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Generational Voters
"Do u think the youth vote will matter this year?"
By Lizbeth Ayala
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Many analysts predict that people under 30 will play an influential role in the 2008 presidential elections. But that doesn’t mean older generations of voters are taking young voters seriously, says Youth Radio’s Lizbeth Ayala. She spent time with young and old voters alike during California’s primary earlier this month.
Lizbeth Ayala
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High school seniors like me are stepping into adulthood in the middle of an election season. As we get ready for graduation, we’re starting to think about our future as individuals. As first time voters, we have to also think about the future of the country.
Wendy Gomez is also a senior at Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights. It was her first time voting on Super Tuesday, and she’s optimistic about the role of young voters this year.
Wendy (on tape)
I think it is important because we are the ones who will be living with the president.
Lizbeth
Do u think the youth vote will matter this year?
Wendy (on tape)
I think it does definitely- more teens going out- especially college kids. I’ve been seeing on the news that theyre really into this election.
Lizbeth
But it seems like older people aren’t really grasping how first time voters like me are motivated to learn about politics.
In past elections, young voters haven’t showed up in a big way to the polls. I guess that’s why people like Rosario Inigez, age 29, believe that young people are still uninformed and apathetic.
Rosario (on tape)
I think the youth they don’t take it too serious they don’t really think about the future or problems, they just think about the present.
Lizbeth
Even my mom doesn’t totally understand me. She wants young people to vote, but she thinks I’m taking the elections too seriously.
Mom (on tape)
I think its very important for them to come and vote, because they’re more younger. Most of the time it’s the old people coming and voting.
Lizbeth
Like I told you everything that happens now is gonna affect me later
Mom (on tape)
I don’t think its gonna affect you nothing. Its gonna be better.
Lizbeth
If people make bad decisions its gonna affect me.
Mom (on tape)
No no no no I think that gonna be okay.
Lizbeth
What I’m worried about is where my tax payer money is going once I join the work force– for the war? For public schools? Or social security?
I do have a stake in who is elected president in November, and other people my age are realizing the same.
Like Rocio, who’s excited about the promise of a large youth turnout during these elections.
Rocio (on tape)
I think its really good because it’s showing that youth is thinking more about the future now and its affecting them so they’re actually realizing that.
Lizbeth
It seems like adults want young people to vote, but don’t take us seriously as a voting population.
As we transition out of high school, I see my classmates educating themselves more.
Living on our own is about knowing what’s going on around us. And to make the changes we want to see, we need to be informed. Hopefully the 2008 presidential elections will prove that young people are ready to participate in making a change.
This story is a part of “Waking In L.A.”, a production of Youth Radio’s Los Angeles Bureau. To continue the tour of L.A., look for our radio stories and blogs at www.youthradio.org.
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