New Census Data Confirm Increase in Youth Voter Turnout In 2008 Election
Youth Voter Turnout Rate Rose to 51.1 Percent, Third Highest Rate Ever: 2 Million More Young People Voted Than in 2004
The fact sheet on youth voter turnout and trends in 2008 and a 50-state breakdown can be downloaded here (PDF). The press release is here.
Tisch College, Tufts University — Nearly two million more young Americans under the age of 30 voted in the 2008 presidential elections as compared to the 2004 elections, according to new Census data analyzed and released by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University’s Tisch College.
The increase is a continuation of the trend observed in the 2004 and 2006 elections. Youth turnout was 11 percentage points higher than in 1996, which was the low point after decades of decline. While young people increased their turnout significantly in 2008, older adults voted at lower rates than in 2004 and only slightly above their 2000 level.
Although overall youth turnout was high in the 2008 presidential election, there were important differences in turnout rates. Young African Americans posted the highest turnout rate ever observed for any racial or ethnic group of young Americans since 1972.
The gap in turnout by educational attainment remained large; voter turnout of young people without college experience was 36%, compared to a 62% rate among young people with college experience. (About half of the young adult population has some college experience.) There was also a significant gender gap in turnout: young women voted at a rate eight points above young men.
“We have now seen three consecutive presidential elections with substantial increases in youth turnout,” said CIRCLE Director Peter Levine. “We appear to have entered a new era of stronger youth engagement—also shown by high rates of volunteering and community service. But there are persistent gaps in engagement, with less advantaged youth still mostly left out. We must find ways to engage and expand civic opportunities for this cohort of young people.”
| Presidential Election Year | 18-24 Citizens | 25 and older Citizens | 18-29 Citizens | 30 and older Citizens |
| 1972 | 52.1% | 68.4% | 55.4% | 69.5% |
| 1976 | 44.4% | 65.4% | 48.8% | 67.0% |
| 1980 | 43.4% | 68.5% | 48.2% | 70.6% |
| 1984 | 44.3% | 68.9% | 49.1% | 71.2% |
| 1988 | 39.9% | 65.8% | 43.8% | 68.5% |
| 1992 | 48.6% | 70.5% | 52.0% | 72.4% |
| 1996 | 35.6% | 61.6% | 39.6% | 63.6% |
| 2000 | 36.1% | 62.9% | 40.3% | 64.6% |
| 2004 | 46.7% | 66.3% | 49.0% | 67.7% |
| 2008 | 48.5% | 65.8% | 51.1% | 67.0% |
January 5th, 2010 at 7:56 am
Youth can’t really solve all our problem, but they can still contribute something. I hope every youth will participate to the election.
January 21st, 2010 at 4:54 am
That’s a good sign. I bet the next election will have even higher turnout.
January 28th, 2010 at 6:04 am
Thank you for the great web site – a true resource, and one many people clearly enjoy thanks for sharing the info, keep up the good work going….
February 1st, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Thanks for the resource. I never thought of it that way. Clearly you have done the research and talk about it.
February 1st, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Great info. Thanks for the tips
February 14th, 2010 at 7:21 am
That’s a good sign. I bet the next election will have even higher turnout.
February 16th, 2010 at 5:10 am
Yes that’s a good news for us as the youth voter are more conscious about their voting rights.They’ll be more serious towards the politics & their involvement in it.
February 18th, 2010 at 4:24 am
I would like to come back to your blog tomorrow and get dome note down for my lab work.
February 19th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Your blog is so scientifically based that I was just afraid to read it as not to feel uneducated.
March 15th, 2010 at 11:15 pm
Nowadays, young people have more modern facilities that provide good conditions to study providing them with more knowledge to chose the correct people to help their country.
March 18th, 2010 at 3:08 am
high rates of volunteering and community service. But there are persistent gaps in engagement, with less advantaged youth still mostly left out. We must find ways to engage and expand civic opportunities for this cohort of young people.”
April 5th, 2010 at 8:03 am
Interesting title for a complicated subject. thanks
April 5th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I agree with that info. They should always try to promote it using the best way
April 5th, 2010 at 8:04 am
Do you think this problem can be solve that easily? I don’t think so…
April 5th, 2010 at 8:05 am
Although it’s never easy to solve this type of problems but giving it a try is probably worth it.
April 7th, 2010 at 4:11 am
That is a great indication. I reckon the next election will have even bigger turnout.
April 16th, 2010 at 12:09 am
Interesting title for a complicated subject. thanks
May 4th, 2010 at 6:34 am
Interesting subject but complicated issue.
May 4th, 2010 at 6:35 am
Thanks for the great information.
May 15th, 2010 at 3:50 am
Thank you for this analysis because I’m student of sociological department and I need such surveys for my diploma. I think I can take this subject for the basis. Keep up your work.
June 3rd, 2010 at 2:43 am
I think young voters are fed up with the way the country is being run and want their voice to be heard.
June 4th, 2010 at 5:25 pm
When voters request or needs are not met, they then to get frustrated and angry. It is as simple as that.
June 6th, 2010 at 7:22 am
“Older adults voted at lower rates than in 2004″ that is really interesting considering it was one of the most important elections in recent history. It looks like the youth vote really made a difference.
June 7th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
This just shows that todays youth has not yet applied the full power through voting. More should be done to help let young people know how important it is to vote.
June 7th, 2010 at 10:56 pm
I think it is possible, to some extent, that they youth vote was not relevant on this issue due to the inexperience or indifference of that voter segment to the amendment. If they did not express a preference at all, then the older vote would sway the outcome.
June 7th, 2010 at 10:57 pm
I have no explanation why the amendment would have been rejected in 2006. Were the amendments worded exactly the same in both years? That would certainly be a factor if not.
June 21st, 2010 at 9:29 am
Thanks for the tips
June 21st, 2010 at 9:30 am
Thanks for the wonderful idea.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:29 am
calculation looks quite stable, because the ration between the period of time and percentage is minimized. Thanks for sharing
June 28th, 2010 at 3:13 am
Yes, the statistics never lies..
June 29th, 2010 at 8:53 am
Thanks for the tips
July 1st, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Thank you for sharing this information. This was a great post to come by. I cant wait to catch the next one.
October 27th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
It takes time for this time of information to come by, but making thing happen and changing the mind set will not be easy.
February 21st, 2011 at 5:27 pm
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