First-Time Voters to Have ‘Enormous Influence’ (VIDEO)
With more than 20 million first-time voters saying they will go to the polls this year on Election Day, political candidates on the federal, state and local levels can’t afford to ignore this potentially vital voting bloc.
Watch media ecologist Jack Myers, author of Hooked Up: A New Generation’s Surprising Take on Sex, Politics and Saving the World, discuss the vital role these voters will play in this year’s election:
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“Unlike past generations where we thought young people weren’t motivated, weren’t going to vote, this group is going to vote,” Myers said. “In fact, only 10 percent of them, according to our research, say they do not plan on voting. So not only will they be voting this year but they plan on voting in future elections. They’re going to have an enormous influence on politics.”
About 70 percent of those 20 million first-time voters will tend to vote for the more progressive candidates, Myers continued – President Obama on the national scene and progressive candidate in local and state elections, as well.
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“I believe they could mean the difference between winning and losing for both President Obama and for many Democratic candidates,” Myers added.
These voters are also very focused on issues, not just the candidates themselves. Women’s right, diversity, and human rights are among the many issues important to them. ”Because they’ve been on the Internet their whole lives – their whole lives – they’re much more aware of issues,” Myers said. “They’re much more involved. They’re not out on the streets marching, but they’re marching online and they’re focusing online and they’re voicing their opinions online.”
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He added: “I believe that this ‘Hooked Up Generation,’ as I call them, are going to be the single most important group in this election.”
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