COLLEGE STUDENTS PLAN TO VOTE IN RECORD NUMBERS, KERRY BUILDS ON LEAD, HARVARD POLL FINDS

Students favor Kerry 52-39; Economy Cited as Top Issue

A new national poll by Harvard University’s Institute of Politics (IOP) finds exceptionally high interest in the presidential campaign on college campuses, and turnout among college students is expected to rise dramatically. Nearly 72 percent of college students report that they are "certain" they are registered to vote and "definitely" plan on voting this November. More than in other years, students believe that they have a stake – and will have a say - in the outcome of the election.

The Harvard poll also reports that Senator Kerry maintains a 13-point lead among college students, and a slightly stronger 17-point advantage among likely voters in key swing states. Kerry’s lead appears to be a function of several factors, including strong support from female voters and Independents, dissatisfaction over the war in Iraq, concern for the economy, and movement of formerly uncommitted voters to the Kerry camp.

This is huge news, and it underscores the importance of the Democrats' advantage in registering new voters. Even if a number of the polls aren't picking it up, there will be millions of new voters this year, and most likely they will be voting for John Kerry.

I heard an interesting analysis of why young voters overwhelmingly support the Democrats at this juncture. For people who came of age during the 1980s, who are in their 30s and 40s, the "prosperity" of the Reagan years endeared them to the GOP. My generation--in our late teens, twenties and early thirties--came of age during the Clinton boom, and thus lean towards the Democratic Party. This generalization seems to make sense to me, and as this poll indicates, young voters are indeed in favor of John Kerry by a large margin. If we (us young'ens) can turn out in force this year, there is no question who will reside in the White House for the next four years!