GOP Lock on Youth Slips

Democrats in 1992 broke a Republican lock on the Youth vote as 50 percent of university and high school students threw their support to Bill Clinton.

The 50 percent figure, seven percentage points higher than the total popular vote for Clinton, marks the possible end of what one Democrat called "the Alex P. Keaton generation"--an era in which students voted overwhelmingly Republican.

According to exit polls conducted by Voter Research and Surveys, President Bush received only 35 percent of the youth vote, compared to his 38 percent national total. In 1988, Bush received 55 percent of students votes, compared to a 54 national average.

In 1984, President Ronald W. Reagan won 58 percent of student vote compared to then-Sen. Walter F. Mondale's 42 percent.

"Fundamentally, students voted for Clinton because Clinton gave them hope," said James M. Harmon '93-'94, president of College Democrats.

Harmon said election trends of the 1980s portrayed college students as materially oriented and Republican.

"This election symbolizes the death of Alex P. Keaton as the metaphor of our generation," saidHarmon. "For the first time since 18-year-oldswere given the right to vote, Democrats have won aconvincing victory."

Brian R. Trelstad '91, founder and programdirector of Campus Green Vote--an environmentalistorganization which tries to involve the young inthe election process--attributed support for theClinton campaign to "a new generation of politicalappeal."

"Clinton and Gore understood the culturaldialogue of our generation," he said, adding thatthe Democratic candidates tapped into studentaudiences via appearances on campus and televisionnetworks like MTV.

"Clinton was able to connect with young peoplein sort of the same way that Kennedy did," Harmonsaid.

Emil G. Michael '94, president of the HarvardRepublican Club, agreed that Clinton was moreattractive to young Americans.

"Reagan and Bush were from an oldergeneration," he said, although he added that hethought Clinton's appeal was superficial.

"Rather than [representing] a philosophicalchange in students, Clinton appealed more to themas a candidate," he said.

Figures Not in Yet

Although reliable figures on voter turnout willnot be in for several months, Curtis Gans,director of the committee for the Study of theAmerican Electorate, said exit polls suggested amodest rise in voting between the ages of 18 to24, from 10 percent of the electorate to 11percent.

The one-point increase represents the turningpoint of a downward trend in participation amongyouth voters, Gans said. Previously, 18 to 24 yearolds had the highest rate of decrease amongvoters.

"This was a year when young people mobilized totry to get themselves in the election," Harmonsaid.

"It's not particularly new that students areconcerned," Trelstad said. "It is new that theyexpressed it at the ballot box.

Brian R. Trelstad '91, founder and programdirector of Campus Green Vote--an environmentalistorganization which tries to involve the young inthe election process--attributed support for theClinton campaign to "a new generation of politicalappeal."

"Clinton and Gore understood the culturaldialogue of our generation," he said, adding thatthe Democratic candidates tapped into studentaudiences via appearances on campus and televisionnetworks like MTV.

"Clinton was able to connect with young peoplein sort of the same way that Kennedy did," Harmonsaid.

Emil G. Michael '94, president of the HarvardRepublican Club, agreed that Clinton was moreattractive to young Americans.

"Reagan and Bush were from an oldergeneration," he said, although he added that hethought Clinton's appeal was superficial.

"Rather than [representing] a philosophicalchange in students, Clinton appealed more to themas a candidate," he said.

Figures Not in Yet

Although reliable figures on voter turnout willnot be in for several months, Curtis Gans,director of the committee for the Study of theAmerican Electorate, said exit polls suggested amodest rise in voting between the ages of 18 to24, from 10 percent of the electorate to 11percent.

The one-point increase represents the turningpoint of a downward trend in participation amongyouth voters, Gans said. Previously, 18 to 24 yearolds had the highest rate of decrease amongvoters.

"This was a year when young people mobilized totry to get themselves in the election," Harmonsaid.

"It's not particularly new that students areconcerned," Trelstad said. "It is new that theyexpressed it at the ballot box.