Fwd: EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: The Incredible Youth Vote: Will the Youth Vote Have the Strength to Decide the 2008 Presidential Election?
Zeeshan Suhail
From: Rachel Zaentz <zae...@tcf.org>
Date: 2008/8/4
Subject: EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: The Incredible Youth Vote: Will the Youth Vote Have the Strength to Decide the 2008 Presidential Election?
To: zeeshan...@gmail.com
Dear Friends,
More than 6.5 million Americans under the age of 30 voted in the 2008 presidential primaries. Time Magazine and other prominent publications dubbed 2008 "The Year of the Youth Vote." Political commentators and analysts have argued that the surge in the youth vote and its virtually unwavering support for Barack Obama was a key factor behind the Senator's ascent to prominence and his ultimate victory in securing his spot as the Democratic nominee for president. However, it remains unclear as to whether or not the youth voting bloc will be as powerful during the general election.
Despite the fact that the youth voter turnout rate jumped from 9% in the 2000 presidential primaries to 17% during the nominating contests this year, young people still do not vote nearly as often as older Americans. While many political campaigns, especially Democratic ones, have always hoped to see a an increase in young voters on election day, polling data from past general elections suggests that younger Americans have been an unreliable voting bloc. During the 2004 presidential race, for instance, ballots cast by young voters only accounted for 1.53% of John Kerry's total votes.
In other words, it remains unclear as to whether adding a presidential candidate as a friend on Facebook will translate into a vote during the general election.
On July 22nd 2008, The Century Foundation (TCF) hosted the second installment in its summer 2008 public policy lunch series for New York City interns with a forum, "The Incredible Youth Vote: Will the Youth Vote Have the Strength to Decide the 2008 Presidential Election?" TCF gathered a panel of experts to lead an interactive discussion with nearly 100 young people from the NYC area on the potential political power of the youth vote, and the various legal and social factors that election year after election year keep this demographic of voters from actively engaging in the political process.
Forum speakers included, Tova Wang, Vice President of Research for Common Cause and Democracy Fellow at The Century Foundation; Justin Rockefeller, Co-founder and National Program Director of GenerationEngage, Maya Enista, Chief Executive Officer of Mobilize.org, Mark Hugo Lopez, Associate Director of the Pew Hispanic Center; and Ben Adler, Staff Writer for Politico.
The panel addressed a host of issues that may make it difficult for segments of the youth vote to easily participate in the electoral process. The ability of the political campaigns and voter mobilization groups to target both students and non-students alike in their GOTV efforts along with state election laws that have historically disenfranchised young voters account for just a few of the factors they discussed, which could affect the impact young voters have on the local and national elections in November.
On behalf of The Century Foundation, we would once again like to thank all of the attendees for making this summer's second public policy lunch a huge success. The event's engaging and thought-provoking discussion undoubtedly inspired further conversation among NYC's young people about ways to ensure that their entire generation, no matter their race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status remains actively engaged in the democratic process.
Our third and final installment in our series of lunchtime public policy discussions for NYC young people will be held TOMORROW, TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH FROM 12:30-2:00PM at our headquarters, 41 East 70th Street New York, NY 10021 l if you haven't done so already, please be sure to RSVP to brow...@tcf.org for the event "Color Bind: Race in the 2008 Elections and Beyond." There's still time to be in the room for this event, which will feature:
Melissa Harris-Lacewell, Associate Professor, Princeton
University and author of Barbershops,
Bibles, and BET: Everyday
Talk and Black Political Thought
Jane Junn, Associate Professor, Rutgers University and author of New Race Politics in America
Basil Smikle, Political Consultant and Founder of Basil Smikle Associates
moderated by:
Charisse Jones, Correspondent, USA Today, and co-author of Shifting-The Double Lives of Black Women in America
Please bring your own lunch, drinks and dessert will be provided. If you have any questions, please call Elizabeth Hanna at 212-452-7701.
If you missed the last forum-or want to see it again―please visit our events website or click on the following links to watch highlights from the lunch and other segments from our discussion.
Highlight Video
Discussion Video
Q&A Video
After watching these clips you, like all of our event's participants, may want to learn about the ways that you can mobilize and educate young voters in your local communities. Here are some resources:
○For more thoughtful analysis and innovative policy research on voting rights and democracy you can visit TCF's Election Reform section of the website.
○Be sure to join our Facebook Group to stay up to date about our summer 2008 public policy lunch series and other TCF events. Also, check us out on YouTube and BlipTV.
○ Confirm that you are registered to vote, and encourage your friends and family to register with VotePoke.
○ To find out residency requirements, absentee voting information, voter ID laws, registration deadlines, and other voting related information for your state visit Vote411.org.
○ For the most up to date information on young voter trends, be sure to check out CIRCLE's reports on youth voting during the 2008 presidential primaries and caucuses.
○ Instantly, get others registered to vote by adding this Rock the Vote widget to your website or blog.
○ Learn about ways that you can run for public office in New York City with Grassroots Initiative.
○ If you're a long time NYC resident, interested in local civic engagement initiatives check out this full-time employment opportunity with GenerationEngage.
Thank you again for your continued support and feedback. If you have any questions or comments about The Century Foundation's summer public policy lunch series please feel free to contact me at (212)-452-7704 or Zae...@tcf.org. We look forward to seeing you at tomorrow's event!
Best,
Rachel
Rachel Zaentz
Public Affairs Assistant
The Century Foundation
41 East 70th Street
New York, NY 10021
Direct: (212)-452-7741
Fax: (212)-535-7534
--
Zeeshan Suhail
Mobile Phone: +1.646.964.7226
Email: Zeeshan...@gmail.com
Weblog: http://ZeeshanSuhail.blogspot.com/
Google Calendar: http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=zeeshan.suhail%40gmail.com&ctz=America/New_York