Do's and Don'ts | Reach Young Voters | Toolkit Overview

Outlined below are some "Do's and Don'ts" based on what young adults have repeatedly told us about how they feel regarding their interactions with candidates.

Although some of these may seem obvious to you, they were important to the participants in our focus groups and so should be kept in mind when reaching out to young adults.

Do's and Don'ts are divided into five sections.

	Access and approach

	Style

	Issues, credibility, positions

	Media and materials

	Youth outreach

Access and approach

	Do: Visit them on their turf—and listen to them. Young adults want politicians to see how they live and to understand their problems. Go where they spend their time—campuses, jobs, community centers, youth service programs, churches, recreation leagues, etc. Don't: Show up just for a photo op. Most young adults say that candidates visit schools because it will look good for the cameras and win parents' votes—not because candidates are interested in what young voters have to say.
	Do: Go out of your way to be accessible. Invest time and effort in your contacts with young adults. Have your campaign set up and participate in youth- and community-events, such as a youth-sponsored debate where candidates respond to young adults' concerns. Hold campaign events in places where young adults gather. Don't: Think that a few K-12 school visits alone will impress them.
	Do: Remain available and open to young voters throughout your time in office. Pledge to stay in touch with open office hours or town hall meetings when you're elected. That kind of commitment will add to your credibility. Don't: Disappear once you are in office—it will only reinforce their misgivings about whether politicians can be trusted. Back to top

Style

	Do: Deal with young adults in a personal way; talk with young adults one-on-one, and be yourself. Don't: Try to be "hip." Young adults want honesty and authenticity; they can quickly detect when a candidate is fake or patronizing.
	Do: Be straightforward and honest. Young adults would rather have a political candidate who can admit mistakes than one who misleads them. Be honest about what can and cannot be accomplished. When you're unsure about something, say so. Don't: Pretend to have all the answers or try to cover-up past mistakes. Back to top

Issues, credibility, positions

	Do: Highlight your volunteer work, community service and involvement with charitable causes and issues before first running for office. Share your own personal experience and commitment on the issues—especially on issues of concern to young adults. Don't: Think statements of good intentions alone are credible. Candidates need to demonstrate commitment to community service prior to their candidacy for young adults to believe that they will live up to promises once in office. Don't stop mentioning your early community service, even if you've been in office a while.
	Do: Show examples where you've gotten something done and made things change in your local community. Young adults are skeptical about politics making a difference and need concrete examples. Demonstrate ability to be both inclusive and effective at getting things done. Don't: Rely on broad policy statements when you can talk in terms of specific improvements in the local community that can result from the policies you advocate. Back to top

Media and materials

	Do: Make it easy for young adults to find out about the campaign and understand your positions. Web sites and campaign literature should include detailed information on your background, specific issue positions, and substantive accomplishments. Let young adults know how to learn more about you, how to get involved in the campaign, and how to register and vote. Don't: Treat young adults as uninterested or ignorant. Don't limit access to information about you, your positions or your supporters—transparency is credibility.
	Do: Involve and use younger spokespeople in reaching out to young adults. Peers and young community leaders are credible spokespeople and are good liaisons to young adults and their organizations. Don't: Fail to utilize young campaign staff or younger representatives from supportive organizations (e.g., Young Republicans or Young Democrats) as surrogate speakers. Back to top

Youth outreach

	Do: Highlight the power of young adults as a voting bloc—demonstrating that young voters are important and can have a voice in your campaign. Show that you believe that the youth electorate can make a difference. Don't: Merely recite that young voters are important in a perfunctory way—own the idea.
	Do: Ask for their vote. Young adults generally aren't asked to vote, so they don't. They also want to be taken and treated seriously. It matters to them to be asked and it will work for you. Don't: Ignore or dismiss young adults. They can make a difference—especially in a close election. Back to top