Obama, Democrats Aim Voting Appeals at Young People

27 October 2011

Genna Schwartz of the Ohio State University Student Democrats hands out information about President Obama's upcoming visit to the school

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

On Tuesday, the United States will hold congressional and state elections in a year defined by voter dissatisfaction. Democrats are trying hard to excite their party's base of support in an effort to limit Republican gains.

That base includes young people. Two years ago, two-thirds of voters under thirty voted for Barack Obama. Now, the president is urging them to remember that excitement and his campaign for change. His efforts to reach young voters include appearances on MTV and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" along with college visits.

Recently he spoke to about thirty-five thousand people at Ohio State University.

BARACK OBAMA: "And now we are not just advocating change. We're not just calling for change. We're doing the hard work of change -- we're grinding it out. Sometimes it's frustrating. We're delivering change inch by inch, day by day. It's not easy. Believe me, I know it's not easy."

Zach Howell, president of the College Republican National Committee, could have said the same thing two years ago. But he says this year is "completely different." He says more young people are proudly identifying themselves as conservatives and as Republicans.