The number of 18-29 year old voters has increased, even doubling or tripling in some primaries.
As the 2008 presidential election begins to heat up, noticeably different numbers from previous elections are being shown.
It is the first time since 1972, when people 18 and over were allowed to vote, that this many young people participated at the polls says www.youngvoterpac.org.
The percentage of young voters who have voted in the primaries is already double the percentages from 2004 according to Rock the Vote.
Rock the Vote is just one of the numerous political organizations designed with the young voter in mind, another being MTV’s Vote or Die program which dominated its airwaves during the 2004 presidential election.
Although both programs gained momentous popularity on MTV and the internet, the percentage of young voters was marginal.
The numbers from Vote or Die’s Voting Report showed that these programs targeting young voters were not inspiring. Although they were backed with noble causes, their efforts were not enough to persuade young people to vote.
What is inspiring young voters’ participation at the polls now? ETSU student, Jessica Aldridge, 19, believes the present administration has “lit a fire under our generation” to vote.
Aldridge, a registered voter, did not vote in the primaries but will be voting in the general election once she decides who she is going to support. She hopes that young voter turnout will increase in the general election.
The poor performance of the present administration is one of the popular theories behind the recent boom of youth at the polls.
Some news channels have boasted polls showing that the majority of America no longer supports President Bush.
The numbers from Rock the Vote tend to back this theory. Rock the Vote’s Primary Votes report showed 17 percent more young Democrats voting than young Republicans.
The other theory behind the surge of young voters is that this election is one of the most diverse we have seen.
Never has a woman or a black man progressed this far in a presidential election. Either way, the Democratic candidate will be an historical choice.
Rebecca Culp, 19, believes it is a combination of the two theories. Culp, although an avid young voter, says she no longer watches or listens to news programs because of their “obvious bias” and “disparaging reports on the election.”
Although these new numbers are encouraging, there are still many young people absent from the polls. Joshua Christian, 18, is not a registered voter. He said this was because he is “anti-partisan” and “will not vote for anyone corrupt.

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