Obama's General Election Plan: Sign Up Voters

Barack's massive registration drive could 'change the math'

By Sam Gale Rosen, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 2, 2008 2:34 PM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama's general-election strategy is to rejigger the electorate in his favor by signing up massive numbers of new voters—mainly young and African-American voters. Suspicious Dems point out that a similar effort failed John Kerry in 2004, but, reports Politico, there's legitimate reason to think Obama might be able to pull it off.

Unlike past candidates who promised to get out the African-American and youth votes, Obama is actually succeeding—one aide points to voter-registration efforts in South Carolina that were "such a big part of getting us to that 28-point margin of victory." The campaign plans to replicate those efforts in "every state where there's large pockets of under-35s and African-Americans."

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., smiles as he shakes hands after speaking at a town hall meeting at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Tuesday, April 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., shakes hands over a fence with the overflow crowd, Tuesday, April 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a town hall meeting at the Dunmore Community Center in Scranton, Pa., Tuesday, April 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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McCain's GOP support grows even as Clinton, Obama numbers split

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • African-American voters • minority vote • young voters • voter registration • Project Vote

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

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More Newser Stories

Early Voting Law May Help Obama in Ohio

One-step voting window could boost youth turnout

Housing Bill Funds Democratic Ally

Group sets out to register the poor

Dem Fight Risks Fracturing Party's Base

McCain's GOP support grows even as Clinton, Obama numbers split

Hispanic, Black Nevadans Split Over Dems

Latinos went for Hillary, blacks backed Barack

Democrats Lead the Way in Voter Registration

Obama's 2008 effort gives party an edge in 2010 Senate races

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Newser By Users

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