Young voters not targeted

Kirsten Searer

Tuesday, April 6, 2004 | 9:53 a.m.

Most county party leaders don't see young voters as the future of their parties, according to a national study released Monday.

The survey of Republican and Democratic county party leaders found that the officials are focusing on senior citizens more than youth voters.

Katie Selenski, the Nevada director of the New Voters Project, a group that has focused on registering young voters in Nevada, said that parties must try to develop "novel approaches" to attract young voters.

New Voters Project is registering and educating young voters in six states, including Nevada.

"We are finding that young people are pretty ready to participate," Selenski said.

The poll of 805 Republican and Democratic county party chairmen found that only 8 percent identified young voters as the most important demographic for the "long-term success of the party."

In comparison, 21 percent listed senior citizens as the future of their parties, according to the study, which was conducted by Daniel Shea of the Allegheny College Center for Political Participation and the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron.

Most party leaders -- 88 percent -- did say that the failure to engage the youth in politics is a serious problem. And 93 percent said that local parties can spur youth interest.