Midterm Elections 2014: Rock the Vote Pushes 'Care Like Crazy' Voter Registration Campaign for Millennials
Many national organizations has been pushing voter registration among millennials ahead of the midterm elections in November. Rock the Vote launched its national campaign to register youth ahead of Election Day on Nov. 4.
Rock the Vote President Ashley Spillane explained their goal is to engage young people on issues important to them. She noted some issues that have affected the youth include the environment, student loans and women's rights.
"We want to drive this home: If you care like crazy about the issues, turn out and vote for them on Nov. 4," Spillane said in a statement.
Rock the Vote, aims to attract millennials to vote with its "Care Like Crazy" campaign. The "Care Like Crazy" campaign includes a $250,000 paid media campaign running through Election Day on networks and platforms "favored" by millennials. Networks and platforms, according to Rock the Vote, include Comedy Central, Facebook, Hulu, Pandora and YouTube. The campaign includes advertisements across the 50 states for people, including college students, to not only register but also appear on Election Day to the polls.
Rock the Vote noted, "The broadcast media buy will target young people in college towns in North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida, Michigan and Ohio, and the online ads will target young people nationwide."
With the "Care Like Crazy" campaign, the advertisements will include voters speaking directly to the viewer discussing issues that could motivate them to vote. The speaker in the advertisements will attempt to challenge viewers to "channel their passion" on certain topics by voting on Nov. 4.
"These voters express a variety of viewpoints -- indifference about the environment, support for bombings and war, opposition to equality for women, and support of laws that make it harder to vote -- all counter to what young people believe and care about," Rock the Vote stated.
"As politicians fail to address issues young people care about, and some even make it more difficult for them to participate, Rock the Vote wants millennials to understand the power they yield as the largest and most diverse generation in our county's history," Spillane said.
Social media will also play a role in the campaign with "#CareLikeCrazy." The hashtag, in addition to a new website, wants millennials to explain the issues they care about. Artists and celebrities will also be engaged in the discussion to attract the youth's participation.
Rock the Vote's campaign is the latest voter registration effort following the "#PowerOfOurVote" initiative by a coalition of 75 national organizations including Voto Latino, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, League of United Latin American Citizens and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. The campaign coincided with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which started on Sept. 15 and ends on Oct. 15. Two major voter registration dates have occurred with the "#PowerOfOurVote," with a third scheduled on Oct. 15.
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), a fellow partner organization of the "#PowerOfOurVote" campaign, noted the midterms are an important time for Latinos. LCLAA Policy and Advocacy Coordinator Victor Baten told Latin Post that lack of action on immigration reform from Congress and President Barack Obama's immigration executive action delay sparked more focus on voter registration.
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials' estimated more than 7.8 million Latinos will vote in this year's midterm elections, an increase from 6.6 million from the 2010 midterm elections.