Jackson Free Press

MSNBC is reporting that more young people may vote Tuesday than they have in many years—primarily because young people their age are dying in Iraq and because they don't approve of how the government responded to 9/11 and Katrina:

More young voters than ever plan on going to the polls this year, and it's because of the war in Iraq, many say. "Most of the people who are out there fighting are probably around the same age I am," said Emily Tyra, 18, of Minneapolis, Minn. "Having older people make the decision to send young people out to fight for what they believe in instead of what the younger generation believes in is very frustrating."

Tyra is not alone in wanting her opinion heard. In a Harvard poll published on Wednesday, 32 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds said they will "definitely" vote on Nov. 7. That would be the highest youth turnout for a midterm election since the national voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1971.

Besides the war, the government's response to disasters like the Sept. 11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina is driving young voters to the polls, experts say.

"Young people are typically more focused on national issues, and this has been a national election," said Hans Reimer, political director of the non-partisan youth voter group Rock the Vote.

In the battleground states in this midterm election, the extra votes from young people could help make or break a candidate's victory.

Jane Fleming, executive director of the Young Democrats of America, said that about 41 percent of young voters identify themselves as Democrats, up from many years of three-way parity among Republicans, Democrats and independents.

"This is the first time that the majority of young people are Democrats," Fleming said of polls of 18- to 35-year-olds. "It's a really great turnaround for us; 9/11 helped with that, and Katrina was a wakeup call."

According to the Harvard poll, 60 percent of 18- to-24-year-olds think the country is "on the wrong track," with 46 percent wanting all troops to be withdrawn from Iraq within a year.

Previous Comments

ID

108294

Comment

This is a good time to remind folks that young Mississippians *voted blue* in the last presidential election in a dramatic way—leading the South and much of the country (63 percent for Kerry). Considering that fact, it's really awful that the Mississippi Democratic Party hasn't figured out yet how to better cater to young progressives in Mississippi—and offer them funded candidates who aren't faux-Republicans. And it's hard to imagine how bigger that split could be if the presidential election were held today. However, I highly encourage all young Jacksonians to turn out Tuesday to vote for the JPS bond issue, as well as for Rep. Erik Fleming (despite some of his views toward women's issues).

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-03T22:04:09-06:00

ID

108295

Comment

I think youn voters are more insightful. They're in an age range where they are more open-minded and able to see things for what they are instead of what they want them to be. When I was that age, I thought I could change the world. Wait a minute. I'm 31. I'm talking like I'm 95 or something. :-P

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-11-03T23:32:02-06:00

ID

108296

Comment

youn = young I may be 31, but I think my eyes are forty years ahead of me. :-D

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-11-03T23:40:20-06:00

ID

108297

Comment

I'll definitely vote to get the evil out of Washington (if even possible), but the only thing swaying votes is Diebold and ESS . . . DOWN WITH ELECTRONIC BALLOTING!!

Author

MoreRockin

Date

2006-11-04T20:00:32-06:00

ID

108298

Comment

Others are saying that it will also be the Year of the Woman Pissed Off About the War and Other Issues. Personally, I hope it's not the year that the controllers of the voting machines put their full plan into place. Pelosi is sounding alarms about that today in the L.A. Times, as well she should. If there is ever a time for vigilance at the polls, it is this Tuesday. The foxes are circling the henhouse, real pissed off that they may be about to be kicked out of it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2006-11-05T14:40:42-06:00

ID

108299

Comment

They found Saddam Hussein guilty. How do you think that will affect the election? It's interesting that a verdict would be reached right before a mid-term election, but I digress.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-11-05T21:12:35-06:00

ID

108300

Comment

I think it has no effect on it and the commentators this morning on tv said the same thing. There are still other charges, this will be appealed, so this will go on for awhile.

Author

Kingfish

Date

2006-11-05T21:16:46-06:00

ID

108301

Comment

Kingfish, try this link for now. I'm having PC problems, so I can't open any PDFs at the moment.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-11-05T22:17:27-06:00

ID

108302

Comment

Oops, wrong thread! :-(

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2006-11-05T22:19:51-06:00