2004 Not a Breakout for Youth After All

[Bossy Monkey]

Nov 2, 9:02 PM EST

2004 Not a Breakout for Youth After All

By SIOBHAN McDONOUGH
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- This was not the breakout year for young voters that some had anticipated. Fewer than one in 10 voters Tuesday were 18 to 24, about the same proportion of the electorate as in 2000, exit polls indicated. Still, with voter turnout expected to be higher overall, more young people appeared to have come out.

A vigorous push on college campuses by both parties and national mobilization drives had raised expectations that 2004 would be the year of the youth vote.

Exit polls indicated that young people who did vote were strongly supporting Democrat John Kerry over President Bush, while they were evenly split between Bush and Democrat Al Gore four years ago.

The exit polls were conducted for The Associated Press by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.

(more)
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/ELN_YOUNG_VOTERS?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Damn you, Eminem! (Kidding!)

[Gothic Sponge]

1. Sigh

[grasswire]

2. this sounds...

....like one of those canned AP stories that's written the day before.

[fugue]

12. Agreed

They're still voting in lots of the country. When I qualified as youth, I voted late.

[Democat]

3. If young people refuse to vote, even after all we've seen...

If people won't vote with a president as bad as Bush, there is only so much more we can do.

The mainstream media has done everything they can to sell Bush as a moderate. Maybe all of the right wing press working together for Bush worked, so young people aren't as motivated as they should be?

[54anickel]

4. What? That first paragraph makes no sense at all. Talk about

contradicting yourself. :crazy:
Not all that big of a young voter turn out, less than 1/10 - same as in 2000, HUGE overall turnout, yeah I guess more young voters did turn out. What a goofus!

[Bossy Monkey]

6. AP writers' email addresses go like this:

[email protected]
Might be worth a try to get her to change it.

[BrendaStarr]

27. We've been LTEing for many years.

Maybe we'd better wake up.

They are doing better, but they are never going to overcome the huge internet voice the GOP has gotten together to spread the Big Lies.

Now the Rs couldn't spread the big lies if they hid in their safe groups.

We need to get out to the mixed conversation areas in larger numbers.

Those of us who do go and try to teach people what is really going on are being swamped by the big lie people.


In 2003 after the fall of Baghdad through the end of the year, we dominated the message boards and many of the chats online, because we were concerned.

About January, a large influx of right wingers started flooding the boards and the chats we had been able to dominate with their talking points.

We did most of the damage we could do to Bush's lies while we dominated and I think that the only reason the Republicans suddenly appeared in droves in January 2004 is that Republican groups paid thousands to go post for Bush.

Another problem is our bloggers who in the name of liberalism attack our own candidates. We need to drop support of those guys.

As liberals we should be fighting for ideas, not dragging down our men and women who need to win elections.

Or we can watch decades go by while the Republicans win.

[fishwax]

13. yeah, big logical flaw there

if turnout was up overall and proportion is the same, then youth turnout had to be up, too. (At least in raw numbers.)

[onehandle]

5. Stupid little shits. Draft their asses! nt

[obreaslan]

40. Exactly, have fun in Iran!!!

[jeffgad]

52. Correction. Draft the fundamentalist christians that voted in

Jesus-Boy, and leave my two draft-aged, Kerry-voting sons out of it.

[MADem]

60. GET YOUR KIDS TO THE DOCTOR

If you think I am kidding, I am NOT. Allergies, bad backs, bad knees, bad eyes, you name it--get them on pharmaceuticals, make them ineligible for service. DOCUMENT MEDICAL ISSUES. Without that documentation, they go. With it, you can get a 4F.

Don't count on college to save them. It's only the medically unfit who have a prayer.

[Retrograde]

7. ever seen an exit poller?

I never have. My precinct is one of the closest ones to Stanford University, and nobody seems to be interviewing voters here. How many students vote absentee, or early, or late in the day, after classes?

For all I know, the number may be accurate, but I'm still suspicious of how anyone got it.

[nosmokes]

14. one thing's certain, youth don't get up early to vote. n/t

[theoceansnerves]

8. interesting story

considering the polls haven't closed yet in the western states and have been extended in some.

[maddezmom]

9. agree, let's just wait and see

I've got afeeeling our youth will not let us down. :)

[ElectroPrincess]

10. When they begin "The Draft" our youth will begin to show

much increased interest in American politics. It's a tragic truism of human nature that one sometimes must hit bottom to "wake up" and face harsh reality.

[skooooo]

11. Can't say I'm surprised...

..the youth vote is always overhyped . They never turn out.

