Announcing VoteAgain2010.com

The dynamic destination for young people to come together and have their say in the midterm elections

This fall, more than 30 youth organizations are teaming up to build on the momentum of the past three election cycles by giving young people the power to vote again in 2010. Comprised of organizations like Rock the Vote, Campus Progress, HeadCount, and the League of Young Voters, the Vote Again team knows that the Millennial generation – the largest in American history – is constantly seeking outlets to build community and share creativity.

That is why this unprecedented youth coalition has created VoteAgain2010.com – a place where young people can interact with peers, stay informed, and connect with youth vote activities and campaigns from across the youth sector. Aggregating the most advanced digital civic engagement tools available, the site will engage youth and organizations alike to connect with each other and ensure that young people have a say in their country’s future this fall. VoteAgain2010.com provides young people the tools they need to:

Express themselves:

The Vote Again Video Contest provides young people the opportunity to share with their peers why they are voting again in 2010. With support from YouTube celebrities like Jason Pollock, Brittani Taylor, and Tay Zonday (of Chocolate Rain fame), the video contest will serve as a dynamic forum for the Millennial generation. The winner, of course, will be decided with the help of a democratic process. Users can express which message resonates most with them by voting for their favorite video. A panel of film-savvy and civically engaged judges will then select the $5,000 grand prizewinner.

Stay informed:

VoteAgain2010.com combines the resources and expertise of youth organizations that know the issues facing young people today. These partner organizations will share the best information, the best digital tools, and the best ways to get involved on the ground all in one place at http://www.voteagain2010.com.

Register to vote:

Using partner Rock the Vote’s online voter registration tool, young people can register to vote without leaving the site. The process only takes five minutes but will mark a milestone in the civic life of each new voter.

Take a stance:

The Visible Vote tool allows anyone to cast a virtual ballot on the same measures as their representatives. The application will also notify representatives on how Visible Vote users voted, directly connecting those in office to their constituents.

Take action:

With Rock the Vote’s Action Platform tool, young people can create their own events, such as voter registration drives or get out the vote canvasses, and invite friends to join them. They can also use the tool to search for events near them and team up with other volunteers to make a difference.

Demand answers:

A digital tool from The Personal Democracy Forum called 10 Questions makes it easy for young people to demand answers from candidates up for election. Users simply upload a video question for candidates for Governor, Senate and The House of Representatives who have already agreed in advance to answer the ten questions that receive the most votes. Users are given an opportunity to submit, and vote for, the 10 questions they’d like to see each candidate answer.

Young voters by the Numbers

Young voter turnout is on the rise – and not just in presidential elections. Since 1998, the youth vote turnout for midterm elections has been steadily increasing, and VoteAgain2010.com will help make sure this trend continues. In fact, a number of statistics show the Millennial generation is ready to make a serious impact this fall. Consider this:

The Millennial generation is as large as it is diverse:

- The Millennials really are the biggest generation in American history. They outnumber living Baby Boomers by 17 million and those of Generation X by 27 million (21st Century America Project, March 2010 Summary, The New Democratic Network).

- By 2012, Millennials will represent 24 percent of the voting age population, and 36 percent by 2020 (21st Century America Project, March 2010 Summary, The New Democratic Network).

- Racial and ethnic minorities make up 39% of the Millennial generation (Millennials: Portait of Generation Next, The Pew Research Center).

and young voter turnout is increasing:

- Youth voter turnout increased nine percentage points from the 2000 presidential election to the 2004 presidential election (Youth Voter Turnout Increases in 2006, The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement).

- Between 2002 and 2006, young people had the highest percentage turnout increase of any voting age cohort (Youth Voter Turnout Increases in 2006, The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement).

- Twenty-two million young people voted in the 2008 presidential election, two million more than in the 2004 (The Youth Vote in 2008, The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement).

Young Voter Issues

Jobs:

Like most Americans, jobs and the economy are the number one issue for young people today. According to the Department of Labor, the unemployment rate for those younger than 25 averaged 18.3 percent for June, July, and August. The unemployment rate for all Americans continues to hover between nine and ten percent.

While the Obama administration recently introduced a new economic plan to create more jobs through a focus on infrastructure and proposed to permanently extend the tax credit for research and development. Every vote will count in determining the future of these and/or other proposals to boost the economy.

Higher Education:

Young people need continued support to ease the burden of student loans and considering other ways to lower the cost of education. There has been some progress on this front: a recently passed law ended federal subsidies to private lenders, which should help to curb the influence of those who leave students with huge debt. However, there is still more work to be done.

Partner organization United States Student Association (USSA) supports expanding the authority of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help further protect young people against dangerous lending practices. The USSA has also advocated that students be made aware of any federal loans for which they are eligible before taking out private loans. Such federal loans are often offered at a lower cost than private loans and could serious help students with college affordability.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, and Transsexual/Transgender:

According to a Pew Research Center study, this generation of Americans is more tolerant than previous generations. As they await the outcome of the battle over California’s ban on same sex marriage, their votes could influence the passing of legislation that significantly affects the LGBQT community.

There are also bills pending to end employment discrimination against the LGBQT community and to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which allows states to refuse recognition of civil marriages of LGBQT couples, and prevents same-sex couples from access to federal benefits accorded to different-sex married couples.

Immigration:

Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070 was signed into law this past April, but has since been limited by injunctions pending legal challenges from the United States Department of Justice and others. Partner organizations such as Voto Latino have been strong opponents of the law, which, among other provisions, requires officers to check a person’s immigration status while enforcing other laws if they have “reasonable suspicion” to do so.

Lawmakers in other states have expressed their support for SB 1070. While Arizona’s law is currently in the hands of courts, the midterm election will undoubtedly play a significant role in determining the future of similar laws outside Arizona.

Health Care:

The Affordable Healthcare for America Act allows young people to stay on their parents’ insurance policies until they are 26 years old. However, this and other reforms created by the act could be subject to change depending on the outcome of this fall’s election. By voting again in 2010, young people can have a real impact on the future of healthcare in America.