Big Tent with No One In It: How the Democratic Party Ignores Young People

In November of 2004 there was one age group that voted for John Kerry. Only one. One group decided that George Bush was an unequivocal moron and should not return to the White House. Only one. What we now have learned is that it is not only the standard to believe the President is a complete moron – it’s actually quite fashionable.

What is surprising is that this same age group is the one age group that is most often ignored by the Democratic Party, Democratic Candidates, and most political organizations.

That’s right – it’s us. It’s the 18-30 year olds.

This fact was a gift to the Democratic Party and to candidates who were barely elected in 2006. A beautifully wrapped package arrived in the form of demographics and numbers that increased by 12% on that fine November day – and since then the party has done nothing but outright ignore it much less unwrap the package to examine what is inside.

What they would find, if the party had the good sense to want more for less, is the most ethnically diverse group in this country’s history with 40% of them being non-white. Comparably, the Baby Boomers are about just under 80% white. And largely because they ARE more diverse they are more sensitive to social and political issues – as such they trend much more progressively – supporting things like marriage rights for all people and immigration. They are 65% more likely to identify with the Democratic Party – than with the Republican Party.

But – of course – young people don’t vote! We’ve heard this before. I don’t know what backwards ignorant pollster said this but it was clearly proven to be incorrect in 2004 where a group that makes up 25% of the electorate came out in record numbers.

This seems like it would outline a very simple strategy. Once one targets Democratic leaning voters the goal is to get them out to vote. So why doesn’t the Democratic Party have a strategy, a program, or anything in place to do this? They still leave it up to bi-partisan non-profit organizations to register young voters and get them out to vote. While this might be a more comfortable strategy for high school students – college age kids are more likely to participate in activities that actively recruit them.

The bi-annual study of young people done by The Harvard Institute of Politics shows that 47% of the 18-30 age group would volunteer for a political campaign if a friend asked them. Only 17% say that they have ever done something like that before.

The only reason must be that Democrats simply don’t know what to do – how to talk to young people – how to connect with them – and further how to get them engaged at a deeper level. This is no surprise, because the Democratic Party doesn’t actually know how to talk to ANYONE that is outside the normal white male 40-60 demographic. They don’t know how to talk to the new Security Moms, how to communicate with NASCAR Dads, how to engage and deliver a message to the faith based community. What in all hell makes us think that the Democratic Party has any idea how to communicate to young people when they can’t seem to articulate a message to anyone else?

There are many people who know how to do it. There are massive consulting firms and marketing groups who claim to have the inside track on what Young people are up to, what interests them, and how to turn that into support or purchase of their product (whether its perfume or politicians).

A few weeks ago the New York Times did a spread on the marketing campaign for the new Calvin Kline fragrance IN2U. The famous style guru of the 1990’s that ran controversial ad campaigns that went beyond suggesting that how you smell will get you some booty, has seen a decline in sales to that same 18-30 demographic that made them so successful. So, they latched onto a huge market of what they call the Millennial Generation. The Techno-crats of today, tomorrow, and forever. Using chat language to label the brand - in a bottle that mimics an iPod - and plays on their cool yet allusive desires.

The generation that was raised on computers, television, video games, and buying happiness with Nintendo, Saga, IBM, and eventually AOL. Years later the Millennials are on the cutting edge of technology. A clear majority participates in some form of social networking – whether its Myspace, Facebook, LiveJournal, Flickr, YouTube, or their own individual website blogs – young people communicate in IM’s, text messages, and emails first – before they do direct contact through telephone or in person.

They listen to iPods and constantly have their head phones on – they are in virtual reality’s world of gaming with simulation/strategy games or first person shooters – relationships are virtual and world wide. While they watch TV and movies it is rarely on network stations, it must be interactive, and it if it dares to be educational it must do so not in a condescending way but an engaging one. Millennials are not stupid – while they might be young – they are eons ahead of some of the most advanced marketing strategists or tech developers today.

What can the DNC learn from CK is:

1. Learn to speak their language. Note the name of the new fragrance – a true attempt at chat speak – while actual chatspeak would be “N2U” its still miles ahead of the DNC’s “Hey there, pal. I’d like to talk to you about how hip it can be to vote…” Once you can speak their language you can communicate to them in a ways that is more comfortable for them.

