in, work for something you think will
make people’s lives better.”
“Young voters are a lot more idealistic,
and have been for some time, than people
have given them credit for,” Towns notes,
though he acknowledges it’s hard to predict
how long this upswing of activity will
endure.
Mills is hopeful on that front. “Politics
belongs to those who show up,” she says.
“I’m hoping this season a lot of young
people will show up and vote and will be
paid attention to and their concerns will
actually be considered. I’m hoping this will
be a bellwether year for that kind of thing.”
For the foreseeable future, all three
alumni expect to remain involved in politics, Mills in her present position, Dubose
as a volunteer and Reynolds on another
campaign yet to be chosen.
“I always say I will take a break,”
Reynolds says. “But I don’t expect I will
for long.” Of her work on campaigns to
date, she added: “I’m very glad I did it. I’m
sure I lost years off my life with lack of
sleep, lack of exercise and poor eating
habits, but I’m very glad I did it.”
— Kathleen Kearns
The Trend in 2008
In the 2008 Super Tuesday primaries, primaries, the Pew report says, young
turnout among 18- to 29-year-old voters voters “are considerably more likely than
increased dramatically in many states, with their elders to be Hispanic, and slightly
some states seeing double, triple, even more likely to be black. They are more apt
quadruple the young voters they had in to say they have no religious affiliation
the 2004 presidential cycle. According to ( 23 percent vs. 18 percent among those
the Pew Research Center, the surge in ages 30 to 44, 15 percent among those 45
youth turnout occurred in states with to 59, 10 percent among those ages 60
vastly different racial and ethnic make-ups. and older), and more likely to say they
Among Democratic voters in these are ‘liberal’ in their political orientation.”
Who’s Voting?
“Young adults from all walks of life
— from working college students to the
unemployed, from Latinos to Asian-Americans — increased their turnout in
2004,” report Rock the Vote and CIRCLE, The Center for Information and
Research on Civic Learning and
Engagement, who analyzed the demo-
graphics of young voters from 2000 to men. And young adults of either gender
2006. Still, a closer look shows slight gra- who held a bachelor’s degree or more
dations. Young women consistently voted at higher rates than those with less
turned out at higher rates than young education.
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