Why did the "youth vote surge" turn into a piddle?

Rock the vote, declare yourself, vote or die with P-Diddy, Choose or Lose commercial interuptions of Laguna Beach, Farenheit 9/11, and the overall anti-Bush young mentality failed to provide the youth vote turnout democrats were hoping for.

It seems people turned out, but they were not the kiddies.

Why is this? Is it the obvious? They don't pay tons of taxes, they do not make tons of income, they do not own homes, etc?

Also, is it harder for young people to vote since tons are at school? Absentee ballots are enough of an inconvenience that probably impedes young voters eh?

[Bernardo]

Well, my 18 year, 29 day old daughter voted. Can't get much younger than that and still vote.

Of course, she voted for bush

[kharmajunkie]

Wasn't voter turnout higher than past elections for young voters though even though it wasn't as high as predicted?

[Gorgo]

Yes. The percentage of youth was not greater as a percentage of total turnout, but the number of youths was greater.

I'll see if I can find that link.

[kharmajunkie]

An estimated 9 percent of voters Tuesday were 18 to 24, about the same proportion of the electorate as in 2000, exit polls indicated. The youth vote accounted for 17 percent of turnout when broadened to the 18-to-29 age group, also about the same share as in the last presidential race. Still, the actual number of young voters was up, given that overall voter turnout was higher.
When it comes to voting, the United States still has some distance to go to match the participation of voters in other democracies. But by U.S. standards, Tuesday shaped up as an impressive show.
------
On the Net:
Committee for the Study of the American Electorate: http://www.gspm.org/csae


Ok, so they're just as apathetic as past generations.

[Nono]

Originally posted by kharmajunkie They're just as apathetic as past generations.

"No shirt is too young to be stuffed."

Larry Zolf
CBC

Does anyone have the demographic breakout of who voted for which candidate? Maybe not all youngsters are influenced by an apparent retard like P. Daddy?

[Scribbler1]

Originally posted by Snouter, Does anyone have the demographic breakout of who voted for which candidate? Maybe not all youngsters are influenced by an apparent retard like P. Daddy?

I'd like to see that myself. It is of course possible that more young people voted this time than we think, but they all didn't vote for Kerry. Unfortunately, whether through arrogance or misjudgement, it was assumed by a lot of people that ANY young voter with any brains would automatically vote for Kerry. It seems a trifle silly to think that the younger voters can be so easily pigeonholed. Any group of Americans (the old, the middle class, women, the religious, etc.) of any size will be all over the map in respect to who they vote for.

[castille]

Maybe they were too busy complaining to remember to vote, hehe.

Reality is probably that a lot of young voters voted for Bush. Not everyone who is young is supposed to be a brainwashed leftwing. There's just as many rightwing young people as leftwings.

[Scribbler1]

Originally posted by castille, Maybe they were too busy complaining to remember to vote, hehe. Reality is probably that a lot of young voters voted for Bush. Not everyone who is young is supposed to be a brainwashed leftwing. There's just as many rightwing young people as leftwings.

Exactly. Remember, the military is still accepting recruits who volunteered even AFTER we went to Iraq. And they're still signing up. I would bet most of those people would vote for Bush.

As I said, it's pure arrogance for the most part. "I'm the Democrat candidate, so ALL the young people are MINE!" Like the mistake of getting Sprigsteen to appear with Kerry. The man was a household word for a decade longer than the targeted voters have been alive.
In many ways, the Democrats are stuck in the 60's, where the young people would either vote Democrat out of principle of just vote for whoever WASN'T in office.
Since I lived through the 60's myself, I'm fairly sure I'm on safe ground when I say the under 30 voters now are not only more numerous, they are a bit smarter and certainly more informed than their 1960's counterparts.

the youth vote didn't "fail". young voters turned out in record numbers, yes? mostly for non-bush candidates, mostly for kerry.

but the religious right fear kerry, fear social change, fear being attacked, and believe in religious and social war, even if it means destroying and disenfranchising everyone who isn't themselves.

would the democrats have excluded the religious right? would they have sold the country to osama? would they have "banned the bible"? which some gop fkr claimed in pamphlets in the south? duh no.

however, gop continues its classic elitism, excluding the poor [and middle class], non-christians, and through arrogance and overconfidence excluding every piece of constructive criticism they come across.

the gop have a vision for america, and it's rich white christian folk and country music. taxes for the poor and more wine for the rich. it's bombs over baghdad and censorship. it's gaybashing and gun toting and blockheaded. why did you fail to vote against it?

[Scribbler1]

What the whole youth vote issue boils down to is that they didn't have that much of an impact regardless of who they voted for. You're using national percentages to determine how many voted, but the ENTIRE voter turnout of ALL ages was a lot higher. This makes the youth vote a smaller percentage by comparison.
In other words, if the OVER 30 vote was the same as last election, the UNDER 30 vote would have been a much higher percent number due to the big increase.
They still came out in record numbers according to my understanding.

[OberonDOtherseid]

It seems that way or you know its that way? The media said this immediately after voting hours closed. There is no way they knew this, they knew the voter turnout increased from last election but no way where they able to differentiate voter age so soon. They just assumed this because Kerry didn't have a victory sweep, they thought the kids would vote on him because they like U2 and PDiddy, which is whoring for votes not support for your policies , what you believe in.

The kids probably bought cheap concert tickets, listened to their favorite musical sock puppet preach politics between songs and voted for Bush anyway. I know if I were an impressionable 20 something I wouldn't have a guy from Ireland who isn't even American influence my vote.

