More than 65,000 young Iowans Rock the Caucuses tonight; Show that the candidate who reaches out to the youth vote will win elections

Rock the Vote spokespeople, including Executive Director Heather Smith, available for comment and interviews tonight and tomorrow

For Immediate Release
January 3, 2008 – 9:30 pm/Updated Jan. 4, 11 am

Des Moines, IA: Young voters turned out in big numbers to the Iowa caucuses tonight and propelled both of the winning candidates to victory. Among 17-29 year old Democrats, 57% supported the winner, Barack Obama, and among 17-29 year old Republicans, 40% supported the winner, Mike Huckabee, according to the CNN entrance poll. Total turnout of 17-29 year olds was triple the age group’s turnout in 2004, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE), surpassing 65,000 young participants in the caucuses.

“Tonight showed that candidates who court young voters will win elections,” said Heather Smith, Executive Director of Rock the Vote. “Young voters turned out for candidates who spoke to them, talked about issues they care about, and asked for their votes. Clearly, young voters are a political powerhouse in 2008 and will play a major role come November.”

According to CNN’s entrance poll, 17-29 year olds made up 22% of Democratic caucus-goers, an increase of five percentage points over 2004 and more than this age group’s share of the population (21%). Among Republicans, 11% of caucus-goers were 17-29 years old (there was no Republican caucus in 2004 for comparison).

Fifty-seven percent of 17-29 year old Democrats caucused for Barack Obama, 14% for John Edwards, 11% for Hillary Clinton, and 10% for Bill Richardson. Among 17-29 year old Republicans, 40% caucused for Mike Huckabee, 22% for Mitt Romney, and 21% for Ron Paul. (CNN entrance poll)

In addition to campaigns, nonpartisan organizations including Rock the Vote ran aggressive young voter outreach campaigns. With Iowa PIRG’s New Voters Project, Rock the Vote ran a “Rock the Caucus” campaign to mobilize high school and college students to turn out to the Iowa caucuses. Rock the Vote reached out to more than 20,000 young adults during the Iowa campaign, through class presentations, mock caucuses, online organizing, high school parties, and a voter education campaign.

Young voter turnout is on an upward trend. Turnout went up significantly in 2004 – by 4.3 million over 2000 levels – and went up again in 2006, that time by 1.9 million over 2002 levels. Given this momentum and tonight’s strong young voter showing in Iowa, the 2008 elections are shaping up to be the third consecutive election in a row with increased young voter turnout.

Media Contact: For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Chrissy Faessen at 202-223-1520 x114 or chrissy (at) rockthevote.com.

Bookmark and Share:

CNN’s entrance polls are reporting high turnout across the state - and that more than half of caucus-goers are first-timers. 

Check back for more later!

Bookmark and Share:

Said Valley student coordinator Ali Diaz, a high school junior: “Today was proof that young voters will have a big voice in the 2008 elections. I’m excited to be voting in my first caucus – I get to play a part in deciding who the next president of the United States will be tonight, and that’s an amazing feeling.”

Find out more here.

Bookmark and Share:

We’re expecting hundreds of students at the parties - here are a few of the first pictures from Valley High.

Check back here throughout the night for updates from the field, photos from the parties, and more!

Bookmark and Share:

“Politicians won’t be the only ones rallying the troops to the caucuses today. An after-school party at Valley High School is expected to draw up to 300 students to teach them about the importance of their vote. Rock the Caucus is sponsored by Rock the Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization…Valley and Lincoln High School in Des Moines will be the first metro-area schools to host the event.

“We know from polling that young adults are really a new generation that is incredibly engaged in politics,’ said Kathleen Barr, director of education at Rock the Vote. ‘The energy young Iowans have been showing provides a really good opportunity to continue the momentum into 2008 from Day 1.’

“Junior Ali Diaz, 17, has been working on the event for the past month. She is one of nine captains who spent the end of December recruiting student pledges to caucus. ‘I think it’s a privilege that we’re allowed to vote at such a young age,’ Diaz said. ‘I really want people to think of it as a privilege and a right that not everyone gets.’”

“According to Iowa law, anyone age 18 by Nov. 4, 2008, is allowed to participate in the caucuses. Diaz said she makes the cut by mere days. ‘I’m going to take full advantage of it,’ she said.”

Bookmark and Share: