“Pay attention and vote” is the message of a new campaign from the Advertising Council, a nonprofit organization based out of New York and Washington, D.C., that aims to raise awareness about the upcoming midterm elections among young adults.

With only 26 days remaining before the elections on Nov. 7, the race is on to encourage citizens to register to vote.

Campaigns are in place, nationally and locally, to increase voter participation among 18- to 24-year-olds, the largest group of non-voters in America, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Less than one in five citizens in this age bracket voted in the last midterm election in 2002, versus more than half of those aged 25 and older.

“Young adults have the opportunity to cast nearly 43 million ballots during this midterm election, yet many don’t realize how easy it is to register, get information about the candidates and vote,” said Polli Brunelli, director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, in a written statement. The program is an agency dedicated to providing U.S. citizens with nonpartisan information to encourage participation in the democratic process.

“Young voter turnout has lagged for the past 35 years,” Brunelli said. “But young adults have the ability to make a dramatic difference in 2006 by showing up at the polls and casting their ballots.”

The “Pay Attention and Vote” campaign intends to get young people to the polls through a series of comedic public service advertisements, which illustrate the potential consequences of not voting.

“If you’re not voting, then who are you electing?” the ads ask. The ads are followed by political advertising for mock candidates, such as “Spoiled Yappy Dog” and “Frozen Peas,” among others.

“Young adults need to realize that their votes matter in every single election,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Advertising Council, in a written statement. “This campaign tells them to have an opinion and get out to vote.”

Barbara O’Connor, a Sacramento State communications studies professor, said many factors contribute to low young-voter turnout in the campus environment.

The common belief among students that they don’t know enough about policies and issues is a huge factor, O’Connor said. Mobile college populations and a lack of voting booths on campus are also factors, she said. But, she added, with Sac State’s close proximity to the state Capitol, there’s no excuse to not be engaged.

“Most of the policies really do dramatically affect students,” O’Connor said. “Quality and accessibility of education, student fees, light rail initiatives and global warming are just some of the issues.”

The importance of voting this year cannot be underestimated, said Steven Maviglio, a political communications professor at Sac State.

“Every election is important,” said Maviglio, who has been a political strategist in many political campaigns and is currently the deputy chief of staff for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. “But this year is a watershed year in California politics. There’s a lot at stake.”

It’s important for students to vote in the midterm elections, Maviglio added, because there are many issues that are directly related to them.

“State issues are sometimes more important than general issues,” Maviglio said.

He added that Sac State fee increases will be tied to the outcome of this election, for one gubernatorial candidate, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, says he will support fee increases while the other, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, says he won’t.

Colby Moss, a sophomore in communications, is registered and will vote through an absentee ballot come November. He said that family, low voter turnout among the student population and a social responsibility motivated him to cast his vote.

“As part of society, you sign a social contract,” Moss said. “Therefore, you are responsible for giving your input.”

The upcoming midterm elections, which fall between presidential elections, will select 435 members of the U.S House of Representatives, 33 of the 100 members of the U.S. Senate, 36 of the 50 state governors and various local public offices at the county and city levels.

To become a registered voter in California, a person must be a U.S. citizen, can only be registered to vote in one place at one time and must register by the Oct. 23 deadline. National voter registration forms can be downloaded from the “Pay Attention and Vote” website at www.payattention.org.

Megan Chuchmach can be reached at [email protected]