Young voters -- a wild card in 2006 U.S. elections

[MaineDem]

BOSTON (Reuters) - A tech-savvy college senior with a passion for politics, Ryan Briggs is fed up with the White House and is urging young Democrats to stand up for their party. But he's not waving placards or handing out fliers.

Briggs is rallying his peers on fast-growing social networking Web site Facebook, posting comments in a "Democrats for 2006" message board open to the site's 9.5 million members, most of whom are students like him.

"We have to start thinking positively and we have to stop attacking Republicans," the 21-year-old student in Minnesota said in one posting. "We just need to stand up for the Democratic Party," he says in another.

As Republicans fight to keep control of Congress, both parties hope to mobilize young voters who turned out in record numbers in the 2004 presidential election and are considered one of the wild cards in November's congressional races.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/09/23/young_voters____a_wild_card_in_2006_us_elections/

I spoke with a group of politically-interested college students this past week - all political idiologies were represented. The Dems were the friendlest, the GOP were the most cynical. All were involved and I think that's so important. They told me about the Pell Grants they can't get, the other tuition aid that's being cut back, the health insurance they'll have to get (or not) after graduation, the environment, the ethics (or rather the lack of ethics in DC). These kids were engaged and aware. Makes me feel like the future isn't as bleak as it could be.