Young Voters Psyched to Cast First Votes
Margie Newman of Glenside, Pa. talks with her grandaughters Kelly Tarr, 20, center, and Elaina Tarr, 18, both of whom voted for the first time on Tuesday during primary election voting at the Glenside firehouse polling place just outside Philadelphia. (Ricky Carioti / The Washington Post)
By Krissah Williams
GLENSIDE, Pa. -- There are sure markers of maturity in a young person's life. First job. First car. First ballot cast.
At the fire station here in Glenside, young people were outright giddy at their chance to vote in the historic Democratic primary.
Elaina Tarr, 18, and her sister Kelly Price, 20, giggled as they stood outside the polling place.
"My friends and I are talking about him because people are saying he's going to make a change," Tarr said. Him being Sen. Barack Obama, of course, who has dominated the youth vote throughout the primary season.
"Everybody is like, 'I'm going to vote this year,'" said Price, who e-mailed all her friends on Facebook and MySpace about voting for Obama today.
Neither Tarr nor Price have their own car, so their grandmother, Margie Newman, brought them to the polling station.
"I'm so pleased that they themselves wanted to make sure they voted," Newman said. "They are old enough to know what's happening in the world so I wanted to make sure they got here."
Travis Henderson, 18, who was wearing a black University of Massachusetts, Boston, cap considers his first vote a kind of rite of passage.
"It finally gives everything I've said legitimacy, because people don't really listen to you if you're not voting," Henderson said. "I'll probably have a lifelong interest in politics. It's all connected for me."
Henderson, who volunteered as a poll watcher, decided to vote for Obama after watching his speech on race relations on YouTube. The polls closed here at 8 p.m. and he's part of the team helping to count the ballots in Glenside tonight.
Also voting for Obama was Amanda Rutter, who is almost 19. "It's kind of exciting because there was so much tension with the last two elections and I couldn't do anything," she said. "Now I can put my voice in the election."
Wait, wait. There are young Clinton supporters, too.
Matt McClenagham, 18, strode into the voting booth wearing Adidas slippers and his iPod.
Explaining his vote, he said: "I like Bill Clinton. He seems cool, and I figured I might as well do it."
Posted at 8:45 PM ET on Apr 22, 2008
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Posted by: cr in Las Vegas | April 23, 2008 10:32 AM
OBAMA AND REV. WRIGHT: I get tired of Obama claiming to be Christian, without explaining the theology of his church. Rev. Wright preaches BLACK LIBERATION THEOLOGY, a very radical form of "Christianity." Here is a quote about black liberation theology from its founder, Rev. James Cone, and you be the judge as to whether Obama's church preaches anything that even remotely resembles Christianity: ***
"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the black community ... Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal. Unless God is participating in this holy activity, we must reject his love."
Posted by: Fred | April 23, 2008 10:30 AM
I am sure there are many who want to vote for Obama because of his policy positions.
But I am so sick and tired of this "he will make change" rhetoric that is based in nothing substantive whatsoever.
Obama supporters, young or old, I defy you to demonstrate one significant accomplishment this man has achieved (outside or raising money, that is) that demonstrates any ability to "change the political landscape" or to "unite everyone and put partisan politics aside."
What legislation of any significance has he authored that demonstrates an ability to reach across the aisle? What policy is he proposing that will achieve broad bipartisan support? Where is there ANY evidence that he is a centrist, rather that a fairly far-left politician?
Words matter. I agree with that. But words only go so far. Obama can speak to change all he wants, but I am not seeing it in anything that he is proposing.
The man is losing independants, the so-called "Obama-cans" are moving to McCain (and they never really existed in large numbers anyway), so where is this broad-based mandate going to come from?
Obama better start speaking to this challenge in a meaningful way (and last night's speech didn't come even close) or he will go the way of Michael Dukakis come November.
Posted by: ep | April 23, 2008 9:56 AM
I am an Chinese woman who watcches the election in American every day/ I like
Hillary really 'cause she is really woderful although I dislike all the politicians becuase they are same in the nature no matter they are in China or USA.
Good luky, Yankees.
Posted by: | April 23, 2008 7:33 AM
Anyone else remember all the way back to the 2004 Presidential election? Remember how the media kept touting that the youth vote was going to propel Kerry to the White House because they were angry about Iraq?
It didn't happen then. It won't happen now. Young adults historically don't vote in large numbers and there is no reason to believe it will be different in this election. If the youth couldn't be bothered to vote George W. Bush out of office in 2004, then they're surely not going to be a factor in November.
And before anyone calls me an old fart, I'm in my 20s. I just happen to know my generation well.
Posted by: Tirade | April 23, 2008 7:13 AM
Dear Washington Post,
Please understand. We will not vote for Obama no matter what. He doesn't have enough experience, he has lousy judgement, he says one thing to one group and the opposite to another. We have no idea what he would really do or what he really thinks. He froze in the debates, he is far-left, we are centrist, the list goes on and on.
We will not vote for him.
We do not want him as President!
If Democrats nominate him, mainstream Democrats will vote for McCain.
Obama is unelectable in the general election. PERIOD.
Stop trying to force him on us!!!!
