For Immediate Release:
November 4, 2008, 10:00 pm ET

Contact:
Sujatha Jahagirdar, Program Director, Student PIRGs, (323) 309 6120 (cell)
Lisa Gilbert, Democracy Advocate, Student PIRGs (551) 404 5200 (cell)

Early Data Indicate Youth Turnout Up From 2004

Increases as High as 287% over 2004 in Some Youth-Dense Precincts, Many Elections Officials Remark on High Turnout

Preliminary data from local elections officials indicate that young voter turnout in many youth-dense precincts increased significantly over 2004 – as high as 287%. These early numbers offer an important glimpse at what to expect tomorrow when national youth turnout numbers are available.

While the national exit poll data for youth turnout will not be available until 8am ET tomorrow morning, these individual precinct numbers - gathered from local elections officials by the Student Public Interest Research Groups (Student PIRGs) indicate that youth voter turnout was up over 2004 levels.  Because many of these numbers were gathered before polls closed, or didn’t include provisional ballots cast, the final numbers may be considerably higher.

• Indiana University Bloomington, Precinct 01 - at least a 287% increase over 2004. 3114 people voted today, while only 804 voted in 2004.
• University of South Florida, Precinct 353 - 66% increase over 2004 with the polls still open. To date 1151 people voted, a 66% increase from 2004, when only 695 people voted.
• The Ohio State University, Precinct 39B - at least a 92% increase over 2004. To date, 1193 people voted, while only 662 votes cast ballots in 2004.
• Iowa State University, Precinct 4-5 - at least a 39% increase over 2004. 877 voted today, while only 629 voted in 2004.
• Colorado University Boulder, Precinct 102 - at least a 45% increase. 970 total votes were cast in 2008, while only 668 voted in 2004.
• University of Maryland, Precinct 2117 - at least a 122% increase from 2004. As of 7 pm ET, 1440 people had voted, while only 740 voted in 2004.
• University of Connecticut - 40% increase over 2004. 5259 people voted in 2008, while only 3755 cast ballots in 2004

Most elections officials contacted by the Student PIRGs were predicting record turnout. One elections official in Missouri remarked that in her 20 years, she had never seen turnout like today’s. 

These precincts were located on or near universities that were the focus of the nonpartisan Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project. Today’s voting was marked by intense Get Out the Vote efforts, high excitement, long lines, and in some areas, voting problems. The Student PIRGs' network of 80 campus organizers and 2000 volunteers chronicled today’s experience with anecdotes and photos, which can be found at www.newvotersproject.org

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