April 24, 2008
Voting Not Wasted on Youth, Harvard Survey Finds
The attention paid to young voters apparently won’t be ending with the primary season.
A survey released today by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics found that 64 percent of Americans aged 18 to 24 said they “definitely” will be voting in November’s general election, up three percentage points from levels seen last October and March.
The level reaches 72 percent among those enrolled in four-year colleges, according to the online survey of 2,452 U.S. citizens aged 18 to 24, conducted for Harvard by Harris Interactive between March 11 and April 1.
The survey also showed that the economy is the top concern among young voters, cited by 30 percent of those questioned, ahead of the Iraq war, cited by 20 percent.
The results suggest that this year’s presidential race could be decided by “which campaign can inspire and mobilize the youth vote the best,” said the director of Harvard’s Institute of Politics, James A. Leach, who served in Congress as a Republican from Iowa.
Paul Basken | Posted on Thursday April 24, 2008 | Permalink
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