Statistics I saw indicate less than half people under thirty turned out as compared to 2008

[Toots]

Also the same holds true for blacks and hispanics.. People 45-65 turned out in larger numbers..Is it a matter of not paying attention by the younger folks or just not caring or ????? Historically the younger crowd have a much smaller turnout than their numbers would indicate should be..I don't think this election was about anything other than a "why bother" attitude for that crowd..I don't think there has been any great shift toward the Republicans, I just think something more interesting was going on for them..I think this is just something we will have to live with because the 2008 election was an anomaly and not even close to the norm..Unless we can somehow impress upon the youth the importance of elections we are going to have tough row to hoe.

[Unvanguard]

1. It's always this way in off-year elections. It's probably why Yes on 1 won in Maine. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

2. Younger voters and black voters are infamous for not turning out in off year elections. And in VA

the Gov and AG candidates are creepy, scary right wing cranks.

But, that's not enough to motivate them.

Sad.

[Barack_America]

3. You have also named the people in this country most likely to have shitty jobs...

...with no benefits.

Blacks, hispanics and young people.

People with the least amount of power to go into work late or leave early in order to vote.

Just something to think about.

In reality, it's probably a variety of reasons; convenience, ability and a poor civics education.

[leveymg]

4. Younger people, particularly, were turned-off by the way the Dem leaders have handled health reform

Older voters feel they have more of a stake in remaining engaged in the process. You are right that this is largely because of reinforcement of the age-gap in voting, but you didn't touch on the principal reason why people are discouraged this year:

Harry Reid and Max Baucus' mismanaged (sabotage?) the Public Option which should have passed four months ago so the Democratic Party could drum up enthusiasm for the November off-year election. The same thing will happen again next year, and in 2012, if the corporate Blue Dogs and dead wood aren't cut out of their committee chairs and leadership posts.

[Toots]

5. I believe vote by mail as is done in Oregon is the answer to this problem

We should be very strong supporters of vote by mail. It is just so much easier to vote from your dorm or kitchen table than to find time to go to a polling booth. Republicans recognized this decades ago and that is why they encourage their people to vote absentee and even send out the forms for them...

[msongs]

6. gee can you vote by texting while driving? that might help nt

[WI_DEM]

7. Nothing new--and that is why we need to make sure this doesn't happen in 2010