Young voters: Engaged, but will they vote?
By Fred Love, Journal Des Moines Bureau | Posted: Sunday, October 12, 2008
McCain campaign worker Nicole Clevelenad, Sergeant Bluff, talks to students at Western Iowa Technical Community College Friday. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
DES MOINES - Iowa's college campuses are buzzing with political activity after students got up close and personal with presidential candidates before the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses in January.
But it remains to be seen whether that enthusiasm will translate into a strong showing on Election Day for a demographic that traditionally votes less often than older age groups.
Voting among citizens ages 18 to 24 surged 11 percent in the 2004 election compared with 2000, according to the nonpartisan Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
But young voters still lagged behind older voting groups.
For example, 47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted in 2004, compared with nearly 70 percent of 45- to 54-year-olds.
Josie Berg-Hammond, a Drake University sophomore from Oak Park, Ill., has been volunteering for Democratic nominee Barack Obama's campaign in Iowa since last year.
Berg-Hammond said this year's election has inspired the average student, not just political science majors and activists, to plug into the democratic process.
She said students got to know the presidential candidates as they campaigned on college campuses across the state before the Iowa caucuses.
That level of access surprised many students, especially those from out of state who didn't know what to expect from the caucus process, she said.
About 13 percent of young voters took part in the 2008 Iowa caucuses, compared with 4 percent in 2004 and 3 percent in 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
Berg-Hammond said Obama's personality has drawn many young voters into his camp. She said students view Obama's message of change as an invitation to get politically active.
"I think he wants everyone involved, and, especially with students, that's something we want to feel," she said.
Eric Rossow, chairman of the College Republicans at the University of Iowa, said he isn't convinced that students will turn out in greater numbers than in previous elections.
Rossow said young voters don't have the track record to justify predictions of overwhelming turnout in November.
But he said Republican nominee John McCain's experience and willingness to reach across the aisle on thorny issues appeals to young voters.
"We know the country's in turmoil right now, and we see John McCain as someone who can unite people," he said.
Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro predicted higher than usual turnout among young voters, but he said that doesn't mean the demographic will have a stronger showing than older age groups.
Mauro said the accessibility of the candidates leading up to the caucuses drew in the younger crowd.
"I do think what you've seen out of the caucuses, you've seen that they're more engaged. They're more attuned to what's going on," he said.
Mauro, a Democrat, said Obama's campaign especially targeted students and young voters, and, now that he's won the Democratic nomination, those supporters will be even more energized.
Devren Hobbs, Iowa State University campus organizer for the Public Interest Research Group, said her organization is encouraging students to register in Ames rather than their hometowns.
That raises the likelihood that students will vote and means students don't have to get an absentee ballot from their home counties, Hobbs said.
She said students are picking up on the importance of this presidential campaign, especially because there's no incumbent on the ballot.
"We think that this November we can solidify the youth vote and be a serious political force,” Hobbs said.
Fred Love can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or fred.love@lee.net.
What are young voters saying?
Who: Wyatt Weber, Western Iowa Tech Community College student from Hastings, Neb.
Who gets his vote: Most likely Democrat Barack Obama.
What he says: Young people are looking for candidates who talk to them, rather than down to them. But young voters have a reputation for not going to the polls, he said. "Lots of young people, it just seems, don't care to vote."
Who: Michelle Tuohy WIT nursing student from Vermillion, S.D., who has a degree in political science from the University of South Dakota.
Who gets her vote: Libertarian Bob Barr, a former Republican.
What she says: There's more interest in the 2008 election compared with 2004. "I think a lot of people my age are really excited."
Who: Amanda Plemel, a Morningside College senior from Farragutt, Iowa,
Who gets her vote: An independent, she won't reveal her choice.
What she says: She hasn't been contacted by either major political party but has noted a strong campus presence by College Democrats and College Republicans. She works in the mailroom and said a lot of absentee ballots have been showing up in mail boxes. She'll soon vote absentee herself.
Who: Jim Braunschweig, a Morningside College admissions counselor and Alta, Iowa, native.
Who gets his vote: An independent turned Democrat, he favors Obama.
What he says: There's much more excitement about the 2008 election compared with when he was a student at Morningside four years ago. Conversations about the election routinely pop up at the school, driven by a more "dynamic" campaign involving an African-American candidate, woman vice presidential candidate and large age differences in the candidates.
