The Youth Vote in the Midterm Election

ISLA VISTA, CA— November 4, 2008, a multitude of post adolescent youth descend onto house lined Del Playa Drive, known simply as “DP”, while others cheer from their balconies in unison as the news unfolds Barack Obama has won the election and has become the first elected African-American U.S. president.

Bicyclists and long boarders chant Obama’s name as they zip neatly through the crowd. Streakers run past everyone at full speed, and although it is a school night UC Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College students continue to pour into DP in any wayward direction.

Almost two years later, Midterm Election Day comes and goes with an eerie silence having fallen on the previously buoyant crowd. Instead voiceless one-click responses seem to be sufficient enough to participate in the day’s events. “I Voted” buttons pop up sporadically throughout the day on Facebook newsfeeds. A few status updates correctly anticipates the Republicans will win the house and lose the senate. There is no spontaneous parade today, and everyone remains fully clothed.

Republicans go on to win the house with a total of 239 seats. Democrats narrowly hold on to the senate majority with a total of 51 seats compared to republican’s 46. Despite the Republican Party’s success almost immediately various news outlets began questioning, “Where was the youth turn out in this election?” “Have they already lost interest in the Democratic Party?”

Rightwing commentators began to eagerly speculate perhaps Obama is losing his hold on the demographic that had once loved him so dearly. After all, they were the ones that had plastered multi-colored posters of his face on their dorm room walls. They had incorporated him into their wardrobe, and had given up plans with their friends, and missed days of school, for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of him at town hall meetings and possibly shake his hand.

Obama, however, was not on the ballot this year, and the majority of his youthful supporters cannot tell you who was. Midterm elections, however, always brings a lower voter turn out and it is no surprise the youth demographic rounded out the bottom

Despite the overwhelming support Obama received initially by young voters, historically turnout has always been low. CIRCLE (Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement) conducted a poll stating, “an estimated 20.4 percent of young Americans under the age of 30 voted in the midterm elections, compared to 23.5 percent in the last midterm election (2006).”

However in states where non-profit organizations like Rock the Vote—specializing in youth voter registration—were present the percentage of voters in between the ages of 18-29 exceeded the youth turnout in 2006.

“These young people are willing to participate and be active by nature, but they are not going to show up unless they are invited,” said Heather Smith, executive director of Rock the Vote.

In fact Rock the Vote registered “300,000 new youth voters” in the midterm election. The youth voted overwhelmingly democratic, despite a notable increase of republican influence on the older voter populace, and while it is true the majority of the current youth demographic vote democratic, it is false the older you are the more likely you are to lean conservative.

According to Deva Woodley, Professor of Political Science at the New School, “Some generations are more progressive than others, those that came of age in WWII tend to vote democrat, though now they are mostly in their 80’s, and those that came of age in the 1980’s tend to vote republican. Political disposition gets set pretty early on and doesn’t waver.”

Today, the Internet and technology dominates the political landscape with campaigns targeting social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter more and more with every election. Although Obama was not the first candidate to utilize this tool, he was the first to make it an overwhelming success by using technology to reach out to young voters.

Despite the youth turnout being among the lowest of the voting demographics, the vitality the youth possesses is invaluable to any candidate that can harness their energy.

“A certain energy is infused when youth is involved. It creates a cultural movement. Obama created a cultural movement. He was used as a figurehead,” adds Woodley.

This was especially true when the youth vote first emerged in the 1960’s, before the voting age was lowered to 18. How to obtain the youth votes rests large in part on what motivates them to mobilize.

Traditionally during campaigning we see “electoral politics” the endorsement of a particular candidate. However it’s “protest politics”—political issues that take precedence over the candidates—that historically mobilizes young voters. The Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement were the catalysts in sparking the youth movement that would come to symbolize the 60’s.

Throughout the decades it has weaned off and picked up again most notably in the 80’s and the 2008 elections. The last midterm elections did not see a significant rise in youth involvement, as there was no particular candidate or party that targeted them with the same determination Obama’s campaign had. The more effort involved in mobilizing the youth, the more energy that springs forward.

Many young voters have expressed their frustration at the lack of political change they have seen occur. The initial excitement has seemed to wear off, and according to political analyst, William John Cox, the timing could not come at a worse time in this economic climate for the youth populace, “No matter what youth consider themselves in terms of political party, we all must mobilize. Voting should be a sacrament in our national political religion…Young people are carrying the burden.”