This coming presidential election will be the first I get to vote in. I missed in 2006 by just five days. That year, youth voter turnout set a 20 year high of 24% turnout. Still dismally low, though, especially considering how little time it takes to vote. But for 2008, and in what plenty of pundits have been calling "the most important election of our time." (Opposing viewpoint, every election is the most important election of our generation)
The big story of the Iowa caucus has been voter turnout. 239,000 Democrats turned out to caucus, compared to 2004's 124,000. While total turnout doubled, turnout growth in the demographic that drove Obama to his win, the under 30 set, was even higher.
The youth turnout rate went from 4% in 2004, to 13% yesterday, a total of 65,230. Caucusing takes several hours of standing and moving around a room, which is why turnout for a caucus is always lower than for a normal election.
And in a sign that this still mostly tuned out demographic commands serious political power, young voters supported both Obama and Huckabee by the largest margins, with 57% of young caucus goers supporting Obama.
I thought I had had it figured out. Young people didn't vote because they were disgusted with the political process, and when prompted with all bad choices, chose to tune out. But if a candidate can come up with a message promising change, and can do it with the charisma to command attention, kids might tune back in. Is Obama that candidate?
There's still a long election season ahead, and the final answer won't come until November 2008.
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Thoughts? Corrections? Let me know at albert [at] albertsun.info