Looks like the black-hooded marchersmoshers didn’t come to our rescue as we had hoped.
This was not the breakout year for young voters that some had anticipated.
Fewer than one in 10 voters Tuesday were 18 to 24, about the same proportion of the electorate as in 2000, exit polls indicated.
Matthew Yglesias has more:
The Democratic strategy for 2004 was to try and change that dynamic entirely on the logistical side — using organization and the odd bit of inspirational rhetoric to try and motivate young people into showing up. What it didn’t do was offer much of anything of substance that would give younger people an enhanced personal stake in the outcome. John Kerry’s signature policy proposals on health care, education, and retirement security were all solid, but none were clearly in the interests of younger voters. Indeed, the only policy initiative of the campaign that would be a boon to most young people — Health Savings Accounts — was coming from George W. Bush.
It is interesting to remember that this was a weakness in the Dean campaign’s strategy as well — depending on the undependable youth vote.
