Nicole Thur can’t wait for Nov. 4.
“I’m really just excited to vote,” said Nicole Thur, a senior at Syracuse University. “I just missed being able to vote in the 2004 election and to finally have the opportunity to vote in an election that will make history is super exciting.”
Thur is among the growing number of young people taking an interest in the election on Nov. 4 — and part of what some see as a trend among young voters.
For those trying to organize young people to vote, the increased turnout comes from a variety of factors: excitement over the opportunity to vote, the historical magnitude of the election and the way new technology and media are being used to target a younger audience.
At Syracuse University, Jackson Droney, a senior policy studies major, is president of Citrus PAC, the first undergraduate-only political action committee. Citrus PAC is one of the groups that has benefited from the increased political interest among SU students. Droney credits the interest in this election to the candidates themselves and points to the turnout rate among young people during the New York state primaries in February as just one example.
“I think what we saw in February was only the beginning,” Droney said. “There are very few people happy with the last eight years, which is why we’re seeing young people go to the polls.”
Droney is among those who predict that the number of young voters will only continue to increase. He has some statistics on his side.
The nonpartisan Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) conducted a study of the youth vote in the 2008 primaries and found the following results:
- Nationally, the turnout rate for young people ages 18-25 rose by 9 percent.
- In New York state alone, voters ages 18-25 accounted for just over 15 percent of those people who voted in the primaries, an increase of over 6 percent from 2000.
Back at SU, the College Republicans are another organization benefiting from the increased interest from young people in and around the SU campus.
Caitlyn Schneeweis, secretary of the College Republicans, attributes the excitement around the election to the magnitude of the election. “It’s an exciting time to be able to vote,” she said.
But for Schneeweis, one of the more interesting parts of the election has been the way technology is used to target young people. She points to social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, as well as sites like YouTube, with video and audio directly from the campaigns and from young people themselves. All those, said Schneeweiss, offer messages aimed at a younger demographic.
“As someone who’s trying to get more people registered, the advantage of using Facebook and e-mail is great,” Schneewies said. The social networking sites and e-mail are fast, easy, cheap ways to reach large numbers of young people at one time.
Despite the record turnout in the primary election, it’s unclear whether young voters will actually show up at the polls on Election Day, organizers acknowledge.
“Just because someone expresses an interest in the election doesn’t necessarily mean they are going to go to the polls and pull the lever,” Schneeweis said.
For Jackson Droney of Citrus PAC, his biggest fear is an election similar to the one in 2004 where youth turnout rates were far lower than originally predicted. “I’m just hoping that this isn’t going to be like 2004 when there was a lot of talk and no action,” he added. “I just feel like there is more energy around this election, and that it will be different. I guess you could say I’m cautiously optimistic.”
Back on the SU quad, first-time voter Nicole Thur is also trying to evangelize about her newfound civic passion. She is trying to register as many students as she can to vote.
“I’ve never really been interested in politics before,” Thur said. “But something about this election has gotten me really interested. Our country is at a breaking point and it’s time for a change.”
(Ashley Pettigrew is a senior newspaper and policy studies major at Syracuse University)
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