How did we ever let voter apathy among young people get so bad? The current situation can best be explained as a case of “Which came first: the chicken or the egg?” Many young eligible voters don’t exercise that right because they believe politicians don’t care what young people think, and many politicians don’t bother to reach out to the younger electorate during campaigns because of the low turnout of young voters. Only 47 percent of registered voters between the ages of 18 and 24 actually went to the polls in the 2004 presidential campaign. A pitiful showing from young people when compared to 64 percent of the entire registered electorate. As a result, the will of young voters has mostly been ignored in the political world and politically active youth groups are given little attention by the “big boys.”
University students need to get involved in the political world around them. Since most politicians currently don’t consider young voters to be of much importance, students must take the initiative and invest in their own future. Everyone should educate themselves on the issues and pay attention to the local, state and national campaigns. Until young voters get involved, most politicians will continue to treat young voters and political youth groups as if their opinions are insignificant.
On April 18, gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Walter Boasso was scheduled to speak before the LSU College Republicans, but he cancelled at the last minute because of more pressing business. According to thedeadpelican.com, rumors abounded at the time about Boasso possibly leaving the Republican Party. It was never clearly explained why Boasso had to cancel, but I suspect he didn’t feel a student organization warranted much of an explanation. Within about a week, Boasso had officially switched political parties and is now the front-running Democrat in the governor’s race.
Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, another gubernatorial candidate, was scheduled to speak to the LSU College Democrats on Sept. 13. Again, at the last minute the politician cancelled, citing more important business. An e-mail from the College Democrats’ president to all their members stated, “The weather is a large factor as is the recent endorsement of all organized labor in the state for him. He is a busy man with a hard race in front of him.” Campbell has, however, expressed an interest in re-scheduling another appearance with the College Democrats, but this has yet to occur. If Campbell is too busy to waste time recruiting volunteers from a crowd of young, enthusiastic College Democrats, then he certainly does have a hard race in front of him.
These are prime examples of how politicians don’t consider young people to be worth their time. Many politicians cite the fact that young people are statistically less likely to vote than the rest of the electorate as a sufficient excuse to treat youth groups in this shoddy manner. They apparently think appointments made with young supporters are simple place-holders in their schedule that can be cancelled on a whim at any time in favor of people with money. This is a practice which must change in Louisiana politics – and all politics for that matter.
Fortunately, there are a few candidates who have taken the time out of their busy schedules to come talk to students at the University. The College Republicans hosted a rally in the Student Union for gubernatorial frontrunner Bobby Jindal this past week. Unlike his main competition, Jindal didn’t think our state’s flagship university was unworthy of his time and was indeed present at the event as planned. He was not detained elsewhere by party switching, special interests or the weather.
In a local race, David Brown has been giving considerable time and effort reaching out to the University community in his quest to join the State House of Representatives. He’s running in District 67, which mostly follows between the Mississippi River and Highland Road from downtown Baton Rouge down to Ben Hur Road. In addition to his Web site, blog and MySpace.com page, he can often be seen walking around campus talking with students. I have personally seen him around Free Speech Alley at least a few times a week in one of his brown campaign shirts.
The efforts of Bobby Jindal, David Brown and a handful of other candidates are to be highly commended. Clearly a change is needed in the way business is conducted in Louisiana politics, and the best way to achieve that is by incorporating the energy of young people in the political process. Whether youth stopped caring first or politicians stopped listening first doesn’t really matter anymore. It is time for change, and on Oct. 20 I urge every student to find time to “geaux vote” – before or after LSU beats Auburn.
—-Contact Michael Schouest at [email protected]