Election season is in full swing. Debates, brainstorming and fundraising flood news stories, even though the presidential election isn’t until Nov. 4, 2008. Of course, a central theme to Election 2008 will be getting young people to vote.

Usually, 18 to 24-year-olds are a target, but anyone under 30 should be the main target. We will hear the same embarrassing slogans of “vote or die” and “this election matters,” blah, blah, blah.

Unfortunately, it won’t work. The lowest voter turnout rates are always among 18 to 30-year-olds, with the lowest being 18-24.

Voter turnout in general in America is embarrassing; it is only more shameful that the population group that arguably has the most at stake in any given election would rather play SOCOM or vote for the next terrible American Idol.

I will give people the benefit of the doubt; it isn’t always easy to find time to vote. One can vote on only one day, during certain hours, there may not be a convenient polling place and it is usually a hassle to get work or school off to vote, which is the main reason why registered voters didn’t vote in 2004. According to the U.S. Census Bureau (even though by law your employer must give you time off to vote).

Furthermore, American politics is corrupted by money (what’s new?), voter fraud (Bush 2000 and 2004), the destruction of our Constitution (by Bush), the lack of courage in Congress to stand up to the Bush Administration and impeach him and Cheney and the terrible coverage by the media that typically only covers stories of sensation and rarely give more than a minute of information about a candidate or issue. Campaign ads are aired with nauseating repetition until you finally just want to give in and vote for or against whatever way the ad is telling you.

Part of me understands why people, especially young people, don’t vote. The other part of me wants to violently shake them until they do vote. Recently, a friend of mine who never votes told me that Bush being elected had absolutely no affect on him and that his single vote doesn’t matter; he has a good job, a good life, et cetera. That is interesting, as his brother spent more than a year in Iraq, narrowly missed a roadside bomb attack, and he says he doesn’t care, it doesn’t matter.

What is wrong with people? It doesn’t matter where one lives; everything elected officials do affects us. Whether it’s war, gas prices, home prices, crime or health care. How can anyone say, “It doesn’t matter, I am not affected”?

While there is no panacea for these problems, there are some helpful things that can be done. Federal and state election days need to be made national and state holidays. Non-state or non-federal businesses and schools should be encouraged close their doors during Election Day. Modern American politics are all about the money. If you have the most, you will win?unless you are Ross Perot. Campaigns need to be publicly financed. This would mean increasing taxes, but it is completely worth it to know a candidate is truly responsive to the electorate and to Exxon.

In the meantime, individual citizens can find out more about candidates, their voting records and where they get their money from a variety of sources. Votesmart.org has voting records, interest group ratings, speeches, campaign finance and biographical information for every state and national elected official. Maplight.org has campaign financing information including how much money certain interest groups spent on bills, how much money they gave to elected officials and how that elected official voted on the bill nationally and in California. People should register as absentee voters – this way your ballot is mailed to you and you simply mail your results back.

As for those young people who don’t care, I’m not sure what can be done. One either realizes what is important now, later or never. Does one vote make a difference? Yes, it does, in that one person, for better or for worse, is trying to make a difference. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain and if you don’t complain, you’re an idiot.

Scott Allen can be reached at [email protected]