09.21.2004 5:22 PM EDT
Drew Barrymore noticed a problem.
A mere 36 percent of eligible 18- to 24-year-olds punched their ticket at the polls in the last presidential election. Since getting the voting age lowered to 18 in 1972, young people have been increasingly less interested in showing up on Election Day.
In an effort to understand and unravel the issues of low voter turnout, Barrymore set out across the Unites States in hopes of learning more about the electoral process and efforts to get young people involved in democracy. From her home in Los Angeles to stops in New York; Washington, D.C.; Selma, Alabama; and a handful of other towns, Barrymore sought to learn why so many kids have a hard time connecting with politics.
Along the way, she listened to the insights of everyone from Fat Mike of punk group NOFX to former Christian Coalition Director Ralph Reed to the citizens of Selma, who marched and lived through this country's greatest struggle for equal rights.
Tune in to MTV Tuesday at 10:30 p.m. to see her journey in "The Best Place to Start." And don't forget to register to vote. In many states, there are less than 10 days left to register.
—MTV News Staff Report
Is it me or is this "crisis" of younger people not voting a completely manufactured crisis?
Sounds to me like the Dems are looking for a repeat of last election and trying their best to get 538 votes someplace.