Harvard's Institute of Politics released a survey Wednesday indicating increased interest among young voters in political engagement. The poll addressed a number of concerns such as the economy, a topic that has become 10 times as significant in the minds of young voters during the past year (Graphic from the Harvard University Institute of Politics).
by Laura Olson
Nearly six in 10 young adults between 18 and 24 years old are interested in engaging in public service, according to a survey released by Harvard University's Institute of Politics Wednesday.
These results are part of an online poll the center conducted between Sept. 12 and Oct. 6. Researchers interviewed more than 2,400 youth selected from Harris Interactive's online research panel, half who are students at four-year institutions and half who are not enrolled.
Conducting an online survey reflects one challenge in reaching younger voters -- about 89 percent of respondents said they have a cell phone, but only 41 percent have a landline and even fewer use it regularly, making the demographic difficult to reach and understand.
The survey found Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain by 26 points - 56 percent to 30 percent - a similar lead to what the center saw in March, when Obama lead 53 to 32. While this year's turnout likely won't beat the increase seen in 2004 (when youth numbers increased 35 percent), about 79 percent of young people are registered to vote.
But John Della Volpe, the center's polling director, said young voters are showing an interest in involvement beyond just voting. Survey results showed 57 percent of Obama supporters and 47 percent of McCain supporters said they would be interested in volunteering for the campaign if asked.
Researchers said these results point toward younger voters making a connection between community service and government. The center has seen a recent increase in the number of youth who view political engagement, not just community service, as an effective way to solve problems.
Bill Purcell, director of the institute, said this interest is significant as millions of civil service employees are reaching retirement age. Nearly half of respondents - 47 percent - said they would consider working in government, and 17 percent said they would consider running for office.
"Young people are up for this challenge," Purcell said.
The poll, which was in the field as the financial crisis began, reflects an increased urgency about economic issues among young people. During the center's fall survey last year, only 5 percent of young adults said the economy was a top concern. That figure now is up to 53 percent.
But what will it take to keep engagement and interest strong after such an appealing election? One key appears to be using technology. About 24 percent said they have contributed to an online discussion on a political topic, and 32 percent said they would consider some kind of government involvement that they could do online.
Post a comment
(Anonymous comments will not be posted. Comments aren't posted immediately. They're screened for relevance to the topic, obscenity, spam and over-the-top personal attacks. We can't always get them up as soon as we'd like so please be patient. Thanks for visiting The Swamp.)