Who are you guys?
The New Voters Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing voter turnout among citizens age 18-24 on Election Day 2004.
What's your goal?
We want to increase voter turnout in our target age group by at least 5% this year. To do this, we will register more than 265,000 voters by knocking on doors, going to the places where young people hang out, and organizing on college campuses.
Where are you guys?
Our central offices are in Denver, Colorado. We currently have field staff in six target states around the country, and we'll be expanding into more states in the months to come.
What are the target states?
The States selected by the New Voters Project are CO, IA, OR, WI, NM, and NV.
Why these six states?
The states are projected to have a population of 2 million eligible 18-24 year old voters for the 2004 election. In our research, we've figured out that these states have the highest concentration of young voters in small geographic areas, which makes it a little easier to reach out to our target age group.
Why this age group?
Voter turnout among 18-24-year-olds has declined steadily since the early 1970s. In 2000, only 36% of them voted! Studies have shown that voting behavior is established early in life. That means that if someone starts voting when they're in their late teens or early twenties, they're likely to keep voting throughout their life. That's why we're determined to get young people out to the polls.
How will you do it?
We will register more than 265,000 young voters by knocking on doors, going to the places where young people hang out, and organizing voter registration drives on college campuses.
That sounds like a big job. Who's paying for all of this?
The budget for the entire operation - from registration to get out the vote - is $9 million dollars. We have already received support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and are continuing to seek additional support for the remaining needs of the project. If you know of any foundations or individuals who might be interested in supporting our cause, please tell us about them!
Is it just your group? Who else is involved?
We're forming coalition partnerships with many groups including Rock The Vote, World Wrestling Entertainment and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
Why these groups?
Two decades is too long to see young people disengaging from our democratic process of elections. The organizations involved have the right expertise, resources and histories, and working together, the best chance to reverse the trend of voter disengagement.
Can I help?
YES! Our volunteers are the cornerstone of our campaign's success. Sign up now to learn how you can get involved in your community.