[MADem]

61. They sure screwed Howard, didn't they? n/t

[JanMichael]

15. Ha! I knew those computer gamed out losers would be too lazy to vote.

Probably too busy calling Verizon to add another name to their calling circle, which is not like a drum circle is for their "drop out" friends:-)

Back to the Gen X saves the world in ten years:-)

[Zhade]

26. That's not fair, JM.

My three closest friends are 22, and they got out to vote. They were new voters in a presidential election.

I think this article is suspect. Maybe a set-up to assist in a steal.

[calimary]

16. I hope they don't mind it when they start getting shipped off to

bush's next war...

Hey, we TRIED to warn you guys!!!!

[Cerridwen]

17. And early voters?.......................eom

[bagnana]

18. I thought I saw something showing they went

from 10% to 17%? Was that a mistake?

[hangemhigh]

19. I call bullshit on this article. I think it's a propaganda piece.

[Dancing_Dave]

21. I agree, it's total B.S.

Registration of young voters is WAY up. Every single college student I've talked in this college town is voting...and I've been asking almost every one I see! They don't expect their vote to make any difference in this Republican state, but STILL they all see voting as a MUST this time around.

[loyalsister]

31. I agree

I know what I saw with my own eyes. My polling place has historically had a low turnout, because of the students. Today, it was very busy. There were students lined up at 6am to vote, and they just kept filing in one right after another.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

47. Agreed....and I also agree...

...with your boardname because it may come to that, sooner rather than later.

[americanwomanone]

20. They Don't Realize that they will be stuck with all this debt. n/t

[Dover]

22. I feel pretty certain that more young people voted this election.

I've witnessed it myself, and have heard similar stories from others.

I wonder if this info includes those who voted early or by absentee? I know a lot of young people were encouraged to do that.
When do those votes get added to the total?

[oasis]

37. They did vote. Diebold ate their votes and thousands of others.

[amandabeech]

23. I expect that a larger proportion of younger voters

used provisional ballots, considering how efficient many areas are in getting new registration lists to the polling places. Also, many younger voters may have gone for the early voting, particularly on weekends. I don't think that many of those votes have been counted.

[KennedyGuy]

24. Yup...hope they all enjoy it over in Iraq

[Blaq Dem]

25. were they ever polled?

Maybe they didn't participate in the exit poll! They need their own poll.

[Endangered Specie]

28. GOD MOTHER FUCKING DAMNIT

I spent ALL my time trying to get out the youth college vote!!! and THIS is what I get?!?!?!

[FDRrocks]

Me and my girlfriend and our 5 friends....

in 3 different voting districts never got exit polled. Exit polls are BS.

[Logansquare]

29. The headline and 1st paragraph are LIES

If you read down in the article, you find that 1 in 10 voters this year were first time voters. So the percentage didn't change, and how this is a measure of youth vote...I have no idea, since a first time voter can be any age.

[War Pigs]

63. Should do voter reg. at Girls Gone Wild tapings and American Idol

auditions. I mean voting takes like a couple of hours out of your life every 2 years. Besides, some of the poor bastards getting killed in Iraq are in their 30's, 40's and even 50's. How's a young slacker supposed to relate to some whack shit like that? "Dude, my baby's momma's uncle got wasted in Iraq. 2 Happy meals, 1 with Coke, 1 with Diet Coke".:silly:

[Draco]

30. Hey, don't blame all of us

Some of us are stuck in some middle american republic shithole. It does't matter what we voted, even when I got all my friends rounded up to vote, it doesn't even to begin to put a teeny tiny dent in the huge numbers stacked against us. Until we get rid of the fing electoral collage, our votes don't matter because we still look like we went for *.

[Sugarbleus]

34. I don't blame you and I agree, DROP THE EC..one man, one vote.

[RivetJoint]

38. This time the EC was

the only thing we had going for us...

[partisan to truth]

32. Wouldn't a high percentage of the 18-24 voters be absentee?

There's no way they have stats on absentees yet... which could falsely decrease the count for this age group?

[lakemonster11]

35. My brother and I are

both within that age range, and we both vote absentee. If that means anything.

[kitkatrose]

39. Yes, a bunch of us were absentee.

And a lot of them got sent by express mail the day before because that was when we got our ballots.

[hatrack]

33. I'd predict that 2005 will be a breakout year for youth

Many of them will be visiting a wide range of exciting foreign destinations.

Visit the ruins of historic Ur! Learn about the fascinating culture of ancient Mesopotamia! Relax and enjoy the cool vistas of the mountains of Kurdistan!

