EVERETT – It’s not quite the same as slapping an “I Voted” sticker on Paris Hilton.
But how else are you going to reach younger voters?
State election officials say they’ve targeted MySpace as the new way to reach voters between 18 and 25 years old.
The bait: Free flashy Web graphics for their MySpace pages.
“We need to go where the people are,” Secretary of State Sam Reed said. “If we’re going to connect with the youth of America, we’re going to have to use new technology.”
Reed’s staff has created four animated images, two with American flags, intended for display on MySpace pages to inspire younger voters to vote in the coming elections.
It’s the latest attempt to make voting hip, the equivalent of MTVs “Rock the Vote” – in fact one of the graphics has a “ROCK IT! VOTE AUGUST 21” image with the silhouette of a guitarist.
Another image with a yellow smiley face declares “I voted … Did you?”
Studies show that young voters are more likely to cast a ballot if their friends urge them on, Reed said.
Voters between 18 and 25 years old are under-represented on the voter rolls, Snohomish County Auditor Carolyn Diepenbrock said.
“It’s a hard population to reach,” she said. “If that’s going to reach them, then that’s a good thing.”
MySpace is fast becoming America’s dinner table, the place where family and friends connect and talk about what’s important to them, Reed said.
“Particularly with young people, that’s where they are,” Reed said. “It’s the old word-of-mouth thing, except now it’s through technology.”
Also, Reed has created automated election reminders on his Web site that people can send to each other via e-mail.
Young people are increasingly civic minded, he said. They volunteer with environmental issues, food drives and to coach children’s sports, Reed said.
However, voting lags in their priorities and that doesn’t make sense, he said.
“What we need to do is move that over to be more committed to the election process,” Reed said. “So many of the issues that they care about is directly affected by government.”
For the rest of the electorate, state and county election officials continue to rely on voter pamphlets as a key way of communicating election information. They also offer online voter guides and TV voter guides on the state cable channel TVW.
Still, Reed has to find a way to peel the attention of those voters away from summer fun for the new, earlier primary election.
Ballots must be postmarked no later than Aug. 21.
Reed predicts 34 percent turnout statewide, and mostly because 36 of the state’s 39 counties have popular all-mail ballot systems.
Snohomish County expects 38 percent turnout.
Odd-year elections have greater impact on local communities with city council, school board and other local races, Reed said.
“Dedicated voters can help spread the message by participating and inspiring those around them to follow their lead,” Reed said.
Reporter Jeff Switzer: 425-339-3452 or jswitzer@heraldnet.com.
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