Elections 2012: Youth Vote Likely To Drop Substantially, New Report Predicts

WASHINGTON - Voter turnout will likely drop substantially in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, due in part to decreased interest among young people who flocked to the polls in 2008 to help elect President Barack Obama.

A report this week by the Center for the Study of the American Electorate at American University predicted that the drop in turnout among young people will likely contribute to a decline in overall voter turnout in the November election after near record numbers in the last two presidential elections.

"The election is likely to offer a minimum of hope and a maximum of televised invective - likely between the perception of a failed president and a party of failed ideas magnified by an unprecedented level of scurrilous and vitriolic and often ad hominem television advertising," wrote Curtis Gans, director of the center.

"Against this backdrop, it is hard to envision anything other than a substantial decline in turnout."

Gans said the 2008 election had the highest turnout since 1960 due in part to a sharp increase in voting by college-educated youth and record numbers of African-Americans going to the polls.

But he said the 2012 election would be different amid reduced enthusiasm for all of the candidates.

"(B)ecause Obama the president did not fulfill the hope invested in Obama the candidate, there has been an enormous sense of disappointment among those young who had been previously politically active and the current crop of college-resident young do not have the same compelling motivation to engage as those who preceded them," wrote Gans.

"For these and other deeper systemic reasons, it is virtually certain that there will be a substantial drop-off in the level of youth participation and voting in 2012," he said.

(Reporting By Deborah Charles; Editing by Sandra Maler)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.

Comments

[rewith85man]

12:02 AM on 01/03/2012

I would vote for #Obama again if he is going to finish or do most of the improvement regarding this country.

[BUTCHER111]

01:46 PM on 01/01/2012

One thing, ID costs money and if you need an ID to vote then it is a de facto poll tax.

[Quis Custodiet]

10:06 PM on 12/31/2011

No.

I have no intention of wasting my time on voting for two candidates - both of whom are owned by the corporate structure. America is in decline, time to look at India and China as my next place of residence.

They sold this country off piecemeal, our voting just legitimizes their continuing to do so.

[BUTCHER111]

01:48 PM on 01/01/2012

Then vote for a third party. The only wasted vote is one not cast. The corporations love it when people give up and don’t vote, the fewer the voters the better they like it. Vote and don’t give up cause the more people that vote the less the special interests likes it.

[Lohikaarme]

02:50 PM on 12/30/2011

Young people, more than anyone, need to get informed and vote. It is their future what is at stake. Unfortunately the choices they have on both parties are pathetic. But one needs to start somewhere, get rid of everyone in DC and send a message that it will not be business as usual anymore.

[FiredUpRTG]

11:53 AM on 12/30/2011

Kelly Clarkson just brought more attention to the election. On either side, have the personalities that youngins listen to speak. Put ads on MTV and Bravo. "Glee" watchers already know what side those characters are on. Build momentum, point out achievements and faults. Let them hear how some college students can't vote by showing their school IDs. Let them learn what rights are being shamelessly snatched away from them before their eyes and by November, kids will be sleeping outside the polls as if waiting to buy concert tickets.

[bluejoni2525]

01:49 AM on 12/30/2011

This mess didn't happen overnight, after all it started with Reagan, to expect it to be all fixed in one term is beyond ridiculous !!! Re elect the President and give him some REAL Dems to work with !!!

[MyNameIsJames]

06:13 AM on 12/30/2011

Listen the entire Boomer ruling class in politics, business, education, and media has failed. Young people need to focus on tearing down what Boomers have built not supporting it. Destroying the monopoly that Dems and Republicans have on the political system is step 1

[bluejoni2525]

01:09 PM on 12/30/2011

That will NEVER happen !!!

[apoiviitor]

12:07 AM on 12/30/2011

Of course I'll vote. I'd love nothing more then to choose between: Obama, who wants to cut entitlement programs and invade/occupy sovereign nations, and whoever the GOP frontrunner is, who wants to do exactly the same.

[RAWone]

01:39 AM on 12/30/2011

Well, seeing as you aren't all that quick to take the MSM-fed bait, you might try looking up Ron Paul on Youtube. I mean really, you sound like you want an alternative to another 4 years of American Imperialism, and really he is the only candidate talking about ending it.

-RAW1

[nolalily]

05:47 PM on 12/30/2011

He's also the only candidate who is trying to hide his anti-minority/anti-civil rights voting record.

[Demarcus Jackson]

09:21 PM on 12/29/2011

I don't care who they vote for, but young people need to vote! Arguably, this population of voter should be the first to the voting booth. It still angers me that young people aren't more involved in the political process. I am 33 years old and I have voted in very single local, state, and federal election since I registered at the age of 18. It never fails that when I go to the polls, I don't see any 20-somethings or 30-somethings. I see only 60+ somethings. I wish I did see more young folks. They arguably have the most to gain and most to lose in any election.

[cgalaxia7]

12:54 AM on 12/31/2011

If you're so angry with younger people not voting, what are you doing to encourage young voters to vote?! But I guess I can piss more people off by saying this, I am not a register voter! My right to vote is my choice and my choice not to vote is my right!

[Lohikaarme]

07:27 PM on 12/29/2011

If a large percentage of young people would vote, things would be much more interesting and probably for the best. Every time I go to vote it seems that only senior citizens are there. They are not looking for the future of the young people. Also many old people are stuck in the past and unable to see where to take the country from now on. They are still living in the 60s or 70s.

[brylacos]

12:29 AM on 12/30/2011

You would be very surprised in the amount of seniors that actually DO care about the younger generations future because we are talking about the seniors grand children's future..