[MADem]

62. To say nothing of the majesty of Pesepolis

The historic city of Isfahan, the big city excitement of Teheran, the unique flavor of Bandar Abbas....salaam, cowboys!! Be sure to try the kebabs!

[theboss]

36. It's the same story every election

Every year, we think, "Oh, this is the year that the youth vote matters." And then they vote at the same rate as the time before and vote more conservatively than expected.

[Snellius]

41. Maybe they're more Hitler Jugend than we assume.

The myths of the 60s and 70s are dead. In many parts of this country the faith that the future belongs to the idealistic and the progressive have given way to bible schools, SUVs, and high-paying careers. I'm not sure young people would favor a liberal candidate even if they bothered to vote.

[Maeve]

42. No--those who did vote broke for Kerry

They just didn't turn out in the numbers they should have.

[blackspade]

43. I have...

absolutely no idea why they would not vote!
I mean, come on, at the very least you would think that they would vote in their own self interest.
This whole election has me disgusted.

[0007]

44. Well, maybe we'll get a bigger Army, Navy, Air Force and be

able to rule the whole now. This is what our youth is all about? Who's shiting who?

Ten million folks around this planet marched in protest of the Iraq war. Where was this big youth movement then?


Is this the big youth movement?

[madrchsod]

45. my 18 yr old daughter

voted and all her male friends didn`t ..she told them bush is planning to put in the draft..... they didn`t listen.....

[Politicub]

46. I read a quote by Carville a few weeks ago

It was something like "What are people who depend on new voters called? Losers."

[Toucano]

48. That ascerbic Jim!

Funny!

[Politicub]

49. Luv Dictionary.com

I had to look up the word "ascerbic." :dunce:

LOL

[Az_lefty]

50. If all this bullshit isn't enough to get the "youth" to the polls

what the fuck will it take????? This outcome is just unbelievable!

[The_Casual_Observer]

51. To the youth: Enjoy the next 4 years (if you live to see it)

[JPZenger]

53. Young People Were Active in PA.

In my area of Eastern PA, there were very long lines at the one polling place where most of the college students lived. They waited in line up to 3 hours to vote. Volunteer lawyers were there to keep reminding them that they had a right to vote as long as they were in line at 8 pm.

At 8 pm, there were still a couple hundred people in line - they were all brought inside to vote and the doors were then locked.

Kerry volunteers brought them water bottles and leftover Halloween candy. About 50 Kerry supporters, who were mostly high school and college students, cheered the voters for their patience. We also sang "We Shall Overcome" and "This Land is Your Land." I didn't see any of the voters give up and leave.

We had tons of young people come into PA. from Maryland, DC, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to help with the Kerry campaign. Their enthusiasm helped motivate the locals to work harder. Together, we protected John's back and delivered PA.

[LisaL]

54. Well, when their A$$ is drafted,

maybe they will realize the error of their ways.

[Ohio rules]

56. Are you submitting a bill

to your congressman to reinstate the draft?

* won the election....somebody MUST PAY



but not me of course.
You didn't turn out the vote and now * is president

[LisaL]

57. Well, I DID VOTE!

SO SHUT UP!

[Sin]

58. I'm with Lizzy on this one

I'm 23 did vote my gf is 23 did vote and helped win pa
I'm sorry the south is full of inbred retards that has creationism in the class room as the alternative to science and book burning as the alternative to reading. If they try to draft us up here in the north they will see how many Dem's are still out there.

[Mad_Dem_X]

59. Have fun in Iraq, @ssholes

Getting killed for Bush's oil.:nuke:

[Ohio rules]

55. PARTY ON DUDES !!!! ?? wtf

wrong "party" was going on.
people have priorities.
The 18-23 yr olds we find hard to understand?

LMAO
I was 18,19,29,21.....;)
Youth is wasted on the young

[mindfulNJ]

64. Vote or Die

I guess they chose "Die".

[Free2BMe]

65. They will be concerned when their money loses it value..by taxes

[devinsgram]

66. They will think twice about

after they get drafted.

[atre]

67. Team America: World Police

Funny that with all the commotion surrounding F 911, Stolen Honor, and Eminem, the election may have been decided by two gay libertarian morons: Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

[sendero]

68. People get the government they deserve..

.... and the young in this country are going to be paying for their pathetic apathy for the longest, since they will live here the longest.

When the draft comes, I don't want to hear anyone who didn't vote whining. Anyone who didn't vote can go fuck themselves.