News
From the Decatur Herald & Review - February 9, 2004
Ron Ingram/Mike FrazierStartup: The Richland Community College Democrats organizational meeting will be 7:30p.m. Monday in Room S133 on campus.
"This is an organization that needs to be put in place in order to balance the scale at Richland," said Ryan Marucco, Young Democrats of Macon County president. "Students should have the option to become active in either party on their campus."
A Richland Republicans group exists with Eric Corman of Decatur as president
The new Democratic organization's faculty adviser will be Vernon Kays, an assistant professor of mathematics, although the group will be run by students.
The Macon County Democratic Party has been built up in the past year with the chartering of the local Young Democrats group along with the Young Democrats of Illinois in March, Marucco said.
County Democratic Chairman Maurice Doyle said the county party has seen a tremendous increase in interest, with 66 candidates filing to run for precinct committeeman in the March 16 election.
"The buildup of youth organizations is another example of this increase, and the Macon County Democraitc Central Committee is in strong support of the Young Democrats and the Richland Democrats," Doyle said.
Young Republicans, Democrats prepare for 2004 primary, general electionsBy RON INGRAM -- H&R Staff Writer
December 22, 2003
DECATUR -- Young people involved in Macon County political groups are preparing for 2004 with the goal of getting more people ages 18 to 30 involved in working for candidates for the March 16 primary and Nov. 2 general elections.
It's a tough task.
A national study found 26.9 million, or 59.9 percent, of U.S. citizens ages 18 to 25 were registered for the 2000 presidential election, but only 42.4 percent of them cast a ballot.
That compares with 166.8 million, or 78.4 percent, of citizens over age 25 who claimed to be registered to vote, of which 66.4 percent cast a ballot, according to data from the Center for Information and Research in Civic Learning
and Engagement based at the University of Maryland School of Public Affairs.
Decatur-area young people are interested in the coming political season not only because it is a presidential election year but also because they want to make a difference for candidates running for state and county offices.
"Some young people don't want to declare their party allegiances," said Ed Leonard, 23, of Niantic, a Macon County Young Democrat. "They see problems at the national level with Democrats and Republicans and may not understand they have local issues to deal with."
Young Democrats Secretary Grant Vaught, 19, of Niantic said while the group has only about 10 or 12 members, it is not striving to grow that membership list, yet.
"Youth are pretty cynical toward politics and politicians," Vaught said. "We who are involved have to talk to them. People like Maury Doyle (county Democratic chairman) can do it but there is no connection. But if I do it, I can make a connection."
Eric Corman, 26, of Decatur, Macon County Young Republicans president, said the 12 to 15 people who belong to the organization are very active and range in age from 18 to about 30.
"We'll do whatever for whoever," Corman said. "We've been gaining members lately but this will be a presidential year. Things will gain some steam this summer. We try to reach out to people who want to be active."
Corman said he got his start in GOP politics in the Richland Community College Republicans and has worked in the campaigns of state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth; former state Sen. N. Duane Noland, R-Blue Mound; and state Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville.
William Dougherty, 19, president of the Richland Republicans, said his group will be inviting candidates to campus next year to discuss their views with students.
"Young people have a lower voter turnout than other age demographics," Dougherty said. "It shows a dissatisfaction with what's happening."
Young Democrat Daniel Lightner, 32, Oreana mayor, said young people just out of collage are yearning for something in which to be involved.
"If you get them involved in the process to make your community a better place to live, they will bubble up to county and state involvement."
Ron Ingram can be reached at 421-7973.
Macon County Young Democrats Chartered
For Immediate Release - March 3, 2003
For the first time in decades, Macon County has a chartered Young Democrats organization. Chairman Maurice Doyle of the Macon County Democrats sent two delegates, Grant Vaught and Ryan Marucco, to the Young Democrats of Illinois state convention on March 1st. This began the formation of the rebirth of the Young Democrats of Macon County.
At the convention, delegates from across the state were shown how to organize locally and gain membership. Such efforts are being made by the Illinois Democratic Party to attract new and young members to its organization. The keynote speakers included Secretary of State Jesse White and United States Senate candidate Blair Hull of Chicago.
On Saturday, the delegates elected statewide officers to lead the Young Democrats of Illinois. Ryan Marucco, a former candidate for Macon County Board and a resident of Long Creek Township was elected 3rd Vice-Chairman of the statewide organization. The main responsibility of this position is to work hand-in-hand with the College Democrats organizations at colleges and universities across the state.
''We are very excited about the opportunities we have in Illinois and Macon County,'' says Marucco. ''Over the coming months, Grant Vaught and myself, along with Macon County Democrats Chairman Maurice Doyle and a few others will be getting this organization off the ground locally. We welcome all who are age 16-35 to join this organization and experience the many opportunites that the political system offers.'' Those who are interested in joining can contact the Macon County Democrats at http://www.il-democrats.org/macon.-30-
