What: A guide to Youth Vote Organizing by Young Voter Strategies
When: Can’t find date, but based on 2004 election data.
Link: http://www.youngvoterstrategies.org/index.php?tg=fileman&idx=get&inl=1&id=1&gr=Y&path=Booklets&file=YVS+Candidate+Guide.pdf
MV Reading Notes:
Why focus on young voters:
• Surging numbers are voting
• Will be huge voting block in 2006/8
• Are passionate about their issues
• Almost evenly split Dem/Rep
• Not yet developed strong party loyalties
• If vote in 2 elections, likely to be a voter for life
• Have been making a difference in close races
Characteristics of Gen Y
• some very educated, but many still not in college
• more centrist than older voters
• more racially and ethnically diverse than any other generation
• their family and financial lives are much different than older generations (eg: many single parent homes. Many have jobs and lots of debt.)
• education predicts turnout
• 2/3rds of all 18-24 year olds are not found on a college campus
How to talk to young voters
• Make issues relevant to their lives
• Use positive simple language – don’t like trash talk
• Avoid insider jargon
• Take interactive approach – allow them to be heard
• Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know’ – they like honesty
• Ask them to vote
Using the media
• be creative, have sense of humor
• chance to opt-in and participate very important (eg: internet apps)
Volunteers
• incorporate recruitment into every aspect of campaign
• always collect contact info
• give volunteers a project right away
College
• no on-campus photo-op dropins
• schools are dense, use them
• register them to vote
• create campus events
• ask everyone to volunteer
• do class visits with registration forms
Non Students
• go to events, transportation centers, bars, concerts
• 1 volunteer registers 5 voters/hour at big events
• look for precincts with high % of young people and use captains – this info is avail from census bureau
• canvassing can be very cost effective, especially with volunteers
GOTV
• tips for canvassing in this doc
• tips for phone banking
• tips for how to hire and organize a registration team
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