Atlantic City Press

The November election could make history, and not only because the first
black or woman president could be elected. This also could be the year that
traditionally apathetic young voters begin to have an impact.

Look into the crowds packing 20,000-seat arenas for Democrat Barack Obama.
You'll see plenty of those college students we've heard about who are
inspired by his candidacy. But it's not just Obama, or even the Democrats,
who are stoking young adults' interest in this election.

Students from Rowan University and the Richard Stockton College of New
Jersey traveled to New Hampshire to get out the vote for Rudy Giuliani in
that state's Republican primary. Students also are reviving college
Democratic and Republican clubs on the Rowan campus in Glassboro.

Stockton has hosted voter registration drives. When college staff held an
information session just before the Feb. 5 New Jersey presidential primary,
more than 200 students packed a large classroom and spilled into the hall.

"There is the sense that this will be a historic election. And the sense
that you can be part of it is very powerful," Stockton Provost David Carr
said.

The evidence of greater interest isn't only anecdotal. The Press of Atlantic
City analyzed Atlantic County voter registration with help from the county
Superintendent of Elections office. Young voters are fueling an increase in
registration. People ages 18 to 24 account for 55 percent of the 4,030 new
voters added to county registration rolls since January 2007. Registration
in the 18-24 age group jumped 21 percent in one year.

The U.S. Census Bureau has estimated that the so-called "millennial"
generation - those born after 1976 - will make up a third of the electorate
in only seven years.

Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has inspired young women to get involved in
politics, but many say Obama's charisma and soaring rhetoric are stirring
emotions across campuses.

"I don't remember anyone having this kind of appeal to young people since
John F. Kennedy," Carr said.

He said research shows that millennials generally don't like polarized
debate, which could partly explain Obama's popularity.

John Weingart, associate director of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at
Rutgers Univeristy, said some students simply are mesmerized by the drama of
the primary campaign.

"This Tuesday, people won't know what to do with themselves because there
won't be any primary returns coming in," Weingart said.

Political clubs are making a comeback at Rowan. William Moen Jr., a Rowan
political science major, has been able to revive the college's Democratic
club. He started by messaging an online Rowan group at Facebook.com and
moved from the virtual world to actual club meetings on campus.

Moen originally supported John Edwards but switched to Obama after Edwards
quit. Moen said club members are split between Obama and Clinton. A common
thread is a desire for change, he said.

"One-third of my life has been spent under George Bush," said Moen, 21.
"People are fed up. People my age feel there can be change."

"John F. Kennedy said that change is the law of life," he said.

On-campus interest isn't limited to Democrats. Caitlin Stopper, a senior
majoring in political science, is rebuilding the Rowan Republican club. She
grew up hearing her conservative parents talk about issues around the dinner
table in Cherry Hill. Now Stopper is working to get young Republicans
involved and united behind likely Republican nominee John McCain.

Weingart noted that a surge of youth involvement has been predicted before
and did not materialize, notably in 2004. Carr said the outcome of the
Democratic nominating process and selection of running mates could further
energize or deflate interest, depending on what happens.

But Stopper said even Republicans are looking for change. She said she
thinks the conventional wisdom about young people not voting will be defied
this year.

I think the times are absolutely changing," she said. "Kids are fed up, and
they know they can make a difference."