Delivering the youth vote -- How will it be done?

The democrats would have won every election since '92 if only people aged < 25 had turned out to vote in the same proportion as the general populace.

I certainly see a lot more enthusiasm among young voters for Obama this year than I have seen for anyone since RFK in '68.

1. What are the special problems of the youth voter, and why hasn't this group turned out in the past?

2. What is the campaign doing to get these people to the polls on election day? Or more to the point, what can I, a 51 year old life long dem in heavily blue Santa Monica CA (but who could volunteer some days in Las Vegas), do to get these people organized and at the polls (or preferably voted before November 2)?

I would love to see this be the election where the <25 crowd participated MORE than the general population.

but not that much higher.

I think a lot of folks registered to vote and are now about to find out what a hassle absentee voting is.

:evilgrin:

am being an actively nagging Mom,
to my young adult sons and their friends...

and when phone banking, putting in an extra appeal
to those young ones on my list.

1) Early voting, pre-game, parties. ("Let's go down and vote early (in states where it happens), then tailgate, then go to the OSU homecoming game.")

2) Campus organization -- Campus, dorm, floor level GOTV teams.

3) Massive absentee ballot initiative for students who are away from home, at college on election day.

4) Massive "go home and volunteer" efforts for students, for example, from FLA but attending NYU.

etc.

and say "If young people like you vote in large numbers we win, if not, we lose. The election is in your hands". There is usually a moment of silence and deep thought.

nt