Edwards Crafts Plan To Appeal To Youth

Edwards recently outlined his plans for higher education policy, introducing College for Everyone, under which students who work part-time could attend their first year at college for free. He also has made appearances at several youth hangouts in the Washington, D.C., area.

Ferrel Guillory, director of UNC's Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life, said Edwards is trying to expand the Democratic base.

"A Democratic candidate like Senator Edwards, especially given the results of the last election, where Republicans did better than expected, needs to motivate people who did not vote," he said.

Though no definitive voter data has been produced for the 2002 election, older voters intending to vote outnumbered those younger than 30 more than 2-1, according to a survey by The Washington Post, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard University.

Despite such data, Edwards always has been concerned about issues affecting young people, said Michael Briggs, his press secretary. "Young people are the future of our democracy."

Aaron Anthony, campaign director of Project Youth Vote, a nonpartisan organization that advises candidates of ways to appeal to young people, said Edwards' recent actions are astute. "He is being very smart in appealing to this group. ... So far he has done a good job."

But Colleen Sarna, N.C. field director for Youth Vote Coalition, said Edwards' actions are atypical because politicians rarely focus on young voters. "It is important to appeal to the youth vote. They are a large voting bloc. Whenever politicians address the issues of a voting bloc, it helps their popularity."

Aaron Brock, news director for Project Vote Smart, also said young people do not think that candidates speak to or care about them or their issues.

But Guillory said that it is difficult to appeal to young voters because their lifestyles are so mobilized and that it will take Edwards a lot of hard work and money to be successful.

Politicians often fall victim to conventional wisdom when talking to young people, Anthony said. They will try to be hip and cool, which is self-defeating because young people crave reality. "After 20 years of advertisements, people have a very high fluff detector," he said.

Brock also said young voters are more skeptical than their older counterparts. A more honest approach is likely to garner more youth votes, though spin doctors traditionally have played a significant role in political campaigns, he said.

A different approach could help a candidate not only with youths but across the board, Brock added.

But whether or not Edwards is acting, Anthony said, he comes across as a young politician, though he will soon assume the role of North Carolina's senior senator. "Edwards is very youthful, and he has got a lot of energy compared to most elected officials."

Despite appearing youthful, Edwards is aware of the fact that older people are more likely to turn out and vote. Young people are not used to having a politician court them, Anthony said.

Briggs acknowledged that appealing to young voters requires a different approach. There is a difference in the issues young and older voters are interested in -- young people are more inclined to think outside the box.

But the interests of both young and older voters are not mutually exclusive, Anthony said. There is, however, a danger of trying to appeal to everyone. "You cannot be all things to all people."

And Guillory warned that a candidate who cannot balance the concerns of both younger and older voters will not win. Edwards' $3 billion education proposal likely would appeal to many young people, as well as their parents, he added.

Sarna, however, said Edwards' proposal is addressing a previously neglected issue that appeals primarily to youths.

"Educational issues are important to young people who are going through college, paying off student loans and applying for financial aid," she said.

Anthony said this policy likely will be successful because Edwards is taking a broad area and personalizing it. "He is taking the issue, and he is sticking it in the wallet of every college-aged young adult.

"I haven't seen anyone else who is running for president reaching out to young people in this way. ... If he is serious about running for president, young voters can give him an edge in a close race."

Guillory said no presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy has effectively energized young voters. "It is time again for those who would lead the nation to inspire younger voters."

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.