by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Excitement about doubling of youth vote in California and candidates speaking to them about issues that matter

By Rocky Fernandez
National Committeeman
California Young Democrats

The California Young Democrats are traveling in droves to San Jose this weekend for the California Democratic Party State Convention. For many Young Democrats, it will be their first convention.

There's never been a better time to be a Young Democrat.

The Presidential Candidates are taking the youth vote seriously and investing resources to talking to young voters about our issues. Due to this and a lot of hard work by the California Young Democrats, the California College Democrats, and the Young Democrats of America, young voter turnout is rising.

In the February primary, youth turnout doubled from the 2000 and 2004 elections. Most of the turnout was for the Democratic candidates. Young Decline-to-State voters picked up Democratic ballots and took their first step towards becoming lifetime Democrats.

So we arrive at the state convention with a lot of momentum. We're looking at the trends in primaries and caucuses across the country and see similar increases in turnout. We know that with more hard work, we can get our peers to vote and in doing so win a lot of elections for Democrats.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Christine Smith
Northern California Vice President
California College Democrats

It’s an exciting year to be a Young Democrat in California. While we know have been the margin of victory for many crucial races it’s gratifying to finally be treated as such. Presidential candidates have made the trips to our campuses and conventions and spent money fighting for the youth vote.

We are not apathetic. We are not “just volunteers”, and we are not “the future generation”. We are here to make change for our world. We are here to work hard on campaigns throughout the country, as students from California bundled up to knock on doors in Iowa and New Hampshire, as we make the world realize that young voters are the present of the Democratic Party. I finished finals and stopped off in my hometown for fifteen precious hours of Christmas holidays before getting on a plane to Des Moines, Iowa.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Ryan McElhinney

My generation has grown up in the era of highly partisan warfare in Washington. From the politics of division by Karl Rove to the winner-takes-all nature of a Tom Delay dominated Congress, young people in America have grown tired of politics as usual.

This is why young people and students especially are drawn to Barack Obama's candidacy. We want a candidate that will work to unite America, rather than divide it. Throughout the Senator's career, whether was organizing in Chicago, working with Republicans to pass landmark legislation, or negotiating the strongest ethics reform bill in the US since Watergate, Barack Obama has shown that he can work with individuals from both ends of the political spectrum. He has energized us, motivated us and inspired us.

There have been many candidates in the past who have solicited strong support from youth, yet failed to turn out the vote like Students for Barack Obama did in the Iowa caucuses or in the New Hampshire primary. In Iowa, students made political history and gave our candidate a decisive win. We will do the same in California.