To Capture Youth Voter Interest Politicians Must Listen to Youth Concerns, Conclude Briefing Participants

Politicians from both parties ignored issues foremost in the minds of young, eligible voters in the November elections, said panelists and participants in a February Youth Voices briefing in Washington, DC. Economics and education — neither of which became solid campaign planks for any candidate — were key issues that eligible youth voters looked for but didn’t find in the 1996 elections, noted youth leaders and political analysts from across the spectrum. Instead, campaigns centered on character issues and campaign contributions.
Panelist Celinda Lake, President of Lake Research and a leading pollster for the Democratic party, pointed out that education and economics were addressed more strongly by candidates in the 1992 elections, when youth voter turnout rose for the first time since 1972.
Young people are looking for ways outside of politics, in which they see little to admire, to improve their world, particularly through volunteerism, noted Lake.
CPA’s Youth Voices poll, which was conducted in May 1996 in cooperation with Who Cares magazine, indicated that 48 percent of 18-24 year-olds have volunteered at least occasionally for a cause they care about.
Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, of CNN and The Polling Company as well as a key pollster for the Republican party, pointed out that young people will not buy into what they feel is an issue-less campaign and that she has found education, economics, entitlements and concern for the environment to be top priorities for eligible youth voters.
Looking to the future, participants agreed that there must be some way of convincing young people of their stake in the political process and establishing a connection between youth and the politicians representing them. Democratic National Committee representative Alison McLaurin pointed to DNC efforts to involve local representatives in student voter registration initiatives as a way to build bridges between politicians and youth. Such strategies are effective not only in getting young people registered to vote, but also in sparking youth interest in entering the political arena. A final Youth Voices briefing in New York City will be held on March 20. The Youth Voices project was funded by the Ford Foundation, and briefings are supported by a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
The Washington, DC, briefing for CPA’s Youth Voices project explored potential causes for low voter turnout in the November 1996 elections and looked at ways of encouraging young people to vote in the future. Featured speakers and panelists included: CPA President and CEO Linda Tarr-Whelan; Celinda Lake, President of Lake Research; Jaime Uzeta, Rock the Vote; Alison McLaurin, Democratic National Committee; Therese Heliczer, Youth Vote `96; and Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, CNN and the Polling Company.

Youth Voices in New York…
Engaging Young People in Politics
Where: United Engineering Center, Room 125, New York City
When: Thursday, March 20, 9:30 am-12:30 pm
Featured Panelists: Chris Cuomo, 2030 Center; Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, CNN and the Polling Company; Jennifer Sosin, Lake Research; and Tavis Smiley, host of "BET Talk" and author of Hard Left
For more information, contact Bridget Ware at CPA.