Politicians have long scrambled after Hispanics, blacks and women for valuable votes in close elections, but there’s one minority group that they consistently ignore – America’s youth. Neither John Cornyn nor Ron Kirk, neither Rick Perry nor Tony Sanchez has made a concerted effort to court the vote of 18-to 25-year-olds during this election. They’re missing a great opportunity.
Although less than 20 percent of registered 18- to 25-year-old voters turned out to vote in the last midterm federal election, today’s youth are more politically aware than the Generation Xers of a decade ago. Today’s youth are more positive about the political atmosphere. Sept. 11 was a defining moment politically for our generation like the Kennedy assassination was for our parents. The election crisis of 2000 is likely to add to awareness of the election process.
A study done by the Institution for Social and Policy Studies at Yale University found that youths will show up to vote, if they are asked. Face-to-face canvassing increased voter turnout for all voting groups by 10.9 percent. Younger voters were the only group to have slightly more successful results. Eighteen to 25-year-olds also showed an increased rate of spillover voters. Young voters who made contact with campaign representatives were more likely to encourage their friends, roommates and coworkers to join them at the polls.
Corporate America spends millions of dollars a year on advertising to the 18-to-24-year-old demographic because its opinions and beliefs are constantly in flux. It’s a costly venture, but if they can sell people on their product before they are set in their ways, companies usually gain a customer for life. Political parties should do the same.
Unlike other voting demographics, there is an almost even split among young voters going Democrat or Republican and even independent. Studies show that a young person who votes for the same party in three consecutive elections will stay with that party for life. But political awareness has yet to be translated into action. Politicians, take note. Today’s youth are a constituency waiting to be claimed.
