Young voters turnout
By: Rochelle McConkie
Issue date: 2/7/08 Section: News
More than three million young people voted in this week's Super Tuesday presidential primary, representing a surge in participation for people younger than 30, voting experts said.
Ian Vilisoni Palu, a sophomore in geography education, said this election represents a new beginning for young voters.
"It's the first time in nearly a decade that there is a real open field of candidates," Palu said. "There's a grasp at a fresh start -- we are ready to step into the world stage and we need someone fresh."
More than 66,000 college-age voters participated in the Utah primary, representing 15 percent of eligible Utahns. Of those young voters, 88 percent who voted in the Republican primary went for Mitt Romney and 70 percent who voted in the Democratic primary went for Barack Obama.
Emily Kirby, senior research assistant for The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, said she can't say whether there was an increase in youth voting for Utah because there weren't exit polls done in the 2000 and 2004 elections, but in seven of the eight states that CIRCLE can track, youth participation experienced major growth.
"In most states, we saw rates double or triple," Kirby said. "In Tennessee, it quadrupled."
There was a decline in youth voting from 1972 to 2000, excluding the 1994 elections, Kirby said, but she saw a change in youth participation in 2004.
Kirby attributes this year's increase to the prominence of student and youth-related issues, candidates reaching out to young people and engaging them in their campaigns, non-partisan groups encouraging youth to vote and making it easier to vote, and peer-to-peer canvassing among youth.
"The issues tend to be issues that really affect young people's lives," Kirby said, noting the war in Iraq, job creation and outsourcing, the economy and the cost of higher education as top concerns.
Bryson Morgan, a recent U graduate and staffer at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, said young voters want change the most and are "extremely idealistic." Morgan said youth voters tend to vote democratic and are more connected with candidates such as Obama.
Ian Vilisoni Palu, a sophomore in geography education, said this election represents a new beginning for young voters.
"It's the first time in nearly a decade that there is a real open field of candidates," Palu said. "There's a grasp at a fresh start -- we are ready to step into the world stage and we need someone fresh."
More than 66,000 college-age voters participated in the Utah primary, representing 15 percent of eligible Utahns. Of those young voters, 88 percent who voted in the Republican primary went for Mitt Romney and 70 percent who voted in the Democratic primary went for Barack Obama.
Emily Kirby, senior research assistant for The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, said she can't say whether there was an increase in youth voting for Utah because there weren't exit polls done in the 2000 and 2004 elections, but in seven of the eight states that CIRCLE can track, youth participation experienced major growth.
"In most states, we saw rates double or triple," Kirby said. "In Tennessee, it quadrupled."
There was a decline in youth voting from 1972 to 2000, excluding the 1994 elections, Kirby said, but she saw a change in youth participation in 2004.
Kirby attributes this year's increase to the prominence of student and youth-related issues, candidates reaching out to young people and engaging them in their campaigns, non-partisan groups encouraging youth to vote and making it easier to vote, and peer-to-peer canvassing among youth.
"The issues tend to be issues that really affect young people's lives," Kirby said, noting the war in Iraq, job creation and outsourcing, the economy and the cost of higher education as top concerns.
Bryson Morgan, a recent U graduate and staffer at the Hinckley Institute of Politics, said young voters want change the most and are "extremely idealistic." Morgan said youth voters tend to vote democratic and are more connected with candidates such as Obama.
Be the first to comment on this story