Young Voter Enthusiasm Down, Gallup Reports
Jane SusskindPublished: 13 Jul, 2012
1 min read
A new Gallup poll may spell out trouble for President Obama's chances at reelection, reporting that 58% of U.S. registered voters aged 18 to 29 will "definitely vote" this fall, down 20% from the national average of 78%. This number is also much lower than voting intentions in both 2004 and 2008.
Last presidential election, young voters carried Barack Obama to a 2008 victory. According to the Census Bureau, "voters 18 to 24 were the only age group to show a statistically significant increase in turnout."
Gallup continues,
Young voters were one of the key groups in President Obama's winning 2008 coalition. They widely support the president this year as well, but historically their turnout levels usually lag behind those of other groups. Thus, the question surrounding young voters is not so much whom they will support as whether they will officially register that support in the voting booth.
How do you think the decreased enthusiasm among young voters will affect the presidential race?
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