[Scribbler1]

Originally posted by OberonDOtherseid, It seems that way or you know its that way? The media said this immediately after voting hours closed. There is no way they knew this, they knew the voter turnout increased from last election but no way where they able to differentiate voter age so soon.

Today is November Eighth as I recall. I wasn't echoing what the media said on election night. Actually I don't recall hearing that at all that night. This is from something I heard 2 days ago. The turnout was up across the board and I said the percentages were skewed because of it.

If the total vote in 2000 was 100 people and 80 of them were over 30 that's 20% youth vote. If the youth vote was doubled this time AND the over 30 vote increased to 160 the youth vote would not LOOK as though it had increased.
That was my point. The under 30 vote WAS much larger, but when people throw out raw percentages it doen't look that way.

They just assumed this because Kerry didn't have a victory sweep, they thought the kids would vote on him because they like U2 and PDiddy, which is whoring for votes not support for your policies , what you believe in.

Come on now, give them a little credit. The younger crowd is often just as informed as you, if not more so. Kerry didn't go around to senior citizen homes and whisper his policies to them, we ALL heard them! That is a stupid assumption and a disservice to the entire under thirty segment of the population when you think they are overly influenced by Bono and P. Diddy.
And BTW, Sean Combs didn't tell them who they should vote for, he just said they should vote, period.
I don't know how old you are, but you sound like the old people I used to hear in the 60's.

The kids probably bought cheap concert tickets, listened to their favorite musical sock puppet preach politics between songs and voted for Bush anyway. I know if I were an impressionable 20 something I wouldn't have a guy from Ireland who isn't even American influence my vote.

I'll agree that probably a small fraction would be influenced by celebrities, but not many. But OTOH, how many people OVER 30-40 were influenced by Pat Robertson, Rush Limbaugh and the country music stars who publicly supported Bush?

[OberonDOtherseid]

Vote or die? That sounds pretty influencial to me, it doesnt ring of anti Bush to you? You bring up a good point, however influence comes with decisions made after listening to the political issues, bad choices and good choices evolve from listening to the issues, not Sunday Bloody Sunday . *I* didn't say that *I* think all youth is ignorant, just that the rock the vote folk do, they are targeting an audience like a guy in a trench coat with candy bar in had waiting for that school bell to ring. Telling the youth to vote and inserting politics between songs at your concert is quite two different things. But, people are free to do as they wish, and they are free to lose just as the democrats did this election. Do you think they'll ever learn?

Oh, BTW, sorry about the confusion on the percentage thing...even I make mistakes.

[Scribbler1]

Originally posted by OberonDOtherseid, Vote or die? That sounds pretty influencial to me, it doesnt ring of anti Bush to you?

No. Vote for Bush or die would though. In truth, I imagine these celebrities likely supported Kerry and wanted the youth vote to go that way. But that can't go further than being our opinions, as Combs never said WHO to vote for. Instead of the source, I'll focus on the result, and that would be an increase in the spirit of civic duty.

You bring up a good point, however influence comes with decisions made after listening to the political issues, bad choices and good choices evolve from listening to the issues, not Sunday Bloody Sunday . *I* didn't say that *I* think all youth is ignorant, just that the rock the vote folk do, they are targeting an audience like a guy in a trench coat with candy bar in had waiting for that school bell to ring.

I agree and I mentioned that the other day that the Democrats were arrogant in thinking they OWNED the youth vote.

Telling the youth to vote and inserting politics between songs at your concert is quite two different things. But, people are free to do as they wish, and they are free to lose just as the democrats did this election. Do you think they'll ever learn?

You just love a good gloat, eh? :) And telling them to vote and inserting politics ARE two different things, but you seem to be makiing a nonexistent connection there. But a pop star saying vote for Kerry is NO different than a conservative talk show host saying vote for Bush.

And I doubt if they'll ever learn any more than the OVER 30 group will.

[OberonDOtherseid]

There is one difference....talk show hosts, political ones, are supposed to espouse their bent politically. Musicians play instruments, dance and occasionally sing if not lip sync. Nobody cares what Bono thinks, at least I don't, I just want to hear him perform. When I tune into any talk show host who is making a living discussing politics I am tuning in to hear his schtick on the subject.

BTW, I am not gloating, I am just being realistic. I did vote for Bush, I think he was a wiser choice over Kerry, Kerry just offered nothing that impressed me. When and if we ever do see a three party system you can bet your backside I will be voting libertarian.

[Scribbler1]

Originally posted by OberonDOtherseid, There is one difference....talk show hosts, political ones, are supposed to espouse their bent politically. Musicians play instruments, dance and occasionally sing if not lip sync. Nobody cares what Bono thinks, at least I don't, I just want to hear him perform. When I tune into any talk show host who is making a living discussing politics I am tuning in to hear his schtick on the subject.

I never cared for what ANY celebrity thought, but whether TV star or pop star, there's nothing in the rules that say they CAN'T support anyone. Maybe it just seems odd because so few musical celebrities DO throw in a plug for a politician. I think this is because most of the stars of the 60's and 70's seemed to hate ALL politicians, and didn't want to lead anyone to elect ANY of them. There were plenty of followers but no leaders back then.

BTW, I am not gloating, I am just being realistic. I did vote for Bush, I think he was a wiser choice over Kerry, Kerry just offered nothing that impressed me. When and if we ever do see a three party system you can bet your backside I will be voting libertarian.

Ahh, what the hell. It's been a tough campaign, so gloat a little already. :)