Youth Movement at the Polls --WaPo

[Demeter]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111100954.html?referrer=email


By Zachary A. Goldfarb and Peter Slevin
Sunday, November 12, 2006; Page A05


Two million more people under the age of 30 voted in the midterm elections than in 2002, according to an analysis by the University of Maryland's Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement...Twenty-four percent of those 18 to 29 who were eligible voted, the center concluded, up from 20 percent in 2002. The increase is the largest ever among young voters for midterm elections, and it dwarfed the 1 percent rise among the electorate overall from 2002 to 2006.
Turnout more than doubled in 36 precincts where nonpartisan young-voter groups focused their get-out-the-vote efforts. "It's a pretty strong statement," said Heather Smith, director of Young Voter Strategies.

Smith's nonpartisan group, based at George Washington University, delivered grants to organizations that registered 500,000 voters this year. The groups found that peer-to-peer efforts, rather than telephone calls or mail, are particularly successful in getting young people to vote.

Exit poll data from the elections suggested that the increase in youth turnout aided Democrats in capturing control of Congress. In House races, young people formed the most supportive age group, with 61 percent voting Democratic.

In 2004, young-voter turnout substantially increased, and the 18-to-29 age group strongly supported the presidential candidacy of Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.). This year's findings have raised hopes among Democrats that this is a voting bloc poised to vote for their party for years to come.

[Hav]

1. .

That's interesting, especially the margin and gives hope for 2008 that they will do their part to counter the masses of Evangelicals.

[Stevepol]

4. There are no masses of Evangelicals: that's a DRE illusion.

Once the vote count is fairly done, these masses of Evangelicals will disappear. They only exist in the fraudulent programs of the electronic voting machines.

[orpupilofnature57]

2. If the Youth of this country realized what Shrub was not planning for Their

future, he would have never been.

[devinsgram]

3. I'm glad to hear this news,

after all they are the ones who will have to bear the responsibility of paying for all the billions of dollars that monkey man is spending right now. Evidently they are not to happy with the course the country is taking at this moment and they realize it is up to them to change the course of we our to survive. I for one applaud them.:headbang: :headbang: :applause: :applause:

[Demit]

5. I'd like to be applauding more than 24% of them :)

What a woeful number of people who don't vote in this country. There's a lot more work to be done in raising that number.

[Skittles]

7. I am with you there

I am terribly impressed with our youngsters on DU - they give me hope; yes INDEED

[roseBudd]

6. Cokie Roberts said today that 2 consecutive election cycles among young voters means they are likely

to consider themselves Ds forever!