Never before has the call to the polls been louder and more pervasive for young people than during the preparation for this year's election. While public figures like hip-hop superstars and fashion designers are visible in their interest in the political process, there is a less visible force that grows stronger in its voter registration resolve as Election Day draws closer.
Rock the Vote, The Feminist Majority Foundation and the New Voters' Project are coming to the forefront with their mission to get groups that are notoriously poll-shy to make their way to the voting polls.
Sara Otto, a 20-year-old field representative coordinator for Righteous Babe Records, Ani DiFranco's label, is also a representative for Rock the Vote. According to the Rock the Vote Web site, rockthevote.org, Rock the Vote is an MTV sponsored non-profit, non-partisan organization geared towards increasing youth involvement in the political process.
"Rock the Vote focuses on younger people 18 to 25 years of age," said Otto. "We go out and find events, get in touch with the people running these events and try to set up a (voter registration) table with them."
Otto's involvement with Righteous Babe Records and her commitment to getting young people involved in the voting process has come together this September during the "Vote Dammit" tour, headed by Righteous Babe Records and in conjunction with the Feminist Majority Foundation, Progressive Democrats of America and Rock the Vote.
According to Otto, it is at tours and concerts that she comes into contact with individuals with voting potential, many of whom are simply not interested in the process.
"You definitely get a mix," she said. "Some people come over and talk about politics and others are like 'Why? Why should I vote?' some people say, "I've been meaning to register but I haven't gotten around to it."
Those people who cannot see the importance of voting are the ones Jessica Bearden, campus organizer of The Feminist Majority Foundation, is interested in having her way with.
"The reason politicians aren't talking about things that are interesting to young people is because (young people) aren't voting and we're really trying to change that."
The Feminist Majority Foundation was founded in 1986 with the goal of "promoting the equality of women through research and advocacy," according to Bearden.
The foundation's goals have expanded to include a focus on increasing voter registration and actual voting among groups that have been historically absent from the polls on Election Day.
"We're running a campaign that's targeting the registration and mobilization of women and people of color. We're actually setting up ways for them to go out and vote, not just registering them."
Volunteers involved with the New Voters' Project also pride themselves on their active campaigning.
"We have the largest street canvassing field program targeting 18 to 24 year-olds. We go to movie theaters, bars, malls and busy downtown streets," said Adam Alexander, communication coordinator for the New Voters Project.
According to Newvotersproject.org, the organization focuses on campaigning for youth votes. Get-Out-the-Vote campaign targets the 2 million 18 to 24-year-olds in Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico, Nevada and Wisconsin.
Although a focus is placed on these six selected states for this years elections, Alexander, a recent university graduate himself, had a message for all young people eligible to vote.
"Voting is the minimum of what people are expected to do," he said. "Even though young people vote in the lowest numbers, we're also the people that have to live the longest with the consequences of the decisions that politicians make."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
