Outreach efforts to the politically aware young are increasing

Whoever said that youth is wasted on the young was wrong, at least by current standards and especially with regard to voting, politics and social trends.Young voters appear to be coming out in droves and are likely to help change the course of history in the 2008 elections, as well as in mid-term congressional elections.Older voters, who historically cast their ballots more consistently and have had a substantial effect on political outcomes in the past, will find many more younger voters next to them at the polling booths and stations.Despite a steady decline in young voters after the Vietnam War, we are now experiencing a rise in 18-, 20- and 30-somethings getting more involved in how this country is being run.Why is this? Certainly the Internet, MySpace, text messaging, etc. are involved, but there is also a rising trend among youth-based organizations to use innovative techniques that address younger people on their own terms.That's in addition to also holding on to traditional grassroots strategies, such as working with artists and musicians, throwing parties and simply talking to young people where they hang out.So far, the Brooklyn-based League of Young Voters has four affiliates in New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Maine. Each one can decide how best to empower young people to work toward solving their local problems.They all still use so-called old-school tactics like phone-banking, leaflet canvassing and candidate endorsements, but their approach is definitely about getting more real with the younger generation."We may be young