Primary coverage: election 2008 | As Super Tuesday approaches, young voters show an increased turn out in the polls, resulting in a new age of elections

By: Stephanie Musat

Posted: 1/29/08

The numbers are striking.

So far in the 2008 election season, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have already made their presence known in the polls.

In the New Hampshire primary Jan. 8, 18 percent of voters were between the ages of 18 and 29, up from 14 percent in 2004. The youth vote in the Iowa caucus Jan. 3 increased 5 percent from 2004 to 22 percent in 2008.

Since young voters are hitting the polls in record numbers, more so than in any previous election, youths are expected to continue to let their voices be heard Super Tuesday on Feb. 5 when 22 states will have their primary elections.

After declining for three decades, the youth voter turnout has increased starting from 2004. In 2004, 4.3 million more voters younger than age 30 cast ballots than had in 2000. In 2004, the 18 to 29-year-old vote became a valuable demographic for candidates, starting a trend in campaigns in which specific attention is placed on younger voters. The trend of the previous primaries suggests the number of youth voters in this election will drastically surpass the numbers from 2004.

Though the exact reason for the surge cannot be pinpointed to a sole factor, active political authorities accredit the younger presence in the polls to the idea that the issues at stake are being brought directly to them in their everyday lives.

In the past few years, mainstream media corporations such as YouTube and MTV, and more recently, online sites like Facebook have initiated campaigns aimed at increasing political activity among youth. Companies like AT&T are now offering campaign coverage updates to be texted to cell phones.

"The other piece of this election is that there is now Facebook and MySpace to reach individuals where they are, which is something that has changed since the last election," said Chrissy Faessen, media liaison for Rock the Vote,

Rock the Vote is a non-profit organization aimed at increasing youth voter turnout by engaging the younger voters in the campaign process. It hires names and uses trends in popular culture to reach out to the youngest voters to encourage that all people take advantage of their right to vote.

"Young people are making a huge difference," Faessen said. "Just look at Iowa, New Hampshire and (Saturday) in South Carolina. Young people came out in record numbers, and it's because they are engaged in the election and want to make their voices heard."

The youth interest in this election may be because of the current political climate, Faessen said.

"This election specifically deals with issues that young people care about," she said. She cited issues including the war in Iraq, paying for college, the economy and the environment as driving factors for voting.

Anchal Mirza, a Syracuse University freshman management major, said the current campaign issues affect the present and the future.

"I'm voting because these are issues that directly affect me, and I want to have a say in how the government deals with these problems," Mirza said.

A poll conducted by Sacred Heart University interviewed 400 people between the ages of 18 and 30 and found that 87 percent of those interviewed plan to vote in the upcoming election. Eighty-five percent said their vote counts, up from 75 percent in 2004. The poll also found the war in Iraq, healthcare, the economy and education were the major issues of this election.

"Change is a resounding theme in the 2008 campaign," said Gary Rose, professor and chair of the department of government and politics at SHU. "And voters between the ages of 18 to 30 appear drawn to the dynamism and messages of presidential candidates within both major parties."

The poll suggests that the 2008 presidential campaign is effectively capturing the imagination of young Americans, he said.

"More generally, the polling results indicate that the votes of this motivated generation will have direct bearing on the election of our next president and Congress," Rose said.

Danny Hayes, professor of political science at SU, said although many candidates are taking measures to ensure that they receive the youth vote, Republican candidates have not put as much effort into catering toward the younger voter demographic as Democrats.

"For the Democrats, (candidate Barack Obama) is receiving most support from young people because he put an effort into mobilizing young voters," Hayes said.

The young vote might not have as much importance in the New York primary because Democrat Hillary Clinton is a popular candidate, but the fact that candidates are focusing on the youth proves they are an important group to win, Hayes said.

Because of the surge of young people exercising their right to vote, candidates have catered to them by hiring campaign directors specifically focused on winning the youth vote.

Youth advisors for presidential campaigns schedule stops to university campuses, sporting events and other popular culture activities beyond the normal media circuits. There, candidates can show their faces and hope for an association with the event.

"There is now a trend that candidates want to get involved with young people. They are reaching out to get their vote, and they are doing this through advisors," Faessen, of Rock the Vote, said.

The series

This week, The Daily Orange will present a three-part series examining different aspects of the New York state presidential primary for the 2008 election. The primary, which takes place on Feb. 5, is part of Super Tuesday, when 22 other states across the nation hold their primary elections. Today, a look at what young voters are thinking about for this election and how their votes make a difference. Tomorrow's article discusses what experts think on importance of particular results the New York primary this year, and Thursday's looks at what Syracuse University's own students are doing to make their voices known in the contested and competitive election.

Also, this week in the Opinion section, The Daily Orange editorial board will endorse a presidential candidate from both sides of the aisle. See page 5 for today's endorsement of a G.O.P candidate and tomorrow for The Daily Orange's choice Democrat.