Latest Poll From Abc. Bush 47, Kerry 31, Nader 7
Analysis
By Dalia Sussman
March 15— Memo to parents and teachers: If you want to turn today's kids into tomorrow's voters, just talk with them about politics.
Memo to George W. Bush: If you want to ease your way to re-election, cut the voting age to 12.
So says the latest ABCNEWS/Weekly Reader poll measuring political views among 12- to 17-year-olds. First, it finds less political discussion than you might expect: Fewer than half of teens, 47 percent, say they've talked about politics and the 2004 election with their parents. Hardly more, 54 percent of teens, have covered it in class at school.
It makes a big difference. Among kids who've discussed the election with their parents, more than three-quarters are interested in it, and even more — nine in 10 — plan on voting all or most of the time when they're old enough. Kids who haven't discussed the election with their parents are much less interested in it (46 percent) and less likely to plan to vote.
Having class discussions about politics boosts interest and anticipated participation in elections as well — but the effect is not quite as great as having discussed it at home.
Vote
Then there's the question of vote preferences — a more fanciful one, since the voting age is 18. In this poll 47 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds say they'd vote for George W. Bush if the election were today, 31 percent for John Kerry, and seven percent for Ralph Nader.
That's better for Bush and much worse for Kerry than in the most recent ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll of adult registered voters: In a comparable three-way matchup, Bush had 44 percent support, Kerry 48 percent and Nader three percent. (Three percent of adults, compared with 14 percent of teens, had no preference.)
Bush does six points better with 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds than with older teens, but leads Kerry by significant margins in both groups. The president might want to consider lending his support to legislation currently before the California legislature: It proposes giving 14-year-olds one-quarter of a vote and 16-year-olds one-half a vote.
Teens and Politics
Talk about politics with parents Don't talk about it with parents
Interested in this year's election 74% 46
Plan to vote all or most of the time 91 67
__________________
before you dismiss the poll, i have found in these polls the kids are accurately reflecting what the parents are saying at home
ABC NEWS!! youth vote. 47bush, 31kerry, 7 nader
Moderator: S2k Moderators
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests