Why aren't people aged 18-24 motivated enough to vote? Maybe it is because there are no political role-playing video games. Maybe it is because presidential speeches sometimes interrupt "Friends" and the result is a negative view of politics. Or possibly it is because young voters have not mobilized enough to see the changes they can make directly affect their lives. The New Voters Project is being implemented in Wisconsin to change voter trends among the 18-24 age demographic and to persuade at least five percent more of this demographic to vote.

The New Voters Project, sponsored by the Pew Charitable Trusts, is the largest grassroots campaign ever to incite young people to vote. It is as bi-partisan as it is excited to raise the percentage of college students who voted in the 2000 election up from 34 percent, as compared with 70 percent of older citizens.

Recently, Marquette was graced with the opportunity of hosting a political debate on campus. After the debate, politicians even surfaced in some local bars, recognizing the potential of mobilizing young voters even on our relatively small campus. Political candidates cannot and will not always seek out us young voters personally. It is up to our generation to search for candidates, make ourselves be noticed and not let ourselves — the future that politicians so often speak of — only be lip service in politician's broader agendas that leave out young people.

A New York Times editorial by Chuck Todd, editor-in-chief of The Hotline, recognizes the effect of mobilizing young people voting in the upcoming elections, and mentions the New Voters Project — as well as the majority of troops in Iraq being under the age of 25 — as a pivotal point in the upcoming election. He believes that young people will be the swing voters (previously a title held by soccer moms and Reagan Democrats) of future elections, towards which politicians will actively appeal.

As for those who view voting as choosing between multiple evils, as I previously viewed the process, vote for a lesser known candidate or write someone in whose views coincide more with your beliefs. Show the system that you are interested in, but do not agree with, the politics of America today.

Vote to benefit yourself. Vote to benefit your parents. Vote on any level. Vote on every level. Vote because Americans have died for your right to vote. Vote so that the Electoral College cannot ignore sheer numbers. And most of all vote informed. There is no reason not to vote when politics affect us all personally every day.

With voter rates expected to drop to under 50 percent nationally (the percentage of registered voters to ballots cast in the primary just held in Milwaukee County already came in at only 40.07 percent), one person's vote verifiably counts for almost two people. So either vote or be voted for on April 6 in the spring general election, Sept. 14 in the fall primary election and on Nov. 2 in the fall general election.

A meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 2 in Cudahy 001 at 6 p.m. for Marquette Students interested in being a part of the New Voters Project, or students can e-mail [email protected] to see how they can become involved.

Slingerland is a sophomore journalism major.