2. Approach them in a way that is comfortable and within their environment. Doing dorm canvas’s is where it was at in the 1980’s. Today young people don’t hang out in their dorm rooms – they hang out online. They get news from their friends by reading blogs, wall to wall on facebook, chatting, or through texts from their friends. Don’t show up at their doors like you’re going to do a vacuum demonstration and then expect to lecture to them about health care, hand them a pamphlet, and get them to vote. Come on. Get someone from their world who knows how to engage them. Let them participate at a level of their choosing, hook them on the issue that they want to talk about.

3. Give them ownership of the movement. If you want someone in the 18-30 demographic to be invested give them a piece of the pie. They are lectured at, talked down to, ignored, and shuffled along day in and day out. If you want to hold onto them after you have recruited them – let them lead by trusting them with actual responsibilities. It gives them ownership of the process, the movement, and the outcome which increases the likelihood that they will continue their participation even after the campaign ends.

4. Sustaining the relationship – not voting flings. Everyone feels good after a fling. Flings are great! Each party gets what they want and then its over. A fling is not what the party needs. The DNC needs a long lasting relationship with its voters. This, like all relationships, means constant communication. Ignoring young people – and indeed the entire voting block – after the election doesn’t foster and continue the relationship – it’s just a voting fling.

5. Listen – don’t lecture. One of the smartest things I’ve seen over the year is the Oregon Bus Project does “Listening Canvases.” These are designed to give voters the opportunity to air their concerns in a way that is actually productive. You’d be surprised how surprised young people are when you ask them what they think rather than assume they know nothing. I am holding out for the day I see a candidate do a lecture at a college – walks up to the podium – grabs the mic and steps in front of it and has the balls to say “You know – I’m not going to sit here and lecture at you. You get that all day long. I’m curious in what you think and what you want out of me. And before I leave this lecture I want to come out with some reasonable action items that I can work WITH you on.”

6. The Establishment isn’t cool – don’t try to be. If you look at the hierarchical structure of the DNC you see a bunch of white men. The same is true for the Young Democrats. It’s a bunch of wealthy over achievers who ran for class president, then student senate, then state YD president. Ever notice those kids with the pink hair? The ones who wear dark make-up. Skateboard, play video games, etc…. Those are not the over achievers who attend YD meetings. Why? Because those people aren’t cool. They’re rich over achievers. I recently watched Indecision 2004 – the Daily Show’s special Post-Election DVD Package – and I saw an interview with the Executive Director of Rock the Vote. I was excited to see that it was a non-white woman. That said – Rock the Vote isn’t cool. Its made up of the same old white people who only care about trying to make voting cool with Bono. Bono isn’t cool to 23 year olds. While they might listen to some classic U2 – still… isn’t cool. Look at alternative cutting edge ways to be cool. It’s not the top 40 – its not

7. Age doesn’t equal issue. 23 isn’t 18 and its not 25 and its not 28 and its not 30. There is more diversion between the 18-30 age groups than any other group because so many things change between those times. A new college freshman is nothing like a 21 year old – and being 21 is not the same as someone who has just graduated at 23 – and someone who graduated at 23 is nothing like someone who’s 25 or pushing 30. They each have different issues that concern them. Student loans will appeal more to the 23+ crowd – but kids who aren’t paying them off yet aren’t thinking about that yet.

8. Students are not the same as non-students. Targeting College Students who are 18-25 is no where close to targeting working 18-25 year olds. The issues are different a few people target them differently. Similarly, the working college students who attend tech schools, community colleges, or night 4 year schools – are also different than the regular 18-25 year olds at regular 4 year schools. Similarly, those who attended colleges are different than those who didn’t yet fall in that demographic – and their issues aren’t the same.

$10 says the DNC doesn’t know any of this. Ten bucks also says none of the organizations that are pushing voter registration or outreach know any of this. Ten bucks says that some of the most famous organizations that are most known for fueling youth engagement either 1. doesn’t do this 2. doesn’t get it and 3. doesn’t care. Organizations like Rock the Vote, the Pirgs, Acorn, are so far removed from the reality of this group that even they can’t provide any inspiration to the DNC.

And the most disappointing of all of these pessimistic points of view is that few tend to care and want to fix it.

My only real way of knowing what to do is to contact all levels of the party – target the Young Dems and help them understand why they are so out of touch with their own peers. Contact the DNC, contact the state parties who fall under the DNC and rationally explain to them how far off the mark they are.

Further – if you want to get involved in an organization – do it for one that understands what is going on with young people on several levels certainly – but look for the ones that continue to strive to be better and learn more about us.