Getting Involved in Election 2004

For the past year, both the Republican and Democratic parties have been mobilizing their candidates for the upcoming 2004 Presidential elections. As the elections become increasingly closer, more and more Americans will go to their respective voting booths to elect the next leader who will serve four years as commander in chief of this country.

I find this to be an exciting prospect since this will be the first presidential election that I will be participating in. My level of participation, however, will not only consist of espousing my own rhetoric regarding who I believe possesses the best qualities to serve as President, and who's objectives for this nation parallel those of my own. For the upcoming Election 2004, I will participate on a higher level, and that is having the opportunity to vote for one of the presidential candidates.

Since President Bush invaded Iraq and commenced the "War on Terrorism", my feelings towards him and my confidence in his administration have somehow diminished. Though I am not affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties, I disagree with George Bush's cavalier and cowboy tactics in Iraq. With the past four years in mind, this has all been a deciding factor in who I will be voting for in November.

Voting in the upcoming Presidential Election is not a task that I will be taking lightly. A sense of responsibility is attached to my right to vote. I believe that my vote will indeed have an impact on who is elected, so I find it necessary to update myself on the candidates and their progress each day.

Howard Dean is a serious contender to win the Democratic Party presidential nomination. He was the first candidate to openly criticize the Bush administration for its military invasion of a sovereign country. The rationale of this attack was to minimize an alleged threat to this country posed by Iraq for its supposed stockpile of weapons of mass destruction; weapons that the Allied forces are still in search of. Dean was the first to stand up and question Bush's tactics and objectives in Iraq, denoting great courage on his part. Though Dean could easily be the candidate I vote for, I face a dilemma. I can either go with a candidate who embodies my personal beliefs and in whom I see courage of leadership, namely Howard Dean. I can also opt for another candidate, namely John Kerry, who according to most recent polls has a far better chance not only of winning the Democratic ticket, but also of beating the incumbent, President Bush.

I am glad that I do indeed have the opportunity to vote, but unfortunately, a small percentage of the American youth mirrors my sentiments on voting in the Presidential elections. Many Americans do not involve themselves in the domestic politics of their country, and do not wholly take an interest in the Presidential elections. For Election 2000, one-third of 16 to 21 year olds surveyed could not name the Republican or Democratic Presidential candidates, and more than 75 percent could not name the vice presidential candidate. The American Express Young Voter Poll found only 45 percent of Americans eligible to vote have registered.

Though it is refreshing to hear viewpoints and opinions regarding the President, the current war on terrorism or the administration's policies itself, it is a shame that it is seldom when voters our age are indeed participating in the election process. Americans of our generation throughout the nation should use their right to vote, a right that does not readily exist for other people globally.

Ever since the lack of voting in this nation was identified, many different groups have emerged that encourage young voters to have their voices heard and vote for the candidates they favor. One channel in which this is being done is through the Youth Vote Coalition, "a national nonpartisan coalition of diverse organizations established to increase participation, build a responsive government, and promote awareness." (youthvotecoalition.org). Youth Vote, located in the nation's capital, is the nation's largest non-partisan coalition working to increase the political involvement of 50 million Americans who are between the ages of 18 and 30. Their main objective is to increase public awareness about the importance of participation in democracy through the electoral process.

Another organization that has emerged as a venue through which it attracts young voters is the "New Voters Project". The New Voters Project is a grassroots campaign urging young voters to partake in the electoral process. This campaign, coupled with the Get Out to Vote drive, is hoping to increase voter turnout in many states, expecting at least six states to increase their voting percentages among the youth. These two groups, along with MTV's "Rock the Vote" campaign, are all making strides towards having more of the American youth involved in the elections.

Though these mobilizing efforts to increase youth involvement in our government is an optimistic sign for the future, currently only 50.7 percent of young people are registered to vote. There are many reasons why young people are not voting, including their feelings that their vote makes no difference, they are not registered, or that they do not have enough information or time. These reasons, linked with the fact that young people are not the focus of the presidential candidates, and are not contacted or encouraged heavily enough to promote voting, are the reasons why youth registration to vote is at a standstill. The American youth, however, should make an effort to make itself aware of the upcoming elections and register to vote.

Asking a young person (aged 18-25) to vote raises the likelihood he or she will vote by 8-12 percentage points. With this last statistic in mind, fellow Tufts students, I urge you all to expose and educate yourself and others regarding the 2004 Presidential elections, and practice your right as an American in deciding who will be your next leader.

Taleen Babayan is a freshman who has not yet declared a major.