We’re young, we vote, we will be heard

By Chrissy Elles
Napa

In Napa and beyond, a movement is growing; the youth vote machine is starting to awake. 2008 is the year of the young voter, and my generation is taking action.

We are upset about the rising costs of higher education. We are upset about our degrading environment, our warming planet and our unnecessary dependence on foreign oil. We are upset about the war in Iraq; our brothers, sisters, friends and peers are overseas and serving multiple tours in the war-ravaged area.

We are upset that it will be our generation who will have to foot the bill for the war in Iraq for years to come. We are upset that it will be our generation who will suffer the consequences of global warming since current politicians have yet to take significant action to curb our greenhouse gas emissions. We are upset that as the government takes money out of our precious paychecks for Social Security, we are unlikely to reap any social security funds for ourselves by the time we reach age 65.

We are upset, and we are doing something about it; we are voting.

Across the nation, from Iowa to New Hampshire to South Carolina, young people have come out in droves on Election Day, resulting in record voter turnout for a primary election. With Super Tuesday, the youth vote will continue to make an impact.

I was in Iowa for the caucus on Jan. 2. I personally witnessed the droves of young people that came out to caucus on that night. Students in the middle of their winter break made it a point to participate in their caucus. According to CNN, 22 percent of Democratic caucus-goers were between the ages of 17 and 29, equal to the number of caucus-goers over the age of 65! In South Carolina, the youth voter turnout tripled. And in New Hampshire, 43 percent of eligible voters under the age of 30 found their way to the polls on Jan. 8.

As the president of the Campus Democrats at the University of California, Santa Barbara, I can tell you that on this campus and beyond, young people are engaged, active and will be voting today, June 3 and Nov. 3. As a resident of Napa, in order to protect our future, I urge young people in Napa County to get out and vote today.

My generation is not as apathetic as you may deem us. This is our year. We are young, we will vote, and our voices will be heard.

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