Published: October 20, 2007 10:37 pm         

Experts say college-age crowd could factor heavily in next year’s election

TERRE HAUTE — College student Tasha Hurtt believes the United States needs new leadership and a change in direction.

That is why she is throwing much of her time to support Barack Obama, a Democratic Party contender for the 2008 presidential election. Within the next few weeks, Hurtt hopes to go to Iowa to campaign for him.

The 23-year-old from Terre Haute is the Indiana deputy field coordinator for Ivy Tech Students for Barack Obama and she attends the Wabash Valley Ivy Tech. There is a Wabash Valley chapter, although it is not registered as a student organization.

“I want to see that our country gets the change that it needs,” Hurtt said. “We need health care for everyone, not just those who can afford it. We need for our troops to come home [from Iraq] as soon as possible.”

She’s also concerned about the skyrocketing costs of attending college.

Hurtt, a graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School, believes Obama has proposals to address these concerns and get the country back in the right direction.

She’s working to recruit other college students and start other chapters.

Those issues and candidates such as Obama may spark greater participation in next year’s national election by the college-age crowd, experts say.

More young people going to the polls

In 2004, more college-age students did vote, according to The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE).

Between 2000 and 2004, voter turnout in the national election increased 11 percentage points for those ages 18-24. It rose to 47 percent from 36 percent. The overall voter turnout rate grew by four points, to 64 from 60 percent.

“The increase in turnout by the youngest voters, age 18-24, was higher than any other age group, making it a significant and disproportionate factor in the overall jump in the number of Americans going to the polls [in fall 2004],” according to CIRCLE.

The information is based on Census Bureau data released in 2005.

Voting among college-age students “increased significantly,” said Darlene Hantzis, Indiana State University professor of communication and coordinator of the American Democracy Project, a national effort which seeks to motivate college students to get involved in the political process.

Next year’s presidential election should draw even more of that age group out to vote, she said, with such issues as the war in Iraq, health-care costs and college affordability on the table.

“If we don’t see another significant increase in this age group, we haven’t done nearly enough work,” Hantzis said.

Peter Levine, CIRCLE director, said there are probably two explanations why the college-age voter turnout increased so dramatically in 2004.

“Young people are much more attentive to the news now and public affairs and current events, probably because of 9/11 and subsequent high-profile events like the war in Iraq,” he said.

Compared to the prior two decades, this generation is paying more attention, he said. “That’s important because you can’t vote unless you’re paying attention. You don’t know who to vote for, and if you don’t know, you won’t vote.”

Also, contrary to years past, parties and candidates are encouraging young people to vote, Levine said.

In the 1980s and 1990s, candidates believed young people were not voting and decided not to campaign to them, he said. To do so was a waste of money, they believed.

That began to change in the 2000 elections, “particularly because the elections were really close and candidates needed every vote,” he said.

Also, research showed that “young people would vote if you asked them to,” he said.

Levine anticipates strong turnout next year. “I think this generation remains pretty engaged and parties are still competing for the youth vote,” he said. “But we can’t tell until it happens.”

He also noted that the number of Americans ages 18-24 has grown, which has an impact; the 18-24 group is a bigger part of the overall population. “There are a lot of votes to be had there,” Levine said.

Youth voter turnout increased in 2006 as well for the 18-29 age group, according to a CIRCLE fact sheet released this past June.

It gives three reasons:

n A large number of voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts directed toward young people;

n Changes at the state level in recent years in voter registration process and election day procedures in ways that benefit young people. Some states allow voters to register to vote on election day, which helps draw more young people to vote.

n In 2006, as in 2004, there were many contested elections, which tends to draw more voters to the polls.

Campus groups encourage political involvement

At ISU, Lela McCoy, president of the ISU Democrats student organization, said she’s always been interested in government and politics and believes everyone should be.

Students are affected by governmental decisions, whether it relates to tax dollars or traffic laws.

“It’s important to stay informed and involved so your voice can be heard and you can help make this country the best it can be for yourself and others,” McCoy said.

She believes many college students will vote in next year’s presidential elections, but they are “really apathetic” about local elections and local politics.

