According to the 2004 U.S. Census less than 50 percent of young adults in the 18- to 24-year-old age demographic voted during the 2004 presidential election.
Gary Crawley, assistant professor of political science, attributes this low turnout to the fact that many young adults are not very well established in their careers and communities.
"They're in kind of what I call limbo," Crawley said.
This leaves many wondering what it would take to attract Generation Y to the polls. Crawley said if the issues directly affect the lives of young adults, there will be a higher voter turnout from that age demographic.
An issue such as a military draft is more likely to be a reason young adults vote than social security.
Another common reason behind the absence of young adults at the polls is the common notion that their vote doesn't count.
"Their vote counts as much as anyone else's," Crawley said. "The president of the United States casts one vote, and students cast one vote ... Their vote counts the same as the president of the United States, the most powerful political official in the world. That's a pretty impressive system."
Take a break from the non-stop election coverage by completing the list:1. Screen print an Obama T-shirt.2. Screen print a McCain T-shirt.3. Decide whether you're Republican, Democrat or other.4. Watch the news, at least once.5. Buy a bumper sticker that represents your favorite candidate.6. Go as your favorite, or least favorite, candidate to a cos- tume party.7. Get a manicure - "OBAMA 2008!" is 10 characters.8. Register. Duh.9. Make a sign for a candidate and stand on a corner.10. Bake cookies with red, white and blue M&Ms in them.11. Pat yourself on the back: You're about to exercise more rights than 36 percent of all American citizens.12. Practice your ballot-marking techniques.13. Blog your feelings about the election.14. Attend a town hall meeting.15. Exercise your index finger so you're ready to push a button and vote.16. Watch "All The President's Men."17. Buy the political Beanie Babies, Lefty the donkey and Righty the elephant.18. Buy a "Rock the Vote" T-shirt at rockthevote.com.19. E-mail your representative and ask he or she where they stand on the issues important to you.20. Figure out where to go to vote.21. If you are voting with an absentee ballot, try not to die before elections because your vote won't count.22. Join every Facebook group supporting your candidate.23. Donate money to your candidate's campaign.24. Try to name all 44 past presidents.25. Order buttons online.26. Dispose of all your Hillary stuff.27. Date a Bush twin.28. Grow an Abe Lincoln beard.29. Say the Pledge of Allegiance backwards.30. See the play "Our b American Cousin," but just don't get shot.31. Watch "Chasing Liberty," "First Daughter" and "My Date with the President's Daughter."32. Learn all 27 ammendments.33. Hope that no one pulls a "Man of the Year."34. Hold a carwash and donate the profits to a candidate's campaign.35. Chop down a cherry tree.36. Memorize the words to "American Woman"37. Make a playlist to pump you up for election day.38. Check a retirement home for Ron Paul.39. Call the White House and see how many secretaries you need to go through before you're transferred to the president.40. Read all the Bush-isms.41. Abolish the electoral college.42. Make a podcast expressing your feelings on the candidates.43. Stick a feather in your hat and call it macaroni.44. Make your own list of 100 things to do before election day.
With 100 days left before the presidential election here's a list of numbers 45 to 100 you can do.45. Take a quiz at quibblo.com to see which party you support.46. Try to name all 44 past presidents.47. Watch Barely Political on YouTube.48. Visit drudgereport.com.49. Order buttons online.50. Pay your power bill.51. Eat "freedom fries."52. Dispose of all your Hillary stuff.53. Date a Bush twin.54. Visit Washington, D.C.55. Grow an Abe Lincoln beard.56. Buy a flag, preferably an American one.57. Learn the National Anthem.58. Send a postcard to Post Secret, 13345 Copper Ridge Rd., German Town, MD 20874.59. Say the Pledge of Allegiance backwards.60. Sing Karaoke.61. Make a paper chain, preferably using red, white and blue paper.62. Eat a political popsicle.63. Watch "Air Force One."64. See the play "Our American Cousin," but just don't get shot.65. Watch "Chasing Liberty," "First Daughter" and "My Date with the President's Daughter."66. Learn all 27 ammendments.67. Watch Wolf Blitzer's beard grow through all the political coverage.68. Interview a political figure and ask what they are going to do about the potholes.69. Read 100 issues of the Daily News.70. Have a lemonade stand with candidates faces on the cups.71. Watch the movie "Dave."72. Hope that no one pulls a "Man of the Year."73. Paint your face red, white and blue, of course.74. Pass out flyers at the mall.75. Hold a carwash and donate the profits to a candidate's campaign.76. Plan a benefit concert for one of the causes on the ballot.77. Set off fireworks.78. Chop down a cherry tree.79. Make a cherry pie.80. Memorize the Gettysburg Address.81. Listen to the School House Rock's preamble song.82. Memorize the words to "American Woman"83. Attend an all-American baseball game.84. Make a playlist to pump you up for election day.85. Check a retirement home for Ron Paul.86. Call the White House and see how many secretaries you need to go through before you're transferred to the president.87. Attend a political parade.88. Listen to the Weird Al version of "American Pie."89. Read all the Bush-isms.90. Abolish the electoral college.91. Read all the caps on Snapple bottles.92. Make a pilgrimage to Boston and watch the re-enactment of the Civil War.93. Learn what "One if by land, two if by sea," really means.94. Read a Post Secret book.95. Use an umbrella indoors.96. Count how many times you hear someone say "That's what she said," in one day.97. Make a podcast expressing your feelings on the candidates.98. Stick a feather in your hat and call it macaroni.99. Spend an entire day asking people questions.100. Make your own list of 100 things to do before election day.
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
