Document Actions
League of Young Voters aims to connect peers to politics
As the national political director of the League of Young Voters, Mosley has worked with the demographic since the League's creation in 2005. "Young people see what is happening with the economy, what is happening with energy, urban violence and a lot of other issues across the country," Mosley said. "These issues are affecting people in a way we haven't seen in a long time and it's evident, particularly in this generation."
The Barack Obama campaign's ability to turn out record numbers of young voters never has surprised Khari Mosley. In fact, he saw it coming.
As the national political director of the League of Young Voters, Mosley has worked with the demographic since the League's creation in 2005. Sparring with local political leaders in eight states, the youth-based political action committee has helped to push for proactive political agendas that target issues that hit closer to home with the 18- to 25-year-old electorate.
His familiarity with the age group has caused him to realize how different this election is to young voters.
"Young people see what is happening with the economy, what is happening with energy, urban violence and a lot of other issues across the country," Mosley said. "These issues are affecting people in a way we haven't seen in a long time and it's evident, particularly in this generation."
Mosley said the League has endorsed the Obama campaign because no other candidate has been as effective at tapping into the youth vote.
However, even with youth turnout hitting record numbers throughout the Democratic primary season, Mosley said there is still a nonpartisan disconnect between politicians and young voters.
"I think there is a disconnect between this movement of young people and any other political institution in the country," Mosley said. "I think this is something unique to the Obama campaign and they've tapped into it. I wouldn't label the disconnect even between Democrat and Republican because no other Democrat candidates that were even in the primaries were able to engage young people to the same degree."
Since the Iowa caucuses, where the Obama campaign made it a priority to cater to the energy of the youth vote, the 18- to 25-year-old age bracket proved they weren't apathetic towards the political area anymore.
What started in Iowa passed the test of Super Tuesday. More than 20 states witnessed a swell in young voters at the polls and Obama took 59 percent of the younger than 30 crowd nationwide, according to CBS News.
In some states, including Georgia where youth turnout jumped from 92,000 in 2000 to more than 280,000 last February, young people have increased their numbers by more than 300 percent at the polls, according to exit polls in those states. When the primary season narrowed down the battle to Hillary Clinton and Obama, town hall meetings became flooded with college T-shirts instead of dress shirts and ties.
"Like so many things, you eventually reach a tipping point and you see this watershed moment," Mosley said. "It kind of looks like it comes out of nowhere but when you see all the young people flock to the Obama campaign I think that is a direct result of (people at all levels) getting involved."
The inner-city non-college educated young voting block, often described as the most elusive young voting group, is even starting to see strides in attendance Mosley said. With the help of hip-hop artists such as Nas and T.I. inner-city youth may be starting to connect the dots.
"These are the same people who have in the past said 'F politics,' but now that they are getting more involved people are starting to think 'maybe this is something I should start paying attention to and figure out how I could get more involved in it'", Mosley said.
Looking back on his previous three years with the League, Mosley said his experience has taught him that the League's mission of a 'progressive governing majority' is not something that will happen overnight. It is, and will continue to be, a slow and steady process.
But, as long as people stay involved and stay informed, Mosley said, a moment that started in Iowa may branch out into something much more.
"Regardless of what candidate you are for, I think this is a great moment in American democracy," Mosley said. "Creating avenues so the average person, a 19-year-old kid from Cincinnati or Tallahassee can get involved, pick up a clip board and voter registration forms and engage people, in what I feel is the greatest experiment in the history of the world, is what America is all about.
