Prediction of the “Young and Restless” in 2012
August 1, 2012
The “young and the restless”—that’s what they call us. Last week I attended an event at the American Enterprise Institute
that sought to predict the role Millennial voters will play in the 2012 election and explored the strategies being used to mobilize our generation.
On the first panel, Demographics and Attitudes, Ruy Teixeira of the Center for American Progress argued that Mitt Romney currently lacks a strategy to target young voters, which could hurt him significantly given the representation of Millennials that comprises nearly a quarter of the electorate. With a focus on tax breaks for the wealthy and a lack of focus on social issues relevant to Millennials, this strategy might not be ideal for securing a young population’s support.
What Teixeira does see is a campaign by Barack Obama that seeks to attract young voters by trying to keep them feeling closely connected. For a generation with a rising "sense of isolation" from government, eliminating the distance between leaders and constituents seems like a smart move. Millennials are thirsting for a leader who will work with constituents to provide genuine, honest, and confident governance and straightforward, realistic solutions. Pursing this kind of a relationship with young voters should be central to each candidate’s platform.
In fact, panelists pointed to our growing lack of faith and distrust in media, economic, and political institutions as reasons why the expected turnout of our vote is so low. While the 2008 election experienced enthusiastic support for President Obama among Millennials, 2012 draws 17 million Americans into the election as first-time voters. These new voters are coming of age during a period of four years marked by economic recession and high unemployment—experiences that will certainly influence their political views.
The state of our economy will of course continue to be a dominant concern as the election draws near, which is why organizations like Generation Opportunity and Rock the Vote are working to increase voter awareness and registration before the ballot box opens. Panelist Heather Smith of Rock the Vote emphasized the importance of social media and mobile technology in young voter outreach.
The event concluded with a prediction that the millennial generation will still largely support President Obama for reelection, but that Millennials will continue to scrutinize both parties’ platforms as politically active and educated individuals.
What Teixeira does see is a campaign by Barack Obama that seeks to attract young voters by trying to keep them feeling closely connected. For a generation with a rising "sense of isolation" from government, eliminating the distance between leaders and constituents seems like a smart move. Millennials are thirsting for a leader who will work with constituents to provide genuine, honest, and confident governance and straightforward, realistic solutions. Pursing this kind of a relationship with young voters should be central to each candidate’s platform.
In fact, panelists pointed to our growing lack of faith and distrust in media, economic, and political institutions as reasons why the expected turnout of our vote is so low. While the 2008 election experienced enthusiastic support for President Obama among Millennials, 2012 draws 17 million Americans into the election as first-time voters. These new voters are coming of age during a period of four years marked by economic recession and high unemployment—experiences that will certainly influence their political views.
The state of our economy will of course continue to be a dominant concern as the election draws near, which is why organizations like Generation Opportunity and Rock the Vote are working to increase voter awareness and registration before the ballot box opens. Panelist Heather Smith of Rock the Vote emphasized the importance of social media and mobile technology in young voter outreach.
The event concluded with a prediction that the millennial generation will still largely support President Obama for reelection, but that Millennials will continue to scrutinize both parties’ platforms as politically active and educated individuals.
About the Author
Opens in a new window