Thus Spake the Nation’s Youth

Using data primarily from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), FutureMajority.com put together some eye-catching numbers on the youth impact on the 2008 election. The youth vote (the number of ballot-casters under 30) was up 3.4 million over the turnout in the Kerry/Bush election of 2004, rising to 23 million voters, 18 percent of the total electorate. According to a CNN report, 62 percent of eligible voters chimed in on the presidential election–a rise of 2 percent over the 2004 election; CIRCLE’s data says that young voters accounted for 60 percent of that uptick.

If the youth vote was the only voice in the election, Obama would have won 455 electoral votes–91 more than he has in the official count. On This Week with George Stephanopoulos yesterday, a roundtable including Fareed Zakaria and David Gergen discussed how the immense support shown for Obama by young voters–he outpolled McCain 66 to 32 in this group–could lead to a generational love-affair with the Democrats, similar to the Reagan effect of 28 years ago. That’s of course provided that Obama’s presidency is seen as a success.

It’s a tough task. The economy is in ruin. We are in two wars. But, there seems to be a tide of hope. In order to preserve this tide of enthusiasm from the nation’s youngsters, Obama has a lot of work to do.