“Rock the Caucus” Youth Turnout Campaign Culminates with Afterschool Parties on January 3rd

What: Rock the Vote’s Rock the Caucus program aims to increase turnout to the Iowa caucuses among Iowa’s youngest voters –17- and 18-year old high school seniors– a key subset of the under-30 “youth vote,” a group much-coveted by the 2008 presidential campaigns. Young voter turnout in on an upward trend nationwide; by mobilizing youth in the first-in-the-nation caucus, RTV will help ensure that momentum continues in the 2008 election cycle.

On January 3rd, Rock the Caucus culminates with afterschool parties at two of Des Moines’ largest high schools. The parties will be a mix of voter education and entertainment, each with a D.J., a crew filming student PSAs, Guitar Heroes stations, a “make your own” Rock the Vote poster station, a raffle and prizes, a system for ensuring each attendee knows his or her caucus location, and Student Caucus Captains to lead students to their caucuses at the end of the party.

Action to Date: Since the launch of RTC this fall, RTV has reached more than 1,300 Iowa high school students through class assemblies and mock caucuses, and another 14,000 through online outreach on Facebook and the RTC website, generating thousands of pledges to caucus. In the days remaining until the caucuses, RTV is following up with these voters via email, in person, and with a public service campaign to remind them to get out to caucus on the 3rd.


See It: To get a sense of young voters’ excitement around the caucuses, check out our Facebook Event Page, where more than 6,600 young Iowans have RSVP’d to caucus and hundreds are posting thoughts, videos, and links about the candidates and the issues daily.


Watch It: Check out the blog at www.RockTheCaucus.com to see video of young voters talking about what issues are important to them and why it’s important to caucus on the 3rd.


Where and When:


The Rock the Caucus parties are on January 3, 2008 from 3:30-5:30pm at:


West Des Moines Valley High School
3650 Woodland Avenue, West Des Moines
Phone: 515-633-4000
Party Location: Cafeteria
RTV Contacts: Ami Vitori, Kelly Fogel
High School Contact: Aiddy Phomvisay


Abraham Lincoln High School
2600 SW 9th Street, Des Moines
Phone: 515-242-7500
Party Location: Auditorium
RTV Contacts: Lindsey Berman, Milagros Hill
High School Contact: Scott Harrison
Media Contact: Kat Barr, kat(at)rockthevote.com.


About Rock the Vote

Rock the Vote’s mission is to build the political clout and engagement of young people in order to achieve progressive change in our country. Rock the Vote uses music, popular culture and new technologies to engage and incite young people to register and vote in every election. And we give young people the tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives, and leverage their power in the political process. www.rockthevote.org.


Rock the Caucus is a joint nonpartisan program of Rock the Vote, Iowa PIRG’s New Voters Project, and the Iowa Secretary of State Michael A. Mauro that encourages young voter participation in the 2008 Iowa presidential caucuses. Both the Iowa Democratic and Republican parties have endorsed the program. www.RockTheCaucus.com