June 2008

More than 6.5 million young people under the age of 30 participated in the 2008 primaries and caucuses. This marks a dramatic increase in youth voter turnout over the last comparable election cycle in 2000. In states where data is available for both the 2008 and 2000 primaries, the national youth turnout rate rose from nine percent in the 2000 primaries to 17 percent in the 2008 primaries.

For statistics on the whole primary season:

• Click here to download the press release
• Click here to download the fact sheet

For primary results by state:

• Super Tuesday combined (with youth voter information from all Super Tuesday states)
• Alabama (no clear comparison year)
• Arizona (no clear comparison year- updated estimate)
• Arkansas (no clear comparison year-updated estimate)
• California (youth turnout up from 13% to 19%-updated estimate)
• Connecticut (youth turnout up from 7% to 12%)
• Florida (youth turnout triples)
• Georgia (youth turnout triples)
• Indiana (no clear comparison)
• Iowa (youth turnout triples)
• Kentucky (no clear comparison)
• Louisiana (youth turnout doubles)
• Maryland (youth turnout up from 11% to 15%)
• Massachusetts (youth turnout doubles)
• Michigan (no clear comparison)
• Missouri (youth turnout triples)
• Mississipi (youth turnout triples)
• Nevada press release (no clear comparison)
• New Hampshire (youth turnout rises sharply)
• New Jersey (no clear comparison year)
• New York (youth turnout steady while overall turnout falls)
• North Carolina (no clear comparison)
• Ohio (youth turnout rises sharply)
• Oklahoma (youth turnout triples)
• Oregon (no clear comparison)
• Pennsylvania (no clear comparison year)
• South Carolina (no clear comparison)
• Tennessee (youth turnout quadruples)
• Texas (youth turnout nearly triples)
• Utah (no clear comparison year)
• Virginia (no clear comparison year)
• West Virginia (no clear comparison year)
• Wisconsin (no clear comparison year)

CIRCLE is hiring for the position of Lead Researcher. In July of 2008, CIRCLE will become part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University. The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service prepares students in all fields of study for lifetimes of active citizenship, promotes new knowledge in the field, and builds an enduring and broadly shared ethos of citizenship and public service across Tufts University.  For best consideration, we request that applications be submitted by May 31, 2008.
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These are fact sheets on youth voting in the states, issued by CIRCLE prior to primaries or caucuses:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana (NEW!)
• Kansas
• Kentucky (NEW!)
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina (NEW!)
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania (NEW!)
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

2006 CPHS Data Sets

The 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey (CPHS) is the most up-to-date and detailed look at how young Americans are participating in politics and communities and their attitudes towards government and current issues.

Download the 2006 CPHS survey in the following formats:

• SAS (.xpt file)
• SPSS (.por file)
• SPSS (.sav file)
• STATA (dta file)

• Download the toplines.
• Download the codebook.

Read about The 2006 Civic and Political Health of the Nation report.

by Karlo Barrios Marcelo

July 2007

Using the Current Population Survey, November (Voting) Supplement, 2006, these fact sheets analyze voter turnout rates by metropolitan area.

Click here to view the list of fact sheets by metropolitan areas.

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by Mark Hugo Lopez, Karlo Barrios Marcelo, and Jared Sagoff

Updated June 2007

Using data from the 2006 Current Population Survey, November (Voting) Supplement, these facts sheets examine voter turnout rates from 1978-2006, turnout rates by subgroup, and partisanship (where available from the Election Pool, Exit Poll surveys) for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

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by the Student Empowerment Training Project

July 2004

A CIRCLE-funded report, “An Investigation of State Student Associations and Their Ability to Engage Students” by the Student Empowerment Training Project examines the role of State Students Associations (SSAs) in youth civic engagement. In addition, the report offers recommendations from highly successful SSAs.

A companion report, “Guide to State Student Associations” catalogues all SSAs currently in orperation and provides contact information for key staff.

• Download An Investigation of State Student Associations and Their Ability to Engage Students.
• Download Guide to State Student Associations.