Young adults, including University of Memphis students, may playa large role in the 2004 presidential election, according to arecent survey.
Forty percent of 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed said they woulddefinitely vote in the 2004 presidential election, according to anMTV poll conducted by Peter D. Hart Associates. These numbersrepresent an increase of 30 percent from the 2000 election.
"I noticed that MTV is taking on a campaign to show viewers howclose the last presidential election was. Maybe that will have animpact on the general ennui and malaise of this age group," said Uof M law student Brent Morris. "I think most 18- to 24-year-oldsare disillusioned with the political process in the UnitedStates."
Harvard University's Institute of Politics surveyed collegestudents and found two-thirds were registered to vote and 82percent of them planned to vote this year.
Numerous organizations are encouraging young adults to registerto vote and turn out for the November election.
Norman Lear's organization, Declare Yourself, has been touringcollege campuses across the nation for the past two years in aneffort to spark political activism and participation in what hasrecently been a lethargic demographic.
"I think most young people are becoming more educated and awareabout political issues," said Miles Kondylas, U of M music industrymajor. "There are a lot of issues on the table this year. We are atwar in Iraq and Afghanistan. There are political crises in Asia. Alot of people are fed up with policy decisions, and they're notgoing to let the government blindside them anymore."
People are ready for a change, he said.
Organizations like Declare Yourself and Rock the Vote are tryingto implement change by energizing and empowering young voters.
A Princeton Survey Research Associates International poll showedover three-quarters of voters registered at age 18. Only one ineight voters registered at 21 or older.
However, some U of M students are still skeptical about whetheryoung adults will turn out in larger numbers for the 2004election.
"I'd say a small percentage will go out and register, but Idon't see the 18 to 24 age group playing a bigger role than it didin 2000," said Charles Pierce, sophomore accounting major.
The PSRAI survey identified certain issues that motivate youngadults to vote. Education was the most important issue for 90percent of young people surveyed. Jobs, the economy, healthcare andcrime were also identified as important issues to this demographic,while foreign policy ranked much farther down on the list.
"The segment of the population that is going out into theworkforce for the first time is realizing how hard it is to find ajob or even support yourself," said Kondylas. "Young people areconcerned with these issues, and a lot of them are focused ongetting Bush out of office."
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