Posted by: We need a centrist to win | April 23, 2008 2:35 AM
Interesting choice of comments by WashingtonPost. While completely elaborating on why Obama is chosen by numerous young voters the only comment for Clinton is "Bill Clinton is cool" and "I might as well do it".
Please push Obama down my throat some more. I guess it works on MTV.
Posted by: Dmitriy | April 22, 2008 11:20 PM
I'm 49 and I agree with Meg. This is a new time. We do not have to repeat history and we should not be forcing the past down everyones throat telling them what they think and how the will respond. I am so tired of hearing how I, as a white female will be voting for Clinton, or first time voters will not be here in November, if you are black you will automatically vote for Obama, and if you are a white male you are angry and will never vote for anyone other then a white male. It is shameful that we buy into this negative crap. Well, guess what? We can make up our own minds and we are allowed to change historical norms. This grass roots movement that has been started allows us to live outside the box for a change.
Posted by: Kathleen | April 22, 2008 10:39 PM
My guess is if you are voting now because you think your candidate will make a change in the country then you'll follow through in Nov. I'd say its more questionable if you'll follow through if you are only voting because you think the candidate's husband is cool....
Posted by: DT | April 22, 2008 10:18 PM
.
CLINTON BEATS OBAMA IN PENNSYLVANNIA !
... the Geritol-generation mentality vs.
... ... the young at heart vs.
................
the same old same old ?
... or ... a real change for this country (and the world)
...more war?
or a prospect for peace
Clinton-McCain
or Obama
.
.
Posted by: - Neocons 4 Hillary - | April 22, 2008 10:06 PM
Careful, Meg, unless you have some brilliant explanation for this:
Age 18-29 (12%)
Age 30-44 (19%)
Age 45-59 (37%)
Age 60+ (32%)
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#PA
Posted by: | April 22, 2008 9:57 PM
As an 18-year-old "first voter," I am a bit angered by some of the comments. I voted for Obama because I have thoroughly researched and support his policies, and many of my peers have made their decisions in a likewise manner. Yes, there are some stupid teenagers. But there are also some pretty stupid adults, and it is unfair to criticize an entire age group based on certain individuals such as Ryan Sheckler or Paris Hilton. Many young voters do not cast ballots because they live outside the state they are registered in, and the American population as a whole is not recognized as an outstanding example of democratic participation.
Posted by: Meg | April 22, 2008 9:53 PM
No matter how much support Obama receives from young voters during the primary, that support will fizzle out come November. It's quite common: the idealistic minds become tired over time. This may happen because of realism sinking in, or simply out of fatigue.
Posted by: EGGArgost | April 22, 2008 9:50 PM
If they voted Obama, then they wasted their vote by succumbing to the hype. Democracy isn't Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
You can't text in your vote.
The Clintonista Post: http://clintonista.wordpress.com
Posted by: Clintonista | April 22, 2008 9:38 PM
As a Pacific Northwesterner, I feel like a salmon watching this campaign -- swim upstream for weeks, then finally get screwed and die.
If Clinton manages to steal the Democratic nomination, I'll vote Libertarian.
Posted by: oldhonky | April 22, 2008 9:36 PM
I'm a young Hispanic Male that will also vote for Hillary Clinton. She is the right person for the job. Real reconizes real and Obama is full of it. He speaks well and motivates with his words but that does not mean that he will do what he says he will do. I feel he will not follow thru in his commitments. If he says that he is willing to speak to Iran and Cuba why then he critisized the ex president on talking with Hezbolla saying that it was a bad move. Clinton keeps it real to a certain extent but I do beleive she will bring in more money to my pocket and jobs and that is all that matters in my world right now.
Posted by: Gabriel | April 22, 2008 9:32 PM
Hey, P Diddy. Did you ever find out more info on polling data among the cell-bound?
I would venture to guess that over half of today's Obama voters won't vote for him again even if he's the Democratic nominee.
Posted by: | April 22, 2008 9:30 PM
If they voted Obama, then they wasted their vote by succumbing to the hype. Democracy isn't Real World/Road Rules Challenge.
You can't text in your vote.
The Clintonista Post: http://clintonista.wordpress.com
Posted by: Clintonista | April 22, 2008 9:29 PM
.
OBAMA IS AN ELITIST DEMAGOGUE !!!
by neocons for Hillary
.
Posted by: Neocons for Hillary | April 22, 2008 9:27 PM
If it's Obama, yes. If it's not, who knows?
My first vote was fairly ignominious: H. Ross Perot. ***shudder***
Posted by: P Diddy | April 22, 2008 9:19 PM
Sure, but will they cast their SECOND votes in November, or fizzle out like every other "Rock the Vote" youth movement?
Posted by: | April 22, 2008 9:01 PM
Sure, but will they cast their SECOND votes in November, or fizzle out like every other "Rock the Vote" youth movement?
Posted by: | April 22, 2008 9:01 PM
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I'm excited to see so many young people voting. And I'm particularly glad to see how many are listening to Obama's message for change. You can make it happen! I've waited several decades for the moment when voters wake up and say, "No more nasty campaign tactics!" A person should be able to win without stooping to Hillary's level.