was 2008 the peak of youth involvement in politics?

[© tweed]

was 2008 the peak of youth involvement in politics?




will never be matched IMO

[dead0man]

1968?

[© tweed]

1968?

under 21s couldn't vote until '72 iirc and most youth became disillusioned/pissed after McCarthy lost, RFK got shot and The Hump took it at the DNC.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

1968?

That was pre-26th amendment, if that matters.

[Sensei]

This was the perfect storm of youth involvement. "Hip" young candidate, after 8 years of a wildly unpopular president who's been in power since the youngest voters were 10, unpopular war going on, lots of societal issues. Of course, inside the category of "youth voters", there is the key Obama demographic of people who don't know crap.

[dead0man]

I suppose my definition of "youth" is a little broad.

[MODU]

Didn't someone say that the youth vote wasn't much greater than 2004??  I'll have to go look that up.

[dead0man]

I believe I read it went from 17% to 18%, I'll look for a cite.  Also, it said 2004 was already pretty high.

[© tweed]

Didn't someone say that the youth vote wasn't much greater than 2004??  I'll have to go look that up.

it goes beyond voting...

[MODU]

Didn't someone say that the youth vote wasn't much greater than 2004??  I'll have to go look that up.

it goes beyond voting...

Maybe, but only the vote counts at the end.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Yes.  At least in our lifetime.

[BlueSwan]

I really don't know.

I'm a high school teacher in Denmark, and my perception here is that young people are getting increasingly involved in politics these years. Certainly the youth divisions of our many parties have enjoyed healthy increases in membership tallies over the last decade. I have no idea whether the same could be happening in the US, though.

But let's hope it is. Regardless of partisanship it's always good for any democracy to have people involving themselves.

[J. J.]

In terms of voting, in 1992, youth share was higher (20% of votes cast).

[Tetro Kornbluth]

1968?

^^^^^^

If you mean by "Politics" more than just voting and campaigning for a candidate or party.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

I think the issue is that very few candidates actually spoke to this late x/y generation and spoke to their concerns, their issues and is someone they feel "gets them" (something Kerry couldnt do).

So as long as Obama can maintain that - there's no reason why they cant rely on the same voters in 2012

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Don't be silly now. The Obama adminstration is now in a four year long relationship with reality, so they can easily blow it. Whatever "it" is.

[Alcon]

Well, involvement definitely does go beyond turnout.  Youth "involvement" and turnout in 2004 were both pretty unprecedented (especially the latter), and obviously both increased (especially the former) this year.

So, yeah, probably for the remotely foreseeable future, unless something happens to galvanize the youth or overall turnout -- which I doubt.

[Franzl]

Didn't someone say that the youth vote wasn't much greater than 2004??  I'll have to go look that up.

it goes beyond voting...

Maybe, but only the vote counts at the end.

Sure, but youth involvement can also increase turnout among other groups.