Young voters between the ages of 18 and 29 turned out in record numbers for Tuesday's midterm election, according to a Young Voter Strategies teleconference held Wednesday. In Madison alone, young voter turnout tripled from 2002.
At least 10 million young voters cast their ballots in 2006, in contrast to eight million that voted in 2002's midterm election, according to Peter Levine, director of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement. In fact, a population turnout rate of 24 percent of young voters was recorded â_ an increase of four percent from 2002.
Celinda Lake, a Democratic pollster who spoke in the teleconference, discussed the initial findings of the first post-election Young Voter Battleground Poll, a nation-wide survey and exit poll of 500 young voters.
""Young people were, as the electorate overall, very much in a mood for change,"" Lake said. ""Young voters thought the country was going in the wrong direction.""
Lake added the mood for change was very much fueled by anti-George Bush sentiment.
""Young people said by 39 percent to 58 percent they had an unfavorable view of George Bush,"" Lake said.
Ed Goeas, a Republican pollster, said in the teleconference that his party considers the increase in youth turnout a success despite losing seats in Congress. He stressed that Republicans were encouraged by the slim margins of Democrat victories and hoped to court young voters n the future.
Dennis Dresang, a UW-Madison political science professor, said the Iraq war and concerns about the competence of the federal government have helped the Democrats.
""In part, [it's] a kind of reaction against Republicans rather than necessarily a reaction to some kind of positive good image.""
Dresang added that using this information alone does not guarantee a high youth turnout for the 2008 election because there is always the question of whether new voters will vote or not.
""My guess is that there will be attempts to reach out to younger people,"" Dresang said. ""That has not always been the case.""
Adam Petras, communications and rapid resource chair of the College Democrats of Madison, agreed with Dresang.
""We're a voting block that could be responsible for a victory or defeat,"" Petras said.
Petras also said he thought college students were monumental in Dane County's majority ""no"" vote on the marriage amendment. Dresang stressed the issue was a major factor on why students voted in record numbers.
""There is generally evidence that younger people are more favorable toward issues of tolerance and government not regulating our private lives,"" Dresang said.
Despite political differences, both sides agreed the high youth turnout boded well for the group's political clout.
""A new generation has arrived as a force in politics,"" Heather Smith, director of YVS, said. ""Young people today are proving they're a critical voting block for both parties to court.""
