Subject: [big campaign] Youth vote info and YDA release
From: "Alexandra Acker" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 14:50:45 -0500
List-Id: <bigcampaign.googlegroups.com>

Since youth vote statistics are often misreported (see: 2004 elections),
I thought I'd share a few resources with the group.

First, Mike Connery from FutureMajority.com (also posted on MyDD and
Daily Kos) has a great write-up of how to report on the youth vote,
including tips for reporters and talkers:  
http://www.futuremajority.com/node/3824.  Future Majority will also be
reporting on youth turnout and stories from the ground throughout the
day.

YDA released the attached press release today - we have talked to over
130,000 young voters in eight states.

Finally, here are some basic talking points, with sourcing, that cover a
lot of the questions asked about the youth vote.  I have also attached
our (much lengthier talking points as well, which outlines all of the
recent polling and youth vote statistics as well.

Are young people registered?
Across the country, millions of young voters were added to the voter
rolls in 2008.  In critical states like Virginia, Nevada and Ohio, young
voters (18 - 29) account for between 40 and 50% of all new voter
registrations.  The high registration rate is critical since in 2004,
81% of all registered young people voted.

Sources:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/16/AR200809
1603152.html
http://elections.gmu.edu/voterfile_2008.html
http://www.blog.rockthevote.com/2008/10/to-all-skeptics.html

Will young voters actually turnout?
Turnout in recent elections tells us yes.  Youth turnout (18 - 24)
jumped 11 percentage points in 2004.    In 2006 young people once again
voted in greater numbers, and in 2008, 6.5 million young people cast
ballots.  Youth turnout in the primaries doubled nationally, and in some
states, youth turnout tripled and quadrupled turnout from recent primary
elections.

Sources:
http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_Youth_Voting_72-04.pdf
http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=316

Why does it matter if they turnout?

Young voters - 44 million strong - make up 22% of the eligible
electorate and they are overwhelmingly Democratic.  In 2006, young
voters picked Democrats over Republicans by 22 percentage points and
helped tip key races in Virginia and Montana.  All of the polls indicate
roughly 60% of young people prefer Obama over McCain.  With the
increased registration and increased turnout patterns over the past two
elections, not only are young voters poised to swing the election in
favor of Obama but they have the potential to swing down ballot races
for Democrats all across the country.

Sources:
http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=316
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2006/pages/results/states/US/H/00/epolls.0.h
tml
http://gqrr.com/index.php?ID=457&categoryID=1520&subCategoryID=1891

For young voters this election is about the issues and the stakes have
never been higher. 

Young people are voting in record numbers because they care about the
issues.   60% of young people think the country is on the wrong track
and the economy is more than 10 times more important to them than it was
a year ago, with 53% citing the economy as their number one reason for
voting.  This is the first election in decades in which major party
candidates spoke to the issues of young voters and dedicated real
resources to per to peer outreach aimed at America's youth.  That's why
we are seeing such high levels of engagement this cycle.

Sources: 
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-11-01-young-voters_x.htm
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2008/10.30/11-iop.html

 

Alexandra Acker

Executive Director

Young Democrats of America

910 17th Street

Suite 215

Washington, DC 20006

(202) 639-8585 x208

[email-masked]

www.yda.org

www.YoungVoterRevolution.org

Problems voting? Call 866-OUR-VOTE.  Want an Election Day reminder?
Text VOTEDEM to 35328.

"The young Democrats voting today will be the middle-aged Democrats
voting tomorrow. As Norman Ornstein wrote more than 20 years ago, the
party that secures the youth vote secures the power for the next
generation."

-- Anna Quindlen

 

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