Has all this talk about conventions and candidates and platforms got you hyped for running for class president or the student board?
We asked some political types to give up tips on what would be the best way to get the vote. (Bill Clinton and Bob Dole, take notes!) Here’s the deal:
– Attach yourself to an issue: Being in tune with what kids want is key. Ask them what’s up before you announce your candidacy.
“There’s certainly a range of issues that young people are concerned with, and they don’t always get full attention” says Anne St. Germaine, who works for a public affairs firm in Chicago. She says lots of attention is paid to the problems of drugs and gangs, and other issues get left out.
– Come up with a killer slogan: Grab ’em with a catchy motto, something that will look good on a poster. Political strategist Thomas Serafin suggests picking part of a popular song to include in your campaign slogan. (How about a little Joan Osborne: “(Your name) IS one of us!”)
– Show yourself: Get out and let people know what you’re about and why they should vote for you.
“People want to have a reason, and need a reason, to go out and vote,” St. Germaine says. “And unless you ask people for your vote, what motivation do they have?”
– Grab attention: Be creative when it comes to seeking votes, and don’t limit your search to just the school. St. Germaine says kids react to candidates who have things like ice cream socials and lemonade stands, and who win potential votes at the video arcade, restaurant, movie theaters, zoos and libraries. And things like bicycle parades show creativity.
– Emphasis your assembly hall rap: Strut your stuff on stage, which may be the best time to convince kids you’re the one they want. Serafin says try to be one of the last kids, or the last, to give a speech. That way, kids will remember you most. And get friends to dance and holler on stage, other pals in the audience to cheer and still others to pass out catchy campaign fliers.
– Be real: Don’t sell yourself out or change yourself just to get votes. You’ll be seen as a fake right away.
“The cleaner you are as far as who you are, that’s the better candidacy,” Serafin says. “The more you change to appeal to an audience, the more difficult it is to be consistent.”
– Have fun: You don’t have to be like the serious adults who run for office. If you’re having fun with it, others will pick up on that.
“Because you’ve made it fun, people are more receptive. And at that age, you’ve got to keep people turned on,” Serafin says.
So good luck, have fun and, as they say in MTV-Land, rock the vote!!!
SPEECH! SPEECH!
Paul Kraus, 17, says having the right speech can help you win an election. It helped him: Paul won the right to be the youngest delegate coming to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
Paul is one of 51 delegates from Iowa, and he went through several elections to become one. In his last bid, he gave a speech stressing the values of youth.
Paul tells us his speech said that if Democrats want to have a strong party for years to come, they “need to get youth involved, and this would be one way to show the world the Democratic Party is going to remain (around) for years to come.”
Paul, who lives in Dubuque, also noted how concerns about the environment, social security, welfare and education are going to be pressing upon youth: “So if we don’t deal with them today… then we’re going to have problems in the 21st Century.”
