Via the Via the NDN blog, the Young Voter PAC and the The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) have more statistics on the impact of the youth vote on yesterday's caucuses:
- Young voters made up 22 percent of the Democratic caucus goers, up from 17 percent in 2004.
- 80 percent of the young people who caucused yesterday caucused for the Democrats.
- The youth turnout rate more than tripled in Iowa, from 4 percent in 2004 to 13 percent in 2008.
- 57 percent of young Democratic caucus-goers chose Obama.
- 60 percent of caucus participants were first timers, and 39 percent of them caucused for Obama.
Much has already been written about what Obama's win in Iowa signifies in terms of change and the future, with much more sure to come. But what's certainly clear here is the influence his campaign has had on young adults. The message of hope and change is one that resonates with young voters especially, and one that pushed them to go out and caucus in record numbers. And all this despite the fact that colleges in the state were still out of session. It's also evidence of the burgeoning progressivism in young Americans, and the vast potential there that should be encouraged and nurtured by the older progressive guard. Obama's done the most work of all the presidential contenders in that realm, through visits to campuses, addressing youth issues, use of internet technology, and directly asking young people to caucus for him. Obama's win yesterday should mark a point in history where progressives realize just how crucial young people are not only to winning elections, but to the future of the movement as a whole.
--Kate Sheppard A mistake has been corrected in this post. An earlier version stated 57 percent of Barack Obama supporters in the Iowa caucus were young people; in fact, 57 percent of young Democratic caucus goers supported Obama, accounting for about a third of his support.
