Howard Dean Connects With Youth

DENVER --

Elizabeth Cohen & Mallory Jones

Your vote makes a difference. That was the resounding message from former Gov. Howard Dean in his speech to the young delegates at the Democratic National Convention Youth Caucus on Thursday.

"Your generation is going to be the difference between whether we send Barack Obama and Joe Biden to the white house or we don't," Dean said.

According to Dean, young voter turnout increased by 20 percent from the 2000 to 2004 presidential election, but he said the same efforts to get young voters to the polls will not be enough come November.

Dean stressed that along with registering voters, the young delegates need to knock on doors and establish a personal connection with those they meet. He also emphasized the importance of getting young voters to the City Clerk's office to vote before Election Day.

"You don't know that there's not going to be a six hour line at the polls, you don't know that your car's not going to start, you don't know that it's not going to hail or snow or be cold as hell and you won't vote and we're going to lose the election because of that," Dean said.

Dean's goal for the Democratic Party is to get 20 to 30 percent of people voting early, but stressed that the young demographic is the one that is going to remake American and that the party cannot reach that goal without youth support.

"The convention and speeches don't win, Barack Obama doesn't win, I don't win Joe Biden doesn't win, you win. You are the ones that are going to make this happen and it's going to be by registering people to vote and getting to the polls," Dean said.