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Youth Participation More than Triples at Iowa Caucuses
The turnout of young voters for the Iowa nominating caucuses has
almost tripled since 2000, according to preliminary
analysis conducted by the Center for Information and Research
on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE),
a Carnegie Corporation grantee. Participation of voters under 30
rose from 3 percent in 2000 to 13 percent in 2008. The turnout rate
for voters 30 and older was 15 percent. The research was released
on January 4, 2008. Read
the press release.
The turnout rate has historically been low in Iowa caucuses, but
the youth turnout rate was much higher for the 2008 caucuses than
in recent years. This result continues a trend observed in other
elections since 2000. In the 2006 congressional elections, the national
voter turnout rate among 18-to-29-year-olds increased by three percentage
points compared to the congressional election of 2002. And in the
2004 presidential election, the national youth voter turnout rate
rose 9 percentage points compared to 2000, reaching 49 percent.
In 2004, under-30-year olds were registered to vote at the highest
rate in 30 years.
The youth turnout rate is one of the best indicators of how young
Americans are engaging in the political process.
Carnegie Corporation supports national and locally-based non-profit
groups working to integrate immigrants and other disconnected populations
into civil society and to strengthen civic education to prepare
young people to participate in our democracy. Read
more about Carnegie Corporation’s National Program.
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