Youth Vote Train Wreck?

The National Journal is running an important article on new, restrictive voting laws and the effect such laws might have on the youth vote. If anything is going to slow down the amazing spike we're seeing in participation, it's going to be laws like these that either outright disenfranchise new voters, or at the very least erect substantial barriers to participation. Honestly I'm a little worried that 2008 might make Ohio 2004 and Florida 2000 look like the poster-children for universal suffrage.

At a time when young Americans are registering to vote in record numbers, a variety of fresh obstacles threaten their participation. This could create massive Election Day headaches for youth and adult voters alike.

"We're looking at a fairly serious train wreck," says Gary Kalman, who heads the federal legislative office for the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).

The problem: A slew of restrictive new election laws take direct aim at the very voters -- the "Millennial" crowd aged 30 and under -- who have helped swell the rolls and crowd primaries in recent months. These include state laws that impose tough new restrictions on voter registration, disqualify voters because of minor database errors and require a photo ID, such as a driver's license, at the polls.

[...]

By some estimates, the younger-than-30 generation now numbers 50 million, a quarter of the voting-age population. Their recent rush to register and turn out is a positive signal that Americans haven't given up on their problem-plagued voting system just yet. There's a risk that these young voters' first attempt to cast ballots could turn into a nightmare -- both for them and for those standing in line behind them.

"From the registration to the polling places to the actual ID, students face enormous hurdles," said Kalman, of U.S. PIRG. "And it's something we're going to have to get over if we want the next generation to be active in politics."