WP: Parties Scramble for Youth Vote (which favors Democrats)

[DeepModem Mom]

Parties Scramble for Youth Vote
Turnout in 2004 Grabs Attention of Campaign Strategists
By Zachary A. Goldfarb
Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, July 16, 2006; Page A04


Cecilia Torres, 21, left, and Fannia Ibarra, 19, participate in Sean "P. Diddy" Combs's 2004 voter turnout campaign, which targeted young voters. (By Mary Altaffer -- Associated Press)

....political parties and campaigns this year are lavishing attention on a new generation of young voters. They are investing in staff, studying ways to use new technology and promoting legislation geared toward young people's interests. And while young people currently favor Democrats, analysts say they are not yet anchored long-term to any political party.... (I)n the 2004 presidential election, when the overall electorate showed a four-percentage-point increase in turnout from 2000, the turnout rate among people ages 18 to 24 increased by 11 points -- to 47 percent from 36 percent.

The spike was attributed, in part, to intense voter turnout efforts and a highly polarized election. But people who study this generation -- known as Generation Y, millennials and even DotNets -- say it is also disposed to be more politically active and passionate.

"The millennials are quite idealistic and concerned about a whole range of issues, compared to the Xers, which tend to be pessimistic and detached," said Peter Levine, director of the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) at the University of Maryland, and a member of Generation X....

(Young Voter Strategies, at George Washington University) has been showcasing the results of a poll on young voters done with prominent pollsters Ed Goeas, a Republican, and Celinda Lake, a Democrat. The poll found that young people believe Democrats are better equipped to handle their top concerns -- gas prices, education and the economy -- by a wide margin.

The Democratic advantage extends from 2004, when young people were the only age group Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) won in his presidential bid. The question for Democrats now is whether the youth advantage can turn into the margin of victory in close races that will decide control of Congress this November....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/15/AR2006071500685.html

[silverojo]

1. Sorry, but it's a futile endeavor

For eons, we've heard about how some magical youthquake will shake up politics, but it never comes to pass. They're too apathetic, mostly failing to show up at the polls, after candidates have gotten their hopes up about them.

Senior citizens are always the most politically active voters, and hopefully they'll have come to their senses after seeing how the chimp is trying to decimate Social Security....