Spring Break
Youth votes to count
By: Amanda Tilley
Issue date: 2/19/08 Section: News
Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama are running neck and neck. Republican voters seem split on whether John McCain is conservative enough to represent them and Mike Huckabee said he is staying in until the end. The candidates need every vote they can get, and the March 4 Texas primary could set the 2008 presidential candidates.
All of the candidates are trying to bring in the youth vote. The Texas Secretary of State recorded that 2.5 million Texans between the ages of 18 and 29 voted in the 2004 election. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement said the turnout for youth voters for the 2008 election has more than doubled since the previous presidential election.
"We are the future of this country. We need to start making decisions and taking on leadership roles," said College Republicans Communications Director, John Passmore.
Though the College Republicans will not be endorsing a candidate until after the primaries, they are involved in the campaigning process.
"We're focusing on getting the issues out, focusing on political awareness," Passmore said.
Passmore said that the most important thing college students can do for the upcoming election is vote. "No matter what you decide, you should make your voice heard on the ballot, even if you think your candidate might not win," he said.
Aggie Democrats President Andy Cotter said the higher number of youth voters is reflective of his generation. "The youth are looking for a change. Our generation is politically savvy," Cotter said.
Cotter said that the Aggie Democrats are tying to get more college students registered to vote. The group registered more than 300 voters at MSC Open House.
With a constant stream of television and Internet news coverage of all the political candidates, information is available for anyone who wants to get involved. Each of the remaining candidates in both parties has a website with special features geared toward the youth vote.
All of the candidates are trying to bring in the youth vote. The Texas Secretary of State recorded that 2.5 million Texans between the ages of 18 and 29 voted in the 2004 election. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement said the turnout for youth voters for the 2008 election has more than doubled since the previous presidential election.
"We are the future of this country. We need to start making decisions and taking on leadership roles," said College Republicans Communications Director, John Passmore.
Though the College Republicans will not be endorsing a candidate until after the primaries, they are involved in the campaigning process.
"We're focusing on getting the issues out, focusing on political awareness," Passmore said.
Passmore said that the most important thing college students can do for the upcoming election is vote. "No matter what you decide, you should make your voice heard on the ballot, even if you think your candidate might not win," he said.
Aggie Democrats President Andy Cotter said the higher number of youth voters is reflective of his generation. "The youth are looking for a change. Our generation is politically savvy," Cotter said.
Cotter said that the Aggie Democrats are tying to get more college students registered to vote. The group registered more than 300 voters at MSC Open House.
With a constant stream of television and Internet news coverage of all the political candidates, information is available for anyone who wants to get involved. Each of the remaining candidates in both parties has a website with special features geared toward the youth vote.
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