Young people put another brick in democracy’s foundation this year.

An estimated 23 million young Americans under the age of 30 cast a ballot in the 2008 elections.  The increase of at least 3.4 million young voters over 2004 marked the third consecutive increase in youth turnout in as many election cycles and sustained a trend unprecedented in modern politics.

During the 2008 election, the Student PIRGs New Voters Project played a key role in engaging young voters in the political process.  The following report is a summary of the 2008 election and the programs, strategies, and accomplishments of the New Voters Project in this historic election.

Download the PDF: Student PIRGs' New Voters Project: Make Them Pay Attention to You

Special thanks to our Advisory committee and our partners in the states for their support.

Student PIRGs New Voters Project Advisory Committe

Jan Brewer

Arizona Secretary of State

Michael Delli Carpini

Dean, University of Pennsylvania Annenberg School for Communication

Make them pay attention to us.

Maureen Curley

President, Campus Compact

Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr.

CEO, American Gaming Association

Don Fowler

Chairman of the Board, Fowler Communications

Adonal Foyle

Whitney Griswold Professor of Political Science, Yale University

Lauren Kim

Chair, Maryland PIRG Student Board

Walter Mondale

Vice President

M. Lee Pelton

President, Willamette University

Charles B. Reed 

Chancellor, The California State University 

Leslie Reynolds

Executive Director, National Association of Secretaries of State

Dan Schnur 

Director, University of Southern California Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics

Mary Wilson

President, League of Women Voters
In the States

The Student PIRGs New Voters Project is a project of the following Student PIRG chapters: