Young Americans, internet impact may sway voter sentiment in US election
By Augustine Anthuvan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 15 October 2008 0332 hrs

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	Special Report • US Presidential Elections 2008

SINGAPORE: US Republican presidential candidate John McCain is struggling to figure out the best response to the economic crisis, observers said.

Despite suggesting a number of proposals over the last few weeks, none of them appears to have gone down well with the public.

The polls show voters trust rival Barack Obama more on the economy and with election just three weeks away, the Democratic nominee has been gaining in national and battleground state polls.

Echoing similar concerns at a public forum organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, analysts took it a step further - citing the impact of young voters and the use of the internet as key factors that might just sway voter sentiment.

It is being called one of the most exciting US presidential elections in living memory. One factor is the impact of a large number of young first-time voters. There are increasing signs that more young Americans are interested in politics.

Mr Daniel Shields, Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy to Singapore, said: "The 2008 election will see more eligible voters under the age of 25 than previous elections due to a boom in the birth rate in the United States that began in 1989.

"This makes a large group of potential voters eligible to cast ballots for the first time in the 2008 elections, given that the voting age in the United States is eighteen.

"An example of this phenomenon is a website called www.18in08.com. This was started by a group of young people who wanted to encourage their peers to participate in this crucial election year.

"On the website, one can take steps to register to vote, compare presidential candidates and their views, listen to podcasts, vote in polls, discuss politics with other young people interested in the elections."

Some analysts call it a watershed election.

Mr John Wolf, President of Eisenhower Fellows (USA), said: "I heard a Republican strategist who came to political maturity when Ronald Reagan was elected in 1980 and he said that at that time there is a very unpopular President - President Carter.

"And all of the activists who worked for President Reagan then stayed with the Republican party throughout their political lives. I think you have the same potential in this election.

"Young people are going out and they are working in great numbers for Senator Obama. If he is elected and if they then stay engaged in politics, it is very possible that the Democratic party would be able to fuse this group as Democrats for much of their political lives.

"So I think there is real potential that this could be a watershed when you look at people 18 to 25 to whom Senator Obama has been appealing."

Some observers say Senator McCain has not had nearly the success with this group of young voters.

Mr Shields said: "This year, Senator Obama in particular has attracted waves of newly-registered young voters. Traditionally, young voters have not always shown up at the polls on Election Day, so we will have to wait until November 4 to know if this year will be different."

The other factor is internet-driven targeted campaigning.

Mr Steve Okun, Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, said: "It can find out what issues is driving them, it can find out how they feel and then they can use the internet to target voters in trying to get them to come out to the polls to vote for them on election day.

"So that's one of the things that the internet is doing. The second one is it allows the campaigns to by-pass the main stream media."

While the internet is profoundly changing campaigns and also changing the way messages reach people, it still does not replace good old fashioned door-to-door campaigning.

Regardless who wins the election, one thing is certain. Thanks to new media technologies like the internet and even the SMS, it is allowing millions of American voters in the United States and around the world, including Singapore, to have their voices heard.

This, analysts say, is leading to a true democratisation of the process. All that is left to be seen is to watch and wait for the results to unfold on November 4. - CNA/de