Young Voters (i.e. your children)

[disney1990]

I asked several people that I work with prior to this year's primary election, if their 18 year old sons and daughters were registered to vote. 3 of these people told me no -- one even said that she didn't know if she wanted her son to vote because was afraid of who he might vote for.

After working for a Senator and serving as an election judge, both of my daughters (23 & 30) know how I feel about everybody voting. I have stressed to them the importance of registering to vote and of voting each and every time. However, I have never, ever told them (even at 18) who they should vote for. As my 30 year old says, "I showed her where to find out what each person stands for and I told her to find the person that reflects her views." My daughters are now political opposites -- so being a free thinker much have worked.

My question is this. Is your Young Voter (i.e. your child/children) going to be voting in the upcoming election?
If you write a response, did you encourage your child to register and to vote?

 

[RitaE]

my 18yo will be voting for the first time. He is an ardent Obama supporter and has volunteered for the campaign. I didn't have to encourage him, he registered the day after his 18th birthday on his own.

He will vote, I'm sure of it. He wants to vote in our District here rather than at college. He is having a very difficult time getting his absentee ballot application set-up and approved which is kind of a shame. I think they should make it easier on the college kids. I think it is finally settled, he should get his ballot in the mail mid-October I believe.

 

[georgina]

My D couldn't wait to register to vote! And she sent in an absentee ballot request to be sent to her college. And I will know if it comes in, because I am the judge of elections for our district. I don't know who she will be voting for.

 

[minkydog]

DS22 just registered to vote. He is a dyed-in-the-wool Independen who wouldn't vote for Obama if he was the only one in this race. I've been very surprised how serious DS has been taking the Presidential election--I just didn't expect him to listen to radio interviews and read various blogs. He can actually hold his own in a (not-too-deep) political conversation.

 

[mamacatnv]

DS is a college Freshman, the first club he joined was the Collegiate Republicans. He is excited to be voting

 

[Mickeyistheman]

My sister is very excited to vote. What was interesting was when everything first started to get interesting after Obama and Mccain had "won" the primary.

My sister was a die hard Hillary fan. She was so upset that she didn't win the nomination. My father was going to vote for Mccain. It was wonderful to see my sister "discuss" with him how a life long die hard democrat would vote for Mccain?????

He has since changed his mind after watching him and reading up on Obama. He is voting for him. As is my sister, she is still upset about Hillary but after she spoke, she knew she had to be behind Obama.

 

[froglady]

Yes, DD is definitely voting, and unless I've misread her, she will NOT be voting for my candidate...which is fine. I was the same way at her age.

(ie, anything but what my parents were doing )

 

[Master Mason]

Along with his presents for his 18th B-day, I handed my older boy a Selective Service Registration form, and a Voter Registration form. The only thing I ever told him, was he needed to fill out both. Who he votes for is whoever he feels is best, just like any other adult that has the right to vote.

 

[Bashful2]

My 2 girls are very excited to be voting in a major election for the first time this year. We joke that DH and I will be cancelling out their votes since they're both voting for Obama and we're votng for McCain. I'm very proud of both of them for their interest and participation even though they don't agree with me.

 

[JimmyPicker]

My nephew will be turning 18 this month, and he's registered to vote. But, the scary part is, they barely covered civics in his high school. When I was in school, you had to take the class for a year, and take a citizenship test just to graduate. Now, it's a half year class, and as long as you get a D, you graduate.

So there are people out there that have reasons to be concerned about the young voters. I started asking him some basic questions, and he couldn't answer them.

 

[disney1990]

My nephew will be turning 18 this month, and he's registered to vote. But, the scary part is, they barely covered civics in his high school. When I was in school, you had to take the class for a year, and take a citizenship test just to graduate. Now, it's a half year class, and as long as you get a D, you graduate.

So there are people out there that have reasons to be concerned about the young voters. I started asking him some basic questions, and he couldn't answer them.

Both of the Presidential Candidates have websites that discuss their views on the issues. I suggest your nephew do a little reading before the upcoming election.

 

[akhenaten]

yes DD18 is voting ...she voted in the primary also....

 

[shmoogrrrl]

My daughter THINKS that she is voting this year. Of course, she is only six years old and not actually voting but we take her with us every time there is an election to stand in line and do our civic duty. I intend to do this as long as I am able to in hopes that she will begin to do it on her own when she is old enough.

Of course, she tattles on us. My husband and I are pretty compatible politically so we always vote for the same people. However, we also joke about how when we go in that booth, who knows who we will vote for. Well, whichever one of us takes Katie, she gives the other a run down of how they voted.

 

[::Snow_White::]

I wish. I'm only 15, but I'm going to be really excited when I'm 18 and can actually vote. I know a lot of people who are excited about being able to vote in a few years.

 

[Hedy]

I wish. I'm only 15, but I'm going to be really excited when I'm 18 and can actually vote. I know a lot of people who are excited about being able to vote in a few years.

I was 16 in 2000. You have my sympathies.
ETA-this 24 year old is voting. I''m kind of excited, I was out of the country in 04, and voted on a generic US absentee ballot. I'm excited to vote on a real ballot.

 

[powellrj]

My oldest DS will be voting this year, but while my DDIL is registered, I am not sure she is voting.

Middle DS isn't old enough yet because he is only 17. He was a huge Hillary supporter. He worked for her campaign. She came to town and spoke and that was all it took for him to change his party and become a republican. He was so upset with her that he wants to start a young republican chapter at his school. He came home from her rally so upset because he felt that she lied and was just telling people what they wanted to hear to get elected. I tried to tell him thats pretty much politics as usual, but he was so worked up he is thinking of minoring in political science next year when he goes to college.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

My two DDs are still a little too young to vote, however, they do get into elections and then we have debates about them - I want them to learn critical thinking skills. They already know, just because a politician says something doesn't mean it will actually happen, look up voting record, and nothing is for free.

 

[bsnyder]

My two sons are both registered and I am assuming they will vote, although the younger one will have to get an absentee ballot. He did do that for the 2004 election, and says he voted for Bush.

Older DS couldn't vote in 2004, because he messed up his registration (registered in the county where he was in college, but used his home address). He didn't realize it until right before the election - we were visiting him at school the weekend before. DS's best friend is really into politics, and had spent the day campaigning door to door for President Bush. I offered to take him to dinner, to reward him for his hard work. Of course, DS and his girlfriend came along too, and we talked mainly about the upcoming election. DS and his girlfriend were both very down on Bush and supporting Kerry, and it was a very lively discussion. Then, in the course of the discussion we realized that DS was not actually registered and wouldn't be able to vote, and neither would his girlfriend, because she's not a U.S. citizen. That had DS's friend and I doing high fives across the table!

But that was all just good-natured ribbing - when DS moved back home, I hounded him to make sure he registered, and I don't have a problem with him voting for whatever candidate he supports. The important thing is to participate in the process.

 

[maiziezoe]

My 20 year old son will be voting for the first time by absentee ballot because he is in college 4 hours away from where he is registered.

 

[disneychrista]

My 14yo voted in the primiary.