MA Senate Election: Youth Turnout Was Just 15%, 57% for Older Citizens; Young Voters Favored Coakley

[kpete]

Source: Tufts University

Massachusetts Senate Election: Youth Turnout Was Just 15%, Compared to 57% for Older Citizens; Young Voters Favored Coakley
Research Format: CIRCLE

Interviews with Experts Available; Contact David Roscow at
703-276-2772 x21 or [e-mail]

Tisch College, Medford/Somerville, Mass - In the special election for Massachusetts Senator, young voters (age 18-29) preferred Democrat Martha Coakley over Republican Scott Brown by 58%-40% (with 2% for other candidates), according to a survey of 1,000 voters conducted on January 19, by Rasmussen Reports.

About 15% of Massachusetts citizens between the ages of 18-29 turned out to vote.* For citizens age 30 and older, turnout was about 57%.

For comparison: 25% of young citizens (age 18-29) voted in the 2008 Massachusetts presidential primaries, and 47.8% of young Massachusetts citizens voted in the 2008 presidential elections, according to CIRCLE’s analysis. Seventy-eight percent of under-30 voters in Massachusetts chose Barack Obama in the 2008 general election; 20% chose John McCain.

While national youth turnout was very strong in 2008 (when 52% of young American citizens voted), youth turnout in the 2009 Virginia and New Jersey Gubernatorial races was poor (17% and 19%, respectively), and even lower in Massachusetts this Tuesday. “Three state elections do not necessarily make a national trend, but there is clearly an issue right now with youth turnout and enthusiasm,” said CIRCLE director Peter Levine. “It will be interesting to see the turnout of young voters in November’s mid-term elections.”

Read more: http://www.civicyouth.org/?p=369

[joeybee12]

1. Not a good harbinger for this November...n/t

[elocs]

2. Youth has to be very excited about the candidate or motivated to vote,

otherwise despite their rhetoric they cannot be bothered. As a politician you are not going to get far if they depend upon the youth vote because they are undependable.

Older voters are a different story and politician know that they will show up at the polls and vote. Let's hope they remember that when it comes to any trying to mess with Social Security or Medicare.

[atreides1]

4. And to keep them excited

You follow through, you don't talk about change and then say it's too hard, you don't talk about hope and then give them nothing to hope for, and you don't say you'll lead and then follow.

They can be dependable, you just have to keep them motivated and show them that their votes do make a diffrence!

[elocs]

7. Youth who are mature do not have to be coddled like children to cast a vote

because they understand that their votes do make a difference.

In developing countries or those who gain the right to vote for the first time, people will walk for miles or days, even risking their lives in order to cast their ballots. Too many of our young people treat the right to vote lightly and cannot be bothered and their poor record of casting their ballots has been proven over the decades. Sadly, they are not dependable and I don't look for that to consistently change.

It doesn't matter if we are excited or motivated to vote (although that is nice) it is too important a right to simply skip doing.

[atreides1]

3. Not a good sign

With younger voters you have to impress them, and you have to follow through.

[onehandle]

5. It figures. nt

[Doctor_J]

6. Most of those who got Obama elected in 2008 will be staying home

this year and in 2012. He is simply not worth working for.

[kiranon]

8. Need better campaigns by Democrats and better candidates to

attract young voters. And, the promise and delivery of jobs.

[cprompt]

9. ding ding ding

young voters care about jobs and the wars, neither of which this administration as a whole has done much of what they promised to they would do during the campaign trail. people vote what is most important to them, and it's a hard sell when college graduates walk out to no job opportunities and have friends shipped overseas, not that HCR isn't important but when you were in your 20's it wasn't a primary concern compared to the other two items mentioned.

[uponit7771]

10. More proof Coackly went on vacation, most youth didn't even know who she was!!!