Every four years Americans hear how the younger generation
is going to make its voice known at the polls. While the country has
yet to see young people truly come out in force, Iowa's Secretary of State, Rock the Vote and Public Interest Research Group's New Voters Project are teaming up to encourage participation in the caucuses.
Endorsed by both the Iowa Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Iowa, the Rock the Caucus
program will use an educational curriculum, volunteer leaders and
peer-to-peer outreach to mobilize both high school and college students
to caucus for their chosen candidates.
"Rock the Caucus will mobilize a new generation of caucus-goers in
Iowa," said Secretary of State Michael Mauro. "Through this exciting
new partnership -- which pairs high schools and college campuses with
nonprofits and the state -- we can set our youngest citizens on a
life-long path of political engagement."
Rock the Caucus will secure pledges from high school seniors and
college students to caucus and bring their friends to the caucuses. In
high schools, Rock the Vote, the Secretary of State's office and
participating teachers and administrators will participate in a mock
caucus. The programs curriculum will also be used to teach potential
caucus-goers how the process works. On college campuses, Iowa PIRG will
recruit hundreds of students leaders known as "Caucus Rock Stars," who
will get 20 of their peers to pledge to caucus.
"Across
the nation, young voters turned out in large numbers in the 2004 and
2006 general elections -- the first step to continuing that momentum in
2008 is mobilizing voters in Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus," said
Heather Smith, executive director of Rock the Vote.
Young men and women who are 17 can participate in the Iowa caucuses
so long as his or her 18th birthday is before the general election in
November. Despite this, only 288 people 18 and younger took part in the
2004 caucuses. That's less than a quarter of one percent of the total
turnout.
Young Iowans, according to recent polling,
are up for grabs on both sides of the political aisle. Young Democrats
are most supportive of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, with 40 percent of
those polled indicating her as their choice. Sen. Barack Obama netted
23 percent and former Sen. John Edwards earned 15 percent of those
polled. On the Republican side, 22 percent of young people said they
support former Gov. Mitt Romney and 24 percent indicated they support
Fred Thompson. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John
McCain and former Gov. Mike Huckabee were in a dead heat with each
garnering nine percent.
"Young people will vote if they are asked to," said Sujatha
Jahagirdar, program director for New Voters Project. "It's up to the
candidates to sit up, take notice and reach out to young voters."
Polling from Rock the Vote indicates young people are engaged in the
2008 elections, but need to hear from candidates on top issues such as
education and college affordability, jobs and the economy, health care
and Iraq.
"Young voters need to hear real answers and concrete plans this
election," Jahagirdar said. "By hitting the pavement in Iowa, we'll
ensure that this demand is heard loudly and clearly at caucus time."