“I think because there is so much going on in college, they can’t or don’t want to make the time. They don’t see how much it does affect them,” said McCoy, a senior from Hutsonville, Ill.

Students may be inspired by parents or teachers to get involved in the political process.

But for Dan Kiehl, watching the former television series West Wing is what triggered his strong interest in politics.

He is involved in ISU’s Democrats, which he co-founded. He also volunteers at the Terre Haute office of Congressman Brad Ellsworth.

“I wanted to get involved and this is a way to get my foot in the door,” he said.

He believes the college-age vote will be greater next year.

“I believe more college students will vote in this election than any before because everybody is tired of this current administration,” he said. “I believe many college students, especially with the candidacy of Barack Obama, are more apt to go out and vote next year.”

Ryan Grossman, ISU junior and chairman of ISU Republicans, said there are about 15 people actively involved and 30 to 40 who are on a mailing list.

The group supports Republican candidates, including Terre Haute mayoral candidate Duke Bennett and Greg Goode in his bid for Congress.

Asked about political involvement of ISU students, Grossman said, “They are overall pathetic at being politically active unless they are motivated by their political science professors.”

Students will come to political events if faculty require it or offer extra credit, but otherwise, “We won’t see any kind of student turnout at all,” Grossman said.

He noted that college is a time of transition for students who are moving from home, taking more responsibility, working at jobs and keeping up with their classes.

“Voting is one of the last things on their minds,” Grossman said. “I don’t know if there is much you can do about it other than advocate that everyone needs to vote.”

If ISU students did vote in large numbers, they could have an influence on local elections, he said.

ISU freshman Bralyn Beathea of Elkhart said he is not registered to vote. While he watches the news, he said he doesn’t see how current events affect him personally. “What’s one vote going to change anything? That’s the way I feel,” he said.

Freshman Sarah Adams, a Terre Haute North Vigo High School graduate, is not yet registered to vote but plans to do so for next year’s national elections.

Voting is important to her, she said, but at the same time, she is busy and has to make the time to register and vote. She had several hours of back-to-back events and meetings on the day she spoke with the Tribune-Star.

In addition to college classes, she has joined a sorority, works two jobs and is involved in several activities at ISU.

“I think the biggest thing with college students is that everyone is so busy,” Adams said. “We don’t have a job that’s 9 to 5 and go home and have extra time.”

Fitzgerald, an ISU freshman from Terre Haute, is registered to vote and plans to vote in upcoming elections.

“Voting is one of our responsibilities,” she said. “If we don’t voice our opinions and vote, then who’s to say who gets elected?”

For the past few years, the Princeton Review’s annual college rankings has listed students at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology as being among the least politically active in the country.

The Rose students ranked third-least active in 2005, but this year jumped to No. 6 for having the least politically active students.

Sean Feeney, a Rose-Hulman junior who formed the College Democrats student group on campus, said that Rose students “are politically motivated, but exceptionally busy.”

Students have several hours of homework each night, and that’s after a full day of classes and labs.

Some students, including Feeney, also have to earn some money through a job. “We do get Comedy Central in the dorm rooms, so most people are caught up on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. We get a turnout of about 30 people at College Democrats special events, and nearly 100 at the College Democrats vs. College Republicans debate last year,” he said.

“Rose-Hulman students are very interested in national politics, and in some cases their hometown politics, but not at all interested in Indiana or Terre Haute politics” unless they are from Terre Haute or the Hoosier state.

He used to be president of the College Democrats and plans to seek the office again “so that I can be in charge of the 2008 election season,” he said.

This quarter, several students are studying the 2008 presidential campaign as part of the Department of Humanities’ Values and Contemporary Issues Presidential Election Campaign course, taught by Anneliese Watt, associate professor of English.

Students have watched several of the presidential debates and examined campaign Web sites and promotional materials; studied the rhetoric from candidates’ campaigns; and examined how the news media covers political campaigns. This is a course that is only offered during the presidential campaign season.

The Rose-Hulman College Democrats and College Republicans have hosted information sessions and encouraged voter registration among Rose-Hulman students.

Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.