Young voters
“Poll Suggests Young Voters Could Sway Election Results”
If 18-to-24-year-olds actually do what they say they’ll do on Tuesday, they could sway the results in close races and set a record turnout for young voters in a midterm election, a new national poll suggests. The survey of 2,546 young people, all U.S. citizens, found that 32 percent “definitely” plan to vote next week. The previous record turnout for a midterm election was set in 1982, when nearly 27 percent of 18-to-24-year-olds voted. “What we’re seeing leading up to this election is continued engagement on the part of those young people,” says Jeanne Shaheen, director of Harvard University’s Institute of Politics, whose findings were released Wednesday. “Since Sept. 11 and the 2004 elections, more of these young people say politics is relevant to their lives and there’s an increased likelihood we think they will in fact turn out.” Almost three-quarters surveyed are registered to vote; 60 percent say they follow national politics closely and 35 percent consider themselves to be politically engaged. Their political party identification includes 35 percent Democrats, 27 percent Republicans and 39 percent independents.
