Young voters' excitement trending downward

AUSTIN — Texas State University freshman Victoria Ogden returned to her high school gymnasium last week for a “once in a lifetime experience,” she said — to attend her first political rally.

Ogden, a South San Antonio High School graduate, helped pack the basketball arena to hear former President Bill Clinton, Mayor Julián Castro and other big-name Democrats rally supporters.

The headliners drew thousands to the standing-room-only event that Ogden, 18, learned about on Facebook.

“My sister's first chance to vote was in 2008 and it was really cool to see how excited she was to vote for (President Barack Obama). It kind of made me jealous,” Ogden said. “Now that I can vote I'm pretty excited, but I've noticed a lot of my friends really aren't.”

According to a national poll from Harvard's Institute of Politics, young people's excitement for voting has cooled from 69 percent in 2008 to 47 percent this year. There was also a 15 percent drop in young voters who said they would “definitely vote” this year compared with 2008.

The institute, housed at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, has conducted the national survey biannually for 22 years. The most recent survey, Sept. 19-Oct. 3, polled 2,123 people ages 18 to 29.

Daniel Noland, a junior studying kinesiology at the University of Houston, said he voted in 2008 shortly after turning 18 but does not plan to vote this time because he is registered in his hometown, three hours north of Houston.

“I don't really feel like it's worth the effort,” Noland said. “I support Obama, so my vote would just be cancelled out in Texas with all the Republican voters.”

Ogden, who is registered to vote in Bexar County is one of a new generation of first-time voters being cultivated through connecting chapters at universities and high schools and mobilization with social media and high-profile rallies like the one at South San.

Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak said the GOP has embraced social media such as Twitter and Facebook as a tool to empower and recruit young Republicans.

“It's about utilizing the social networks that people already have,” Mackowiak said. There is no segment of voters with whom social media is more impactful than young voters.”

Chris Elam, spokesman for the Republican Party of Texas, said he has seen a “surge” in young Republican volunteers this campaign season.

Connor Pfeiffer, a junior at Alamo Heights High School, founded High School Republicans of Texas in 2011 and has expanded it to a statewide network of 16 high schools, including four in Houston.

“Getting people involved in the party at a young age is a great way to build the party for the future,” Pfeiffer, 16, said. “I can't vote yet but every call I make has the potential to influence multiple votes.”

In the Harvard poll, Romney saw a 7 percent boost from Sen. John McCain's numbers among young voters in 2008. Mackowiak blamed Obama's record as president and the unemployment rate for college graduates for lowered support among voters under 30. “He really overpromised and underdelivered,” Mackowiak said.

Anna Fata, a senior at the University of Texas at Austin, said she plans to vote for Romney because his economic policies are more promising. She's worried about finding work in her field after graduation.

“I think the majority of young people affiliated with the Republican Party come for economic reasons rather than the social issues,” the journalism student said.

Regina Lawrence, director of the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life at UT, said young people are still engaged and plan to vote in the election, but the poll illustrates a slipping trend.

She pointed to “Hook the Vote,” an event put on by a coalition of student organizations at UT on Oct. 9, the deadline for Texas voters to register. More than 4,000 signed up in one day.

The dynamic role of young Texas Democrats is evolving in a state where the last Democratic presidential nominee to win the vote was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Texas Democrats have shifted their focus to state and congressional races and are attempting to build a foundation of voters for future elections.

Ogden said she is paying close attention to the District 23 congressional race after Clinton and Castro hyped the race and backed state Rep. Pete Gallego.

Gallego faces incumbent Republican Francisco “Quico” Canseco.

Bill Brannon, executive director of the Democratic Party of Texas, said enthusiasm among the 18-29 set “isn't quite as high in 2008” but the party is remedying the drop with outreach programs.

Young voters care about the same issues, but they see them from a different perspective, he said.