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Will young voters make a difference?
It would be abnormal for me -- a freshman studying journalism at a major university -- to sit on the sidelines of politics. Being ill-informed or unimpassioned about this year's presidential election is frowned upon and condemned. Teachers preach it, students dish it and signs posted on every wall, door and kiosk blare it.
With the country's future in limbo, prospective young voters are taking charge, shattering stereotypes and calling the rest of their peers to action. Due to the increased involvement, young voters will have more influence than ever before in selecting the next president.
The participation of young people in this presidential election is in unprecedented numbers. This year's primaries tell the story. Young voters between the ages of 18 to 29 more than doubled their voting presence in the 2008 primaries and caucuses, according to Rock the Vote, a D.C.-based organization whose mission is to engage and build the political power of young people.
In addition, more young people say they are registered to vote than in the past. Eighty-five percent of the young people polled said they were registered to vote, and the number of those who said they were likely to vote -- 86 percent -- is up 17 percentage points from last year, according to a September Rock the Vote poll.
Young people also are more engaged than ever in the political process. I asked a few University of Nebraska-Lincoln students about the election and they challenged me by their interest and my own lack of knowledge. According to the Rock the Vote poll, 87 percent of young people said they are following the election closely. Most of today's young people are not the apathetic young adults passing through life caring only about themselves and ignoring their civic duty. The young people I encounter daily are headed in a direction, standing up for what they believe and fighting for what they think is right for our country. They question the way things are, use their creativity to further their convictions, and learn the facts to vote as well-informed participants.
One factor in the increased involvement of young people is they feel empowered. An April CBS News/MTV poll reported that 31 percent of young people think they will have more of an influence in the election than their elders, a jump from 17 percent in 2007.
Yet some of the UNL students I have talked with don't plan on voting. One said he doesn't like either candidate so he probably won't vote. Many said they are confused by the political jargon and don't know which candidate to believe. According to a USA Today/MTV/Gallup poll taken last month (September) of 18- to 29-year-olds, only 17 percent of young voters were placed in the "tuned out" category, not registered and not paying "a lot" of attention to the election.
Since the beginning of this year's presidential election cycle, young people continually have leaned Democratic. According to the April CBS News/MTV poll, young people selected both Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama when compared to Republican John McCain. Yet, 60 percent of the young people voted for Obama over Clinton during the primaries.
It is evident that if young people follow through with what they profess, they will tip the election in Obama's favor. According to the USA Today/MTV/Gallup poll, 61 percent of young people favored Obama while only 32 percent favored McCain, the largest gap in an age group in any presidential election in modern times. Young adults were quoted as saying Obama is more relatable and represents the change young people want. The September Rock the Vote poll found that among voters who were undecided a greater percentage -- 22 percent -- said they would lean towards Obama, only 11 percent said they would vote for McCain.
With the number of young voters increasing, their vote has greater power in determining our country's future. In 2004, their electorate grew from past years to 16 percent of the vote. This year it is likely to be even larger, but only time will tell if young people will take the initiative and let their voices be heard.
-- Cassie Olson, a McCook native, is a registered voter and a journalism student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.