[free speech isnt free]

05:21 PM on 12/29/2011

What has Obama done?
The largest investment in clean energy in history.
The largest investment in education in history.
The largest middle class tax break in history.
The largest investment in infrastruc
­­ture since the 50s.
Ending a ban on federal funding of stem cell research.
Saving the American Auto Industry.
Overhauled the Student Loan program.
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell
SCHIP legislatio­­n providing health care for millions of children.
Preventing the economy from another Great Depression­­.
Ending combat missions in Iraq.
Justice Department will no longer defend DOMA
The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act.
The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act.
Major Credit Card Reform.
Small Business Investment Act.
Increased funding for the Land and Water Conservati­­on Fund.
Expanded the Nurse-Fami­­ly Partnershi­­p to all low-income­­, first-time mothers.
Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act.
Health Care Reform.
Education Reconcilia­­tion Act.
New START treaty.
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services.
Establishe­­d the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibi­­lity and Reform.
Reformed deferral rules to curb tax advantages for investing overseas.
Cut salaries for 65 bailout executives­­.
Wall Street Reform.
Cancellati­­on of the F-22 weapons program.
New global nonprolife­­ration initiative to keep nuclear materials out
of the hands of terrorists­­.
Re-establi­­shed United States standing in the world.
Kept us safe from another 9/11 type attack
Twenty Two of 30 top Al Quaida Leaders off the battlefield
Including Bin Laden

[DanSc]

12:16 AM on 12/30/2011

You're not going to credit the Aussies, the Italians and the Brits for saving the American auto industry? We're buying the cars they designed.

[treasuredtrophie]

05:19 PM on 12/29/2011

The same 18 year olds out of college loans looking at them and no JOB. Yea vote for the same hope and changey guy no way.

[decat2]

04:57 PM on 12/29/2011

Just a little somthing to think about for each and everyone out there,as long as politicians can devide the voting public along the same party lines that prevent any progress in Washington,how can you expect to change anything? Please stop attacking one another,instead attack the politicians by voteing the incumbants out,then and only then can you truely effect change ! Happy Holidays folks !

[Saxton]

11:05 PM on 12/29/2011

Well put and so very true.

[dmgoss]

04:57 PM on 12/29/2011

Lame. Hey young people who don't think the government pays attention to you, do you know why we always have to hear about Medicare and social security every election cycle? Because retired people and the elderly are the largest, most influential and reliable voting block, regardless of party affiliation. They work tirelessly for their influence, and don't get discouraged when they lose, they just keep fighting, with obvious results.

If you want to get taken seriously, withholding your vote out of frustration/cynicism/feeling let down is the sucker's way out. If you want change, you have to fight for it harder than merely wearing a t-shirt that says so, or voting because some celebrity on MTV told you so and you got excited enough to do it, but then got bored and moved on to something else.

Check with conservative social issues groups if the Tea Party insurgency scared Republican House members enough to get their agenda enough attention, or to get a lot of draconian anti-choice and anti-union laws passed in the states. As reprehensible as that is, it didn't just happen, people worked for years to that end. So don't quit now because you don't like the taste of your milk, go out and find some Ovaltine to make it more palatable. But you have to get up and go to the store if you want it...

[MyNameIsJames]

06:17 AM on 12/30/2011

You are making an argument for a new generational political party. There is NO WAY IN HELL you can be arguing for Democrats and Republicans. They have been bought off. You are cute and delusional. You still believe in the current political parties.

[dmgoss]

10:54 AM on 12/30/2011

Actually, I was referring to how power operates in our political system, and pointing out that merely ignoring politics out of pure cynicism was a mistake. The power that elderly voters wield on both sides of the political spectrum to a similar end suggests I may not be as delusional as you suggest, and also that the Dem/Rep split is easily put aside when people with opposing dogma share similar beliefs about a core issue. Sorry if that doesn't jibe with your perspective, but it's a pretty clear example of citizens successfully protecting their interests through political action. You may also notice that those who stay home on voting day, choosing instead to mutter angrily in the corner to themselves deservedly get no attention. The only delusional one here is the one assuming that staying aloof out of a sense of moral outrage will have any effect on those aspects of the system they abhor.

[cog702]

04:47 PM on 12/29/2011

The toxic tea bags are praying to their god Greed that the youth do not vote.

[treasuredtrophie]

05:16 PM on 12/29/2011

More that a idiot like you don't vote.

[cog702]

07:13 PM on 12/29/2011

I would be an idiot if I voted for any of the toxic tea doxies the republicans have running.

[treasuredtrophie]

05:19 PM on 12/29/2011

Your momma is a bagger

[tampamurray]

04:45 PM on 12/29/2011

If the above article is accurate, then I have given the Country's youth far too little credit. As many high school and colleges (literally dozens of each) as Obama has visited in the past year, I was certain the youth would come out in droves to support him. Apparently they're smart enough to see through the bull that Obama slings about Hope & Change. I hope to see a big old "L" on his forehead in November 2012, and I suspect the History books will not treat him well!

[cog702]

04:49 PM on 12/29/2011

History will treat him better than any republican president since Ford.

[tampamurray]

05:15 PM on 12/29/2011

I doubt it ... I suspect Obama will leave the White House under a cloud of scandal that will continue to reveal itself for years to come.

[noknrc]

06:28 PM on 12/29/2011

I would not go that far. History books will not make him look bad out of respect. Just like they do not have carter looking bad. The people who lived through his four year stay in Washington will remember and create their own way of describing this period of time in America history.