In their voting decisions, young voters rely much more on serious "hard" qualities.   Young adults are similar to older adults when evaluating candidates. They are most interested in what a candidate believes and how effective he or she has been in the past. Young adults say candidates' issue stands are the most important factor in their voting decisions. Record and experience follow second, and the character of the candidate ranks close behind. Contrary to conventional wisdom, young voters rely mainly on these serious, "hard" qualities, such as your stand on issues and your record and experience, than on "soft" qualities, such as your appearance, style and manner.   Young voters do make their voting decisions differently than older voters with respect to party. Because they are more independent and less partisan and ideological than older voters, they are less likely to base their vote on party affiliation.   Following are the three top things young adults consider in their voting decisions.   Your positions on issues—The most important factor is a candidate's stand on issues. Most young adults are eager for information about issues, especially as they affect their community. Like all voters, they want candidates to explain the issues in ways relevant to their lives. A potentially effective way to communicate with them is by sending them opt-in emails with your issue positions. There is also evidence they will work for your campaign if you engage them on issues about which they care.   Your experience and record—A candidate's experience and record of public service are also very important to young voters. Of special significance to them are your non-political activities, volunteer service and community involvement -- especially when you have crossed party lines to do it. This reflects their own experience volunteering and can help your credibility. Even if you've been in office a while, your earlier volunteer service remains a touchstone for young voters.   Your character—Young voters give great weight to a candidate's character in deciding their vote. They are looking for candidates who are straightforward, honest, and authentic—and who can admit mistakes. They want candidates who can be honest about what can and cannot be accomplished, and have the self-confidence to say so. The lesson here is that you don't have to try to be hip and cool -- you can just be yourself.