As President Obama spoke to students at the University of Wisconsin to urge them to go to the polls in November, Rock the Vote was hosting voter registration events at the University of Florida and the University of Central Florida.
Rock the Vote says its โmission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country.โ In a press release Rock, the Vote states that its โgoal is to register 12,000 people in Florida with a particular emphasis on the University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Florida A&M University and Florida State University.โ
U.S Census Bureau data show that in Florida almost 700,000 registered voters between 18 and 24 years of age went to the polls in the 2008 presidential elections.
Results of an online poll of 300 young people released by Rock the Vote indicate that โsixty-eight percent of young people in Florida say they are paying attention to the upcoming election, with 77 percent saying they are likely to vote in November.โ The results also show that โin Florida, the Democratic Party has a 44 percent rating and the Republican Party has a 23 percent rating.โ
NBC News reported on Tuesday:
With Election Day exactly five weeks away, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows that the battle for control of Congress has tightened, as key Democratic-leaning demographic groups are expressing more enthusiasm about the upcoming midterms.
Among likely voters, Republicans now hold a three-point lead in the generic-ballot test for control of Congress, down from their nine-point lead last month.
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But young voters, who helped fuel Obamaโs presidential victory in 2008, are now sitting on the sidelines. Just 35 percent of those ages 18-34 are enthusiastic about the election in November.
The NBC/WSJ survey (1,000 interviews, 200 phone calls) shows 44 percent of respondents rated the Democratic Party somewhat negative to very negative; 37 percent answered somewhat positive to very positive; 20 percent were neutral.
When asked to rate the Republican Party, 43 percent answered somewhat negative to very negative; 31 percent answered somewhat positive to very positive; 20 percent were neutral.
