e, non-carbon based fuels). Ryan Lee, 21, who also attended the speech thought that Gore's proposals were realistic and could be achieved.

He continued by saying that America has an appetite for a "new, different and bold approach". That is where Gore and I differ. I strongly disagree with him. I think that Americans are hesitant to change their old habits that they have grown up with and become accustomed to.

The excitement for me however, started after Gore's speech. I met will.i.am and even talked to him about Rock the Vote. He seemed very impressed with what we are trying to do and liked and approved with our main missions.



As if I wasn't star struck enough, I then met and interviewed Congressman Bob Barr. In regards to what Gore spoke about, Barr believes that he is deeply sincere. He believes Gore has nothing politically to gain from talking about and helping to solve the current environmental issues. I then asked Barr about youth vote and what his views are on its importance and its role in politics. Barr said that "[the young people] are the future of politics and cannot be overemphasized". He also noted that young people tend to be much more "open" and they "look down the road towards long term solutions." When asked the weight that young people will play in the upcoming presidential campaign, he responded by saying "pivotal".

-- Jane Maglaque