Facing high expectations fueled by nationally publicized turnout efforts, voters under 30 years of age cast ballots in record numbers in the 2004 presidential election, voting experts said.
At least 20.9 million Americans under the age of 30 voted in the Nov. 2 election, representing an increase of 4.6 million from 2000, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Development, a research group based in University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy. Turnout rate among these voters rose 9.3 percentage points, from 42.3 to 51.6 percent, constituting the highest youth turnout percentage since the voting age was lowered to 18 in 1972.
Turnout for 18- to 24-year-olds rose by a smaller 5.8 percent.
However, while the number of young voters increased, the youth voters as a percentage of the total electorate remained exactly where it was four years ago, between 17 and 18 percent of people who visited the polls on Nov. 2.
“We were extremely proud [of the turnout] this year,” said Cate Brandon, spokeswoman for youth voting organizer Rock the Vote. “We had a goal to get 20 million to the polls, and early numbers say we surpassed 21 million. It was especially impressive in the swing states, where voters showed up in even higher percentages than the national level.”
Brandon expressed her aggravation with media reports that downplayed the significance of numbers.
“It’s frustrating to have people saying the youth voters didn’t show up,” Brandon said. “It’s tied to the fact that journalists are associating the youth vote with a Kerry win, and to say that youth votes didn’t show up because Kerry lost is frustrating. In reality, there are lots of people who voted the other way.”
A.S. President Jenn Pae said she was also delighted by voter turnout among the college student population, particularly within the University of California and at UCSD.
“I am extremely pleased with this year’s turnout,” Pae said. “The large amount of students not only helped the UCSD voter coalition, but the students who became educated about the issues and came out to vote exceeded any expectations that we had. It shows the power students have as a collective voice and the impact we have in the community.”
According to Pae, the UC Student Association registered 30,000 students, surpassing its goal of 25,000. Similarly, UCSD student organizers met their goal of registering over 3,000 students.
“Young people felt more invested and a part of the political process,” California Public Interest Research Group campus organizer Kathryn Cohen said. “Voting is now part of a social movement to improve the present state of our nation. I think people of all ages felt invested in the issues at stake, such as the war on Iraq, and more invested in America’s impact internationally and domestically.”
Pae also attributed the local turnout to efforts mobilizing students on- and off-campus to become engaged in the political process.
“The coalition of San Diego universities and colleges played a huge role and a large impact on the local elections,” Pae said. “In addition, the coalition of UCSD students and organizations encouraged voter registration, education and getting out the vote all across campus. We helped to provide the forum for a nonpartisan space, whether that was through resources or monetary contributions to get students involved.”
Though 82 percent of UC students and 76 percent of UCSD students voted for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) for president, according to a joint poll of more than 1,800 voters by student newspapers, UCSD sociology professor Rebecca Klatch said she didn’t think the students’ likely disappointment over Kerry’s loss would make them stay away from future elections. Instead, increased turnout might be more than just a temporary phenomenon, she said.
“Young people tend to be more idealistic, but I have an instinct that young people will continue to be engaged [in the future],” Klatch said. “It is important to remember the election was not a landslide, and it was not hopeless.”
Cohen said it is essential for voters not to be discouraged by poll problems or their candidate’s losses.
“While some students I talked to were upset over the long lines and registration system, I think it is essential that students know their vote truly did matter in the last election,” Cohen said. “Regardless of whether their particular candidate was elected, or the proposition they were really invested in passed, the increase in the youth voter turnout in the last election will put the issues that are important to the 18-to-24-year-old bracket, such as financial aid, education and health care, on the next administration’s agenda.”
