UM-Flint College Republicans on Facebook, Mobilization Efforts, and Voter Turnout
Posted by lace | Posted in CRs in the news, Michigan CRs | Posted on 12-08-2008
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From the Flint Journal and the article quoted on www.michaelmoore.com, UM-Flint CRs predict an increase in youth voter turnout…
Facebook won’t win any elections, said Harry Awdey, president of UM-Flint’s College Republicans.
“We’re trying to energize who we have out there but a lot of young people aren’t going to vote,” he said. “It seems like every couple of years they say it’s going to be the year of the youth vote and it hasn’t been yet.
“I’d like to think people are more civilly engaged but it’s really that voter participation was so low that it had nowhere to go but up.”
…And UM-Flint’s College Republicans are hoping their campus will be the site of a McCain appearance in September.
“With the magnitude of this presidential campaign, I’m anticipating much more activity when school starts,” said Jesse Hurse, UM-Flint’s student activities coordinator.
“The younger people are a little apathetic to United States politics, but with it being such a historic year that’s receiving so much media attention, that apathy may be turning around.”
I hate to be the one to say this, but…
Turnout of the “Under 30 Voter” has risen steadily from 2000 to 2004, from 9% to 17%. And, while exit-polling was only conducted in 17 states during the primaries, 16 states showed double, triple, and quadruple fold increases in the “Under 30 Voter”.
The argument that the youth vote isn’t going to show up is a failed argument, and it looks especially silly when it’s coming from someone involved in turning out young voters.