Youth vote

Some Obama supporters are optimistic that a great increase of new voters, i.e. young people coming of voting age, will help them considerably. The numbers are impressive.

Demographics also favor the Democrats big time in 2008. It is generally conceded that Obama will win the youth vote by a healthy margin, and if primaries are indicators of fall turnout (historically they are) the youth vote will increase substantially over 2004. Millions of new voters have reached 18 since 2004. Some examples according to the US Census Bureau:

• In Ohio (which John Kerry lost by only 120,000 votes in 2004), 750,000 eligible voters between 18 and 22 who could not vote in 2004 can vote in 2008.

• In Colorado (Kerry lost by 99,000) 293,000 between 18 and 22 have become eligible to vote in 2008.

• In New Mexico (Kerry lost by 6000 votes) 145,000 kids have reached voting age.

• In Michigan 690,000 have become eligible.

• In Virginia 465,000 (Kerry lost by 260,000).

• In Florida alone over 1 million young people have reached voting age since 2004.