Stalled Youth Vote

Four years ago, young voters age 18-30 helped propel Barack Obama to his party’s nomination and the presidency. But due to a variety of factors he is not expected to receive as enthusiastic a backing this time around.

That’s the conclusion reached in an article this week from the San Francisco Chronicle. Read an excerpt below and check out the full article.

For many in the youth voter registration business, those conversations have a much different tone from four years ago, when a record 23 million young people cast ballots. It was the first time that voters under 30 made up a higher percentage of the electorate than those who were more than 65 years old.

But this year, major organizations who register young voters, from HeadCount to Rock the Vote, project no increase in youth voter registration over four years ago.

Part of the reason is that enthusiasm among under-30 voters has faded like the colors in Shepard Fairey’s iconic 2008 "Hope" poster of Obama — and that will hurt the president, who received two-thirds of the support among 18- to 30-year-olds in 2008.
 
As often is the case, voters and analysts said, it is easier to get excited about a thrilling campaign than it is about an incumbent who has spent four years governing — and making decisions that are bound to disappoint at least some.