Chelsey Kelly, Boston University student.

New Trend for Fall '04: Voting
Get on Board

By Chelsey Kelley, college student

What do the Democratic National Convention in Boston, the Republican National Convention in New York City, and the MTV Video Music Awards in Miami all have in common?

Besides ultra-tight security, all three events targeted the youth vote—those aged 18-24 who usually don't make it a point to vote.

The Kerry sisters and Bush twins were met with a mixture of boos and applause at the VMAs before each set of sisters spoke directly to our generation, asking us to get out and vote. Hollywood's elite, as well as musicians from all genres, have been combining their voices and influence over the American public by speaking to those undecided voters who can shape the future of our country—mainly young people. Why is this happening and why do you need to get involved?
What's All the Hype About?

What's All the Hype About?

In the last election, a mere 36% of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds actually cast a ballet in the close race between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush. And only 51.3% of the total voting age population in the United States voted. Less than 52% of the people have decided our fate as a country for the last four years. More people voted for the last American Idol than voted for president (scary, isn't it?).

An Intro Lesson to Politics

Let's say I'm a politician and you're an 18-year-old high school graduate who does not plan on voting. Why should I fight for you? I'm not going to help create and support programs that would make college more affordable. I'm not going to support social programs that would cut down the rate of teenage pregnancy and STDs. I'm not going to work to ensure that every kid gets a decent education. These issues might be important to you, but since it's your parents—and not you—who are voting for me, I'm going to focus my energies on their issues (stuff like tax cuts, social security, and Medicare).

BUT what if you (the 18-year-old) actually voted and helped get me (the politician) get elected? Now, that's a different ball game! I'm going to work for you, my constituency. I'll look at programs that'll help college be more affordable. I'll look at the violence you face each day at school and how I can solve it. I'll look at what it takes for each child in America to have a happy and healthy life. I'll make it MY agenda, not just the 'youth agenda.' I'll work for you if you're my boss.

Can't Spell "Youth Vote" Without "Y-O-U"

We know how powerful we can be. How many stories have you read about groups of high school students who have helped change their school and communities because they believed in something? We can be a force to reckon with if we want to be. I'm a 22-year-old college student who wants her voice to be heard this fall! It is my right and my duty to go out there and vote—it's that simple.

Some "experts" feel that the youth vote isn't going to change the outcome of any election. Let's show those experts that we could be the deciding factor in a close race (in 2000, Bush won the state of Florida by 537 votes). It's pretty amazing to think about the power we'd have if we just got out there and voted. Think about it; now do something about it. Check out some of the Web sites geared toward your age group (see web links in the right column) for more information on how simple it is to register to vote (most states have a 25-day deadline to register before an election). Most importantly, once you're registered don't forget to VOTE!