The College Voter
Traditionally, the youth voter demographic (ages 18 to 24 or 18 to 29) is the most underrepresented group in any given election. Following are some statistics on youth voting trends reported in the United States and in the state of Nevada.
2004 Presidential Election
National The youth voter turnout rate of 24 percent in 2004 was the highest level of youth voter participation in over a decade.1
The voter turnout rate of youth voters between the ages of 18 and 24 rebounded by 11 percent in the 2004 presidential election.2
Young adults (ages 18 to 24) constituted 13 percent of the total voting-age citizen population and nine percent of the population that voted in 2004.2
Twenty three percent of registered voters between the ages of 18 and 24 reported that they did not vote in the 2004 presidential election because they were too busy or had conflicting work or school schedules.2
Nevada Approximately 38 percent of Nevada voters cast ballots in person prior to Election Day.2
2000 Presidential Election
National The national youth voter turnout rate for people between the ages of 18-29 was 40 percent for the 2000 presidential election.1
Overall, the turnout rate for youth between ages 18 and 24 declined by 16 percent in presidential election years between 1972 and 2000.1
2006 Congressional (Midterm) Election National The 2006 midterm election was the second major election in a row that saw an increase in the electoral participation of young people between the ages of 18 to 29.3
Young voter (ages 18 to 29) electoral participation improved between the 2002 and 2006 congressional elections nationally from 22 to 25 percent.3
Nevada
In Nevada, the youth voter turnout rate fell two percentage points from 22 percent in 2002 to 20 percent in 2006.4
Nevada ranked 43rd among all states and the District of Columbia for youth voter turnout in 2006.4
In 2006, an estimated 327,000 people between the ages of 18 to 29 were eligible to vote in U.S. elections.4
2002 Congressional (Midterm) Election National For youth between the ages of 18 and 24, turnout rates have generally declined by six percent in midterm election years between 1978 and 2002.1
Of the 43 percent of registered voters between ages 18 and 24, only 19 percent reported voting in the 2002 midterm election.1
The 19 percent voting rate of 18- to 24-year-old citizens was the lowest voting rate of any age group during the 2002 midterm election.1
Nevada
Nevada ranked 29th among all states and the District of Columbia for youth voter turnout in the 2002 midterm elections.4
Issues of Importance to Voters 
Sources: 1 Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE),
Youth Voter Turnout in the States during the 2004 Presidential and 2002 Midterm Elections, July 2005.
2 U.S. Census Bureau,
Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004, March 2006.
3 Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE),
Youth Voter Turnout Increases in 2006, June 2007.
4 Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE),
Quick Facts about Young Voters in Nevada: The Midterm Election Year 2006, June 2007.
5 The Economist/You Gov Poll,
Topical Questions on the Presidential Candidates, May 14-15, 2008