National Young Voter Turnout Increases by More than Two Million

[Washington, DC] Young voter turnout surged by at least 2.2 million votes over 2004 levels this election, according to new data released by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

“Across the country, the excitement on college campuses this election cycle was palpable,” said Sujatha Jahagirdar, Program Director with the Student PIRGs New Voters Project. “That enthusiasm spilled into the ballot box this year.”

For the first time, young voter share of the electorate also surpassed that of voters over 65, with young people making up 18 percent of the electorate and those over 65 making up 16 percent.

Several factors - from increased attention paid to young voters by candidates to the proliferation of technology in the lives of young voters to a rise in civic engagement among young people - contributed to this surge.

This year’s youth turnout marks the third significant increase in turnout in as many election cycles. In 2004, turnout rates increased among young voters by 11 percent, nearly three times the rate of the general population. In 2006, youth turnout increased by two million votes, while general turnout increased only slightly.

Young voter outreach efforts employed an array of tactics to mobilize young voters to the polls. On 100 campuses in 17 states, the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project combined old-fashioned pavement pounding with technology to reach the wired world of the young voter.

Students on campuses across the country stormed dorms, invaded classrooms and even staged guerrilla theater performances to urge young voters to the polls. They also employed a cadre of tech tools - from Facebook to ‘text out the vote’ tables to urge their friends to the polls.

“The primary lesson of this election is that when you pay attention to young people, they will turn out on Election Day,” concluded Jahagirdar.

For any additional information, visit www.NewVotersProject.org.

Politicians hardly ever talk about issues that matter to people our age. So many campaign ads are about issues like prescription drugs and Social Security. But there are a lot of important things going on right now that affect our lives - getting a good job, paying for college, protecting the environment, deciding what happens with the war in Iraq. Not all of us have the same opinion on these issues, but right now politicians aren't listening to our opinions at all. And why should they? The fact is that less than half of 18-to-24-year olds vote, compared to 70 percent of older people. Our New Voters Project is working to make politicians pay attention. The best way to do that is to turn out and vote - that's the only thing they listen to, and we know that if we turn out in a big way, we could end the cycle of neglect that exists between politicians and young people.

In 2004 and 2006, PennPIRG and the state PIRGs sponsored the largest youth voter mobilization campaign in history. The New Voters Project registered and turned out young people with peer-to-peer contact-young people asking other young people to vote. We are continuing our efforts at nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaigns focused on 18-to-24-year olds.