I was on a radio show the other day talking about the youth voter turnout in the presidential primaries, and the question came up of whether young voters have now "arrived".  There was something that felt odd about it.  Of course I'm glad that young people are finally getting the positive news coverage they deserve about increasing participation in elections.  But why did it feel like it didn't barely begin to describe what we're doing at the League?

I think it's because, despite the name, the League's work is much deeper than voting.  It's about fundamental community change.

That's what I love about the League.  Look, if your goal is just to turn out votes, you focus on the most "likely" voters out there.  That's why most youth voter groups aren't based in "non-traditional" young voter constituencies like we are: non-college youth, youth of color, working class youth, immigrant youth, etc.  Those constituencies are often considered to be the most skeptical about voting, and with some justification -- often having seen "parachute" organizers drop in every four years, promise change, and then disappear.  So what's different about the League?

Young people are smart enough to know that by voting for a presidential candidates, their lives are not going to completely change.  But they understand first-hand that there are major problems all around them: schools, public transit, violence, recreational opportunities, etc.  So when they realize they can actually get someone elected to the school board or city council, and then hold those elected officials accountable to a real agenda, it's a pretty empowering experience.  The word "empowering" gets tossed around a lot, but I'm pretty sure this what it's really about.

And it's been amazing what Leaguers have accomplished -- even in an "off-year" like 2007.  In Milwaukee this year Leaguers helped prevent the school board from approving the use of handcuffs on misbehaving schoolchildren, and lobbied for the passage of a responsible gun ownership law to reduce the number of illegal handguns on the streets.  In Pittsburgh they greatly reduced proposed public transit cuts, restored voting rights for ex-felons who had served their time, and elected progressives to city council (including the first openly-gay city council member in the history of the city).  In Maine they elected a whole slate of progressives to several city offices, and even wrote a ballot measure to have the state help pay student loans for students who stay in college after they graduate, making college more affordable and reducing "brain drain" of the college-educated workforce from the state.  Then they gathered 73,000 signatures to put the measure on the ballot, and lobbied so hard to get it passed that the legislature passed it outright and the governor signed it into law.  Amazing.  And the stories go on like this...

It's really incredible what young informed passionate people can accomplish.  I honestly believe, if we could afford to put the League in every city, it would fundamentally change the country.

That's what we're working towards.  This is a long-term party.  And we only just got to the dance floor.