News
Youth turnout climbs in ‘08 election
JEFF SCHORFHEIDE/Herald photo
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Jessi Polsky:
- Youth turnout climbs in '08 election (November 6, 2008)
- Democrats pick up control in state Assembly (November 5, 2008)
- Beyond our borders (October 29, 2008)
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
Anxious students across the country erupted with cheers of “Yes, we did!” and “Goodbye, Bush!” when CNN called the election in favor of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama last night.
The setting was similar on many campuses — thousands of students rushed through university towns and held impromptu parties to celebrate the Democratic victory.
According to exit polls, the countless celebrity public service announcements and proliferation of “Get out the Vote” campaigns at colleges and universities nationwide worked, with more youth voting in this election than in 2004.
The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement estimates 49.3 to 54.5 percent of eligible 18- to 29-year-olds voted in the 2008 election, up at least 2.2 million from the previous presidential election cycle. Between 2000 and 2008, the increase in youth turnout is 8 to 13 percentage points, according to a CIRCLE poll released Wednesday.
Indiana University senior Jason Harris said throngs of students went out into Bloomington, Ind. celebrate after McCain’s concession speech.
“There was a huge procession and a parade; they were completely unexpected,” Harris said. “People were dancing around, and some guy was playing the bongo drums.”
The crowd started small yet quickly grew to several hundred, Harris said.
“It was one of the more insane experiences I’ve ever had, just because it was impromptu,” he added.
And just like IU, hoards took it to the streets to cheer on Obama’s victory in downtown Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of Michigan sophomore Andrew Dickson said about 1,500 students marched down Main and State streets there chanting and reveling in the Democratic win.
The spur of the moment celebrations, Dickson said, shows how important the elections and political process are to America’s youth.
“It was a time to take a stand,” Dickson said. “I think it shows the excitement that the youth has about this upcoming administration.”
University of Wisconsin political science professor Charles Franklin said youth came out to vote in such high numbers for two reasons.
College-age students were in middle school when President George W. Bush was elected and are unlikely to have memories of participating in the political process during any other administration, he said.
“This is the first participation of people in this age group, and in a situation where George Bush is suffering from a very low approval rating,” Franklin said. “I think that the situation is probably the first and simplest explanation for the turnout.”
Franklin also cited Obama’s appeal as a transitional figure and an individual who represents and embodies change as reason for increased youth participation.
Harris said the massive youth turnout at the polls proves young Americans believe they can impact this country.
“It is very clear that the youth vote does matter, that students do care,” Harris said. “And when the youth started to believe that the youth vote does matter, they voted.”
4 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
It’s amusing how this was not the scene in 2000 or 2004 for our worst president ever.
Jason
Voter turnout was low for both the republican and democrat candidate.
This election had the largest turnout effort in history.
http://nomedals.blogspot.com
Eh. The youth vote went from 17% of the electorate to a whopping 18%. Maybe that’ll teach all you people out on Library Mall to yell at me for months to register and vote.
Hi Jessi, interesting post. Do you think the Obama result has vindicated the role of twitter, mobile marketing and other social media as a mainstream medium in influencing young consumers? Whilst it’s useful to talk of Social Media having played a key role in his success does that also make trad media defunct? What of Ron Paul? Despite his huge groundswell of Social Media, it was very much traditional media (eg Fox & O’Reilly) that put pay to his efforts, dont you think?