Vote Pledge

From YDA President Rod Snyder:

Two weeks from today, America will make a choice. We can either return to the failed Republican policies that left us on the brink of economic collapse, or we can support Democrats who are working to take America forward.

Today YDA is launching a nationwide “pledge to vote” campaign to remind millions of young Americans to vote for Democrats on November 2.

Visit our online vote pledge form and add your name today. (http://www.yda.org/votepledge)

If you are a state or local chapter leader, you can also download and customize vote pledge cards with your own logo and website address. These cards can be used during door-to-door canvassing, high school or college campus outreach, or any place where young people spend time.

Democrats in Congress are working to improve the lives of young Americans. In less than two years, they have delivered one of the largest investments in student aid, expanded health care options specifically for those under 26 years old, guaranteed equal pay for equal work for women, and ended unfair practices by credit card companies.

Once again, the future of our country rests in our hands. In 2008 young people made the difference in hundreds of closely contested races. In 2010 we will prove that we’re not going away.

Pledge to vote on November 2.

Sincerely,

Rod Snyder
President
Young Democrats of America

See the links below for my posts on vote pledges.

• Collecting Vote Pledges on the Internet
• Vote Pledges and Why They Work
• Vote Pledges are Valuable, Even in Heavily Democratic Areas
• Peer-to-Peer Organizing Guide

Kevin has written in the past about Vote Pledges - essentially signed promises to vote on election day that GOTV organizations use to make sure people to cast their ballot. Earlier today, MoveOn launched their own (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek version of a vote pledge:

"I will not get so drunk on November 3rd that I am unable to vote on November 4th."

Huh, you ask? Let's review.

Last week, a conservative group, Let Freedom Ring, took advantage of MTV's new policy of accepting political ads to launch an attack on Senator Obama. The progressive rapid response to this ad came from MoveOn, which bought time on the network this week to run a positive ad about Senator Obama.

In response to that, Michael Reagan, right-wing radio host and son of the former President, attacked young voters on CNN as apathetic drunks who don't vote because we're too hung over to get to the polls:

Redonkulous. It flies in the face of all the statistics from the last 3 election cycles. It willfully ignores the amazing turnout in this winter's primary process. And it's just plain insulting. I've got no problem Drinking Liberally, but seriously, who is out getting hammered on a Monday night? I know it's his job to talk down the youth vote and do whatever he can to depress turnout, but that doesn't make it right. I'm almost as pissed at that CNN anchor for letting something like that stand unchallenged.

Cooling down and looking at the positive in all this, great job by MoveOn for the rapid response to the Let Freedom Ring ad, and for a creative effort to prove Michael Reagan wrong about young voters.

Go sign the pledge. If MoveOn collects 50,000 signatures, they will deliver the to Michael Reagan along with a nice cold keg of beer.