Fewer young voters supported President Obama in 2012 than in 2008, study shows

[Redfairen]

Fewer young voters cast their ballot for Barack Obama in 2012 than did in 2008, though the vast majority of those under 30 who voted opted for the Democratic presidential candidate.

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, or CIRCLE, at Tufts University released a study of youth voting patterns Friday. The study showed 14.8 million voters between the ages of 18 and 29 voted for Obama in 2008. By 2012, that number had slipped to 12.3 million.

In spite of the drop, young voters chose Obama over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney by a margin of 60 percent to 37 percent. The 23 percent margin was lower than in 2008, when Obama received 66 percent of the support vs. 32 percent received by GOP challenger John McCain.

Youth turnout dropped slightly in 2012, down 6 percent from 2008, as compared to less than 1 percent for those older than 30. Turnout for 18-29 year olds was 51 percent in 2008 and 45 percent in 2012. Overall, Obama received about 3.7 million fewer total votes from all age groups in 2012 than he had in 2008.

http://blog.al.com/breaking/2013/05/fewer_young_voters_supported_p.html#incart_river_default

[otohara]

1. I Know Some...Conspiracy Theories & Alex Jones

so many have started believing the various conspiracy theories about President Obama because of Alex Jones. They also don't like his position on marijuana. Marijuana legalization got 58,000 more votes than POTUS in CO. Many who voted for him in 08 really turned against him in a hateful way.

They are pretty uninformed and don't understand how our government works. They think the President is all powerful and has the power to do what ever he wants.

[bowens43]

2. Obama showed then that he wasn't what he pretended to be during the election of 2008

Young people don't take well to being lied to.

Obama showed them that he is just another politician working for America Inc.

[JoePhilly]

3. Yea, they voted for Romney

[winter is coming]

7. "Turnout for 18-29 year olds was 51 percent in 2008 and 45 percent in 2012." n/t

[Jamaal510]

5. "Obama showed them that he is just another politician working for America Inc."

Um...are you sure you're on the right forum?

[AtomicKitten]

4. Yet he won comfortably by 5M votes.

[LiberalFighter]

6. The comparison is wrong and therefore flawed.

The voters between the ages of 18 and 29 in their study were not the same in both elections.

It should had compared those 18 to 29 in 2008 with those 22 to 32 to be relevant. There is no way those between 18 and less than 21 now could had voted in 2008.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. Great point. There was a cohort shift. Thanks for this.

[Sunlei]

9. students won't forget it was and is republicans who work to keep students from voting.

Though I wish more Americans in general would vote.

Such a shame republicans are even allowed to cheat, gerrymander maps, mess around with picture ID they know many Americans never had.