Bus Project, Oregon Student Vote Coalition Closes Huge Youth Turnout Gap

Ian from the Oregon Bus Project writes in to let me know that in just a few short years, Oregon has gone from having the largest gap between youth vote turnout and general turnout to one of the smallest:

In 2004, Oregon saw the second largest gap in turnout between older and younger votes in the nation. In 2008, Oregon's youth took Oregon from the back of the pack to near the front. Just one presidential election ago, Oregon's 18 to 29-year-olds turned out at a 25 point lower rate than those 30 and over. In 2008, we shrunk that gap to just over 10 points.

In terms of shrinking that gap, Oregon was #1 with a bullet. (Obama effect was nationwide … this is something that makes Oregon special.) Pretty frickin' cool.

This really is a testament to the work, and creativity of the youth vote community in Oregon, and the larger Bus Federation as a whole, which has done pioneering work with programs like Trick or Vote and Candidates Gone Wild.

Loaded Orygun has more.