Dem. choice could impact fall turnout

Everywhere Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) goes, students seem to follow.

In all but three states this year, Obama has won the youth vote and dramatically increased young-voter registration and turn out at the polls.

But with the Democratic race unlikely to end soon, many are wondering what will happen with young voters in the fall, particularly if Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) is chosen as the Democratic nominee.

"If there's a back-door deal or people perceive [the convention] to be unfair, they may not want to be tainted," said Randall Miller, a St. Joseph's professor of history and a political analyst.

Miller said students might stay home for the general election if they saw their votes overturned at a brokered convention, decided by party insiders.

But many Democrats remain optimistic about keeping students within the party, regardless of who the nominee is.

"Both are excellent candidates, and students feel the same way," College sophomore and Penn Democrats Vice President Mukul Sharma said.

"Students understand the far-reaching implications of another Republican in the White House," he said, echoing the lock the Democratic Party seems to have on young voters.

Research on youth-voting patterns seems to back that up, as well.

Over the past eight years, students have become more and more pivotal in national and state-wide elections due to changing tactics in get-out-the-vote efforts, said Sujatha Jahagirdar, program coordinator for the nonpartisan Public Interest Research Group's New Voters Project.

"Unequivocally, talking one-on-one with students leads to increased youth turn out," she said, adding that phone banking is "absolutely" more effective than celebrities encouraging students to vote.

Jahagirdar said political engagement with students is no longer left to just independent organizations.

"Campaigns are now doing this work as well, and in this election, candidates are talking directly to young people about their issues," she said.

For these reasons, Jahagirdar said she doesn't think that the increasing activism will stop any time soon - even if students don't get their top choice for their parties' nominations.

Political campaigns and their affiliate organizations will not want to take any chances, though. They will address student issues in order to win over their support.

"Students want to hear about the issues that matter to them," said Sharma, adding that voter registration is key in ensuring that youth issues are discussed during the campaign.

Penn Dems will start fall registration efforts during New Student Orientation in late August.

But whether those new students will be energized to vote, regardless of the nominee, is still uncertain.

"Democrats typically have more to work with in new voters," Miller said. "And many of those new voters will still see this election as a watershed event."

Comments (2)

Barack Obama has said that words matter. The following quotes are from Barack Obama's first book - 'Dreams from My Father.' p.282 - Speaking of Rev. Jeremiah Wright - "He learned Hebrew and Greek, read the literature of Tillich and Niebuhr and the black liberation theologians." p.283 - Barack Obama wrote about his first meeting with Rev. Wright. Reverend Wright shrugged. "Some of my fellow clergy don't appreciate what we're about . They feel like we're too radical." p.293 - In the first sermon that Barack Obama attended at Trinity United Church Of Christ in Chicago, he heard Rev. Wright preach the following: "It is this world, a world where cruise ships throw away more food in a day than most residents of Port-au-Prince see in a year, where white folks' greed runs a world in need, apartheid in one hemisphere, apathy in another, ..." Voters should scrutinize the personal choices (e.g., choosing 'Black Liberation Theology') of a candidate which can influence his perception of the world and events taking place in the world. Why did Barack Obama choose a spiritual adviser/mentor who taught 'Black Liberation Theology?' 'Black Liberation Theology' teaches an Anti-White Ideology. Why did Barack Obama listen to 'Black Liberation Theology' for 20 years and give significant amounts of money to support the preaching of 'Black Liberation Theology?' Why didn't Barack Obama choose a spiritual adviser/mentor who agrees with the teaching of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.? Rev. King warned against "drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred." Linda Chavez wrote "Afrocentrism Is the Problem" in the 3/19/2008 edition of 'National Review Online.' Check the archives at: http://www.nationalreview.com/archives/?q=MjAwODAzMTc Read many compelling reasons why Barack Obama cannot beat John McCain: http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/ Dolores Huerta wrote an article honoring Cesar Chavez and Hillary Clinton at: http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/03/31/135359#View... Dr. Maya Angelou's endorsement for Hillary - 'Celebrating Women: A Note from Dr. Maya Angelou' at: http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/03/31/154530 One issue is the 'Message' ('Black Liberation Theology'), not the 'Messenger' (Jeremiah Wright). The second issue is that Barack Obama exercised poor judgment in choosing 'Black Liberation Theology' and in making significant financial contributions during the past 20 years to support the preaching of 'Black Liberation Theology.' We do not believe he has the judgment to be our President. Hillary has the experience, compassion, intelligence, and tenacity to implement solutions to problems we are passionate about (bringing our troops home, strengthening the middle class, and enacting health care reforms). Jim and Sandy Boyd Phoenix, AZ

Hi Jim and Sandy, Your post represents the kind of bigotry that we're trying to move away from in this election. Support Hillary if you like, but don't race-bait to get votes. Everyone has had a preacher say things they disagree with (see especially McCain and his spiritual advisor). Using this to instill fear of a black man in power is ridiculous, and exactly what you're doing.

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