Obama’s appeal to the under-25 crowd obtained a great upstart in the Iowa primaries when that demographic gave him the majority of votes leading to his undeniable victory in the “hawkeye state.” In an August poll done by the University of Iowa, Obama won 50% support, while McCain got 43%.In the first caucuses, Democrats, in general, had a 90% increase in attendance and the youth vote was up 135%. The youth vote demonstrated that they preferred Obama to Clinton by over 4 to 1. While Obama took the lead with a little less than 20,000 votes, the under 25 crowd totaled 17,000 votes in favor of Obama.
The youth vote is one of the strongest in this election since 1972 – the year the voting age was lowered to 18. However, Iowa is the first state to allow youths that are 17, but turning 18 in the election year, to vote in the primaries, which could lead to the overwhelming increase of fresh-faced voters.
But this is just showing the youth undercurrent at its very highest and most-removed level. The real magic began when Obama started gearing radio and television ads towards the student population in Iowa. He also welcomed student leaders, in addition to the often-preferred fundraisers after his speeches in Iowa.
The fresh-faced voters in Iowa began to feel akin to the fresh-faced presidential candidate really trying to win their loyalty. Kids at Iowa began storming dorms to spread the word about Obama, which is a more personal and effective approach to canvassing.
Facebook and the digital era are also integral parts of this presidential election. These are student-friendly mediums and enable students to spread the word in seconds, start support groups for candidates that gain many voters within days, and make spreading the word fun. YouTube enables voters to access any speech that was televised, including highlights.
Above all, as youths, we only know a failing government which is represented by the way-over-the-hill crowd. We are coming into our own in this reality, but are also trying to establish ourselves as sound voters who can make an informed and effective choice. Youths often make it their mission to separate from their elders, and Obama is not an elder in this election.
Opinion has shown that many students favor Obama because of his lack of experience, which students can relate to in being new voters, and see it as a good attribute. His promises of change reverberate in every appearance he makes in his campaign and he truly embodies change, change from the stodgy faces in Washington to the experienced, yet failing policy makers in Washington.
However, some students do prefer the more “experienced” candidate and think that with age comes wisdom.
Whatever the reasons may be for youth’s supporting any candidate, it is clear that the rise of digital media is playing a large role in getting the under-25 crowd involved.
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