But it remains to be seen whether that enthusiasm will translate into a strong showing on Election Day for a demographic that traditionally votes less often than older age groups.
Voting among citizens ages 18 to 24 surged 11 percent in the 2004 election compared with 2000, according to the nonpartisan Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
But young voters still lagged behind older voting groups.
For example, 47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted in 2004, compared with nearly 70 percent of 45- to 54-year-olds.
Josie Berg-Hammond, a Drake University sophomore from Oak Park, Ill., has been volunteering for Democratic nominee Barack Obama's campaign in Iowa since last year.
Berg-Hammond said this year's election has inspired the average student, not just political science majors and activists, to plug into the democratic process.
She said students got to know the presidential candidates as they campaigned on college campuses across the state before the Iowa caucuses.
That level of access surprised many students, especially those from out of state who didn't know what to expect from the caucus process, she said.
About 13 percent of young voters took part in the 2008 Iowa caucuses, compared with 4 percent in 2004 and 3 percent in 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
Berg-Hammond said Obama's personality has drawn many young voters into his camp. She said students view Obama's message of change as an invitation to get politically active.
"I think he wants everyone involved, and, especially with students, that's something we want to feel," she said.
Eric Rossow, chairman of the College Republicans at the University of Iowa, said he isn't convinced that students will turn out in greater numbers than in previous elections.
Rossow said young voters don't have the track record to justify predictions of overwhelming turnout in November.
But he said Republican nominee John McCain's experience and willingness to reach across the aisle on thorny issues appeals to young voters.
"We know the country's in turmoil right now, and we see John McCain as someone who can unite people," he said.
Iowa Secretary of State Michael Mauro predicted higher than usual turnout among young voters, but he said that doesn't mean the demographic will have a stronger showing than older age groups.
Mauro said the accessibility of the candidates leading up to the caucuses drew in the younger crowd.
"I do think what you've seen out of the caucuses, you've seen that they're more engaged. They're more attuned to what's going on," he said.
Mauro, a Democrat, said Obama's campaign especially targeted students and young voters, and, now that he's won the Democratic nomination, those supporters will be even more energized.
Devren Hobbs, Iowa State University campus organizer for the Public Interest Research Group, said her organization is encouraging students to register in Ames rather than their hometowns.
That raises the likelihood that students will vote and means students don't have to get an absentee ballot from their home counties, Hobbs said.
She said students are picking up on the importance of this presidential campaign, especially because there's no incumbent on the ballot.
"We think that this November we can solidify the youth vote and be a serious political force,” Hobbs said.
Fred Love can be reached at (515) 243-0138 or fred.love@lee.net.
What are young voters saying?
Who: Wyatt Weber, Western Iowa Tech Community College student from Hastings, Neb.
Who gets his vote: Most likely Democrat Barack Obama.
What he says: Young people are looking for candidates who talk to them, rather than down to them. But young voters have a reputation for not going to the polls, he said. "Lots of young people, it just seems, don't care to vote."
Who: Michelle Tuohy WIT nursing student from Vermillion, S.D., who has a degree in political science from the University of South Dakota.
Who gets her vote: Libertarian Bob Barr, a former Republican.
What she says: There's more interest in the 2008 election compared with 2004. "I think a lot of people my age are really excited."
Who: Amanda Plemel, a Morningside College senior from Farragutt, Iowa,
Who gets her vote: An independent, she won't reveal her choice.
What she says: She hasn't been contacted by either major political party but has noted a strong campus presence by College Democrats and College Republicans. She works in the mailroom and said a lot of absentee ballots have been showing up in mail boxes. She'll soon vote absentee herself.
Who: Jim Braunschweig, a Morningside College admissions counselor and Alta, Iowa, native.
Who gets his vote: An independent turned Democrat, he favors Obama.
What he says: There's much more excitement about the 2008 election compared with when he was a student at Morningside four years ago. Conversations about the election routinely pop up at the school, driven by a more "dynamic" campaign involving an African-American candidate, woman vice presidential candidate and large age differences in the candidates.
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fivereasonstovotedemocrat wrote on Oct 12, 2008 10:14 AM:
lol wrote on Oct 12, 2008 7:24 AM: