But why don’t the young voters turn out?

In 2008, President Obama mobilized young voters like no other president has done before. In the Iowa Caucuses, for example, Obama energized the Iowa youth to stump for him. Inevitably, this resulted in a 90% increase for caucus turnouts among young voters. Keep in mind: that was just the primary!

The only time voter turnout (percentage wise) was higher among Americans ages 18-29 was in 1972…the first election after the 26th amendment was passed. In numbers, however, youth voter turnout reached 23 million–the highest turnout ever–in 2008.

Essentially, the youth vote fueled Obama’s victorious, and historical, presidential bid. So where were these voters in the gubernatorial races in 2009?

In the Virginia gubernatorial race in 2009, the under-30 vote decreased by approximately 50%, according to studies conducted by the Institute for Southern Studies. Meanwhile, in that same election, the 60+ crowd doubled.

This was after the youth vote catapulted Obama and the Democratic party’s resurgence in Virginia in 2008. And this was also after Obama stumped for the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Creigh Deeds.

Will we see a similar pattern this election cycle? Do you live in a state or a district that has elections today? Will you be going to the polls? Why or why not? And why do you think younger voters are hard to mobilize, especially during an off-year election?