The District Chronicles

Issue date: 9/28/08 Section: Cover

Local students thought they were getting concert tickets. Instead, with a little help from local radio DJ, Big Tigger, they registered for a chance to impact history.

"Me being out here encourages people to come outside, thinking they're going to get some free tickets, and I'll trick them into getting registered!" the radio personality said.

The popular D.C. urban-format station, WPGC, broadcasted live at the University of the District of Columbia last Thursday as a part of the campus's on-going campaign to get UDC students registered to vote. According to Big Tigger, the campaign is proving to be successful.

With a declining economy and pressing environmental issues, Big Tigger said that is the youth that serve as catalyst for change.

"The economy is nuts," he said. "School can be three times as costly next year as it is now. Students and people in college have traditionally, in the history of America, been the change makers - the people who've been on the edge of making change happen." Derrick Minor couldn't agree any more. The upcoming 2008 elections will be Minor's first opportunity to let his voice be heard through the power of the vote, thanks to the efforts of WPGC.

"I knew I needed to get registered to vote because with this presidential election, it really matters!" the UDC student said.

Despite the generation's lack of participation in past elections, the 2008 election will reflect a more politically active youth than in years past. When the voting age was lowered from 21 to 18 in 1972, 55 percent of eligible youth voted. Since then, youth voting participation dropped until MTV's efforts in mobilizing youth voters increased the youth voter turnout in 1992 to 52 percent. The Bush-Kerry election also led to a spike in youth turnout in 2004.

According to Karlo Marcelo, a research associate at the Centre for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the youth's political energy seems to be favoring one presidential candidate more than the other.

"We are clearly seeing more energized youth," Marcelo said. "More young people are volunteering in political campaigns. They bring enthusiasm and that intangible buzz seen in rallies, especially Mr. Obama's."

A big issue here in the District is the constituents, especially the youth, not feeling their vote counts. Colin Touchey, coordinator of Student Outreach and Leadership Development at UDC, challenges eligible DC residents to get out and vote to make a change.

Continued...

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