Young Campaign Workers Move Beyond the Youth Vote

PALO ALTO, Calif. – Molly Stone hurried into the front room of the Barack Obama for President headquarters on a late Wednesday afternoon, just days before the important Pennsylvania primary at the end of April.
Like many of those present, Stone was getting ready to call voters and gather information on who would be voting for Obama in the fast approaching primary election. But at 17, she was at least 10 years younger than most of the other volunteers.
“If they’re a strong Obama supporter, we call them the day before the election and make sure they’re going to make it out to vote,” said Stone, her petite figure wrapped in a white t-shirt with bold blue lettering that reads: Property of Students for Barack Obama.



Research shows that the youth vote has dramatically surged this election year, with some 3 million voters under the age of 30 casting their ballots on Super Tuesday – according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE). Seven out of eight states that held primaries saw increases in youth turnout, with some even tripling or quadrupling previous numbers.

But the mass movement of youth is doing more than just checking off a box behind the curtain at the voting booth. Dedicated campaign workers like Stone are putting in serious hours organizing for both Obama and Clinton and proving that the millennial stake in this election goes beyond just befriending the candidates on MySpace.

According to Scott Weiner, chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, the vast number of young people interested in this year’s election comes from the impression that was left on them by the current administration.
“[Young voters] went through a certain kind of moral bankruptcy from the Bush administration,” said Weiner.
With events like the unpopular War in Iraq and the uncertain economy, young people took stock of the state of their country and made the conscious decision to take action.

“It just got worse over time,” said Weiner. “People see it [happening] and become more motivated.”
Stone came into political awareness during the Bush years, and Al Gore was the first presidential candidate that she idealized.

“I started getting interested in politics in the 2000 election,” Stone said. “I remember I was the only 5th grader who cared about it. I actually liked [Gore] and it wasn’t just because of what my parents were telling me.”
But her interest in politics didn’t stop there. By high school, government became Stone’s favorite subject, and when a friend of hers mentioned the Obama campaign was looking for volunteers in California – she immediately signed up.

“I remember his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention like most people do,” said Stone. “I remember feeling like this guy was really cool.”
In Stone’s case, her hopes for a president are vastly different from those of people concerned about the War in Iraq or the economy.

“I’ve got a lot of problems with my health. Health care is a big issue for me and I’m really passionate about [Obama’s] health care plan,” said Stone. “I have a number of chronic diseases that put me in the hospital a couple times a year.”
With the current state of health care, Stone’s health coverage has been erratic and she's had several surgeries postponed.

“There is some random guy who doesn’t even know me who is saying, ‘No, you can’t have this surgery tomorrow,’ ” continued Stone. “We wouldn’t be able to afford [the surgeries] if [the insurance company] didn’t cover it.”

If there is not a universal health care program implemented by the time Stone graduates from college, her parents’ insurance company will no longer be able to cover her.

But not all young people are organizing for Obama.

“In California and Massachusetts, the youth vote went to Hillary,” said Amanda Coffee, a senior at Univ. of California, Berkeley and a Hillary Clinton campaign supporter. “I think that a lot of the young people I’ve spoken to have just seen [Clinton] throughout their adolescence and just know she has a lot more to offer.”
When Coffee speaks to other young people about why she’s voting for Clinton, she realizes how personal the decision can be for young, first time voters. “I tell [young people] why Hillary is my leader. I just know when she gets [into the White House] she knows what she’s doing. She’s going to jumpstart the Democratic presidency.”

Especially in the age of online organizing, young web-savvy organizers can put in their time on Facebook, instead of walking door to door. Molly Kawahata, 17, did most of her work as the California High School Director of the Students for Barack

Obama group online - from the comfort of her bedroom, which is plastered with pictures of the man she hopes will become president in November.

Since the California primary, Kawahata has begun working virtually for the national team in order to help other states create similar programs like the one she led in California. Recently, Kawahata was elected to represent her district as a delegate for the National Democratic Convention in August.

“The main reason I support [Obama] is because of the political diversity behind the campaign,” said Kawahata.

For Kawahata, being a senior applying to colleges and running a national campaign was a tough balancing act. “It’s definitely really difficult to balance this campaign with school and with everything else going on. The campaign did become my first priority, mainly because I believe in this so deeply,” Kawahata said with a smile. “I remember over winter break starting my college applications on December 21st, when they were all due December 31st or January 1st. That was a huge challenge.”
While all three organizers think that they have convinced a lot of people to cast a vote, they recognize that -- even with the surge of youth voting –- not everyone is as dedicated as them. Stone says she is the only one out of her circle of friends that has really been interested in politics.

“Most of my friends don’t care, they aren’t really into politics. Most of them aren’t going to be able to vote in November,” said Stone. “They’re just like, ‘Okay, you support Obama. Whatever. I’m not going to question it.’”