Yeah, we know. We’re the last big grab out there. We’re about to be inundated with commercials. But I don’t think it will be any worse than the Santorum & Casey campaigns’ media blitz…and I have a cell phone, so no polls for me! Personally, I am excited to have my primary vote count.
In previous primary elections, I feel like I’m the only young people the poll volunteers have seen all day, and my voting number is somewhere in the low teens. Now? All of my friends are talking about the primary. Just yesterday, my 18-year old brother talked to me about voting! [Insert standard talking head comment about young people who talk about the elections but don't actually vote, here.] Maybe I’m just a huge nerd, but I’m kinda excited.
Everyone out there who gets this video - don’t just TALK about voting - go actually do it!
I’m allowing myself to be just a smidge optimistic that we’ll have an impressive younger voter turnout. The Philadelphia Inquirer is already reporting that election boards in the suburbs are straining to catch up to the demand for new registrations. And a little scared: If my peers don’t start to vote, when are people going to take us seriously?
And to complicate things, we’re a little spastic as a state. Pittsburghers and Philadelphians pretty much hate everything about the opposite side of the state; in my experience, Central Pennsylvanians’ loyalties mostly align with the city of their football team. In Harrisburg, you learn a lot about someone by asking if they’re a Steelers or an Eagles fan. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that some are offended by the stereotype; Michael Smerconish’s column in the Philadelphia Daily News embraces it.
March 24 is the last day to register to vote in the April 22 primary.
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