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Campaign Almanac: Democrats launch campaign to boost early voting among Iowa college students
Also, U.S. Chamber of Commerce endorses Ashley Hinson’s re-election
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National Democrats on Wednesday announced a roughly $500,000 ad campaign to boost early voting among college students, including in Iowa.
The Democratic National Committee announced a mid-six figure campaign that includes flyers, posters and ads on buses at nearly 30 college campuses across battleground states and districts, including Iowa State University and Simpson College. It is the latest signal that the party views college students as key to its success this fall.
The campaign will roll out in the presidential battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as Florida, Iowa, New York and Ohio, where there are key congressional races.
Younger voters turned out to the polls in record numbers during the 2020 presidential election, making the difference in key battleground states and helping propel Democratic President Joe Biden to victory over Donald Trump, the former Republican president making another run for the White House.
According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), about 50 percent of eligible voter between the ages 18-29 cast a ballot in 2020, compared to about 39 percent in 2016. Overall, the youth vote accounted for about 17 percent of all votes, up from 16 percent in 2016 — and 61 percent of them voted for Biden.
Gen Z voters — those ages 23 and younger — constituted 8 percent of the electorate in 2020, while Millennials and Gen Xers made up 47 percent of 2020 voters, according to Pew Research Center.
An estimated more than 8 million youth ages 18-19 are aging into the electorate in 2024, joining a diverse and politically active generation that is leading social movements and voting at higher rates than previous generations, according to CIRCLE.
An estimated 41 million members of Gen Z (ages 18-27 in 2024) will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election. Youth voter registration rates have increased since July, but most states were lagging compared with 2020, according to a September CIRCLE report.
The DNC ad directs students to IWillVote.com/IA, where they can find the information on early voting, registering to vote and checking the status of their ballot.
The ads inform students that “freedom is on the ballot” this election and that “Democrats have your back” — from protecting reproductive rights to democracy.
“Young voters have the power to be decisive in Iowa elections and the Democratic Party is the only party championing policies that will build a brighter future for Gen Z,” according to the DNC.
The initiative comes days after the DNC launched its “I Will Vote” Snapchat campaign during the final leg of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.
“Democrats are fighting for students’ freedoms and their futures — from protecting reproductive rights, to fighting for student loan relief, to combating climate change and building a strong economy — so that students can get ahead after graduation,” DNC chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “Young people in Iowa who may be new to voting will be empowered to make their voices heard.”
National chamber group endorses Ashley Hinson
A national business advocacy organization is endorsing Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s re-election campaign to represent northeast Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
The two-term incumbent, who is seeking a third term, faces Cedar Falls Democrat Sarah Corkery and no-party candidate Jody Puffett of Delhi in the Nov. 5 election for Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce made its formal endorsement announcement Wednesday in Cedar Rapids. The chamber previously endorsed Eastern Iowa Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the race to represent Iowa’s 1st Congressional District.
Rodney Davis, head of government affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, praised Hinson's leadership and advocacy for small businesses and tax policies. Davis served five terms in Congress representing central and southwestern Illinois.
Hinson said she will continue pushing for a tax package next year that includes provisions extending 2017 Trump-era tax cuts for small businesses that are set to expire in 2025.
Speaking to The Gazette, Hinson emphasized the importance of extending current tax policies to prevent a tax increase for Iowa families and to support business creation and job growth. Hinson also stressed the need for coupling tax cuts with spending reductions, and providing research and development tax credits for Iowa manufacturers to enhance innovation.
She added she will continue to work to get a bipartisan farm bill across the finish line this year, as well as continue to push legislation to aid federal prosecution of trade-related crimes by Chinese companies.
Companies based in the People’s Republic of China frequently violate U.S. trade laws, including trade fraud, duty evasion and transshipment, which undermine U.S. companies and workers, Hinson said. Despite the large volume of trade crime-related cases, the U.S. Department of Justice lacks the resources to prosecute these crimes, she said.
The legislation, which Hinson co-introduced, cleared the House Judiciary Committee last month. It would establish a new task force within the DOJ’s Criminal Division to detect, investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes “that are truly costing our manufacturers a lot of money,” Hinson said.
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
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