The Black Youth Project presents a new analysis of voting data that examines how the historic youth voter turnout in 2008 among young blacks and Latinos could impact the 2012 election. 

The fact sheet, entitled ‘Historic Turnout Among Black Youth in 2004 and 2008,’ is the second in a series entitled Democracy Remixed: Black Youth and the Future of American Politics released by the Black Youth Project of the University of Chicago.

Analysis reveals that education, income, and gender are key sources of variation in youth turnout.

Key questions emerge as to whether the record levels of black youth participation displayed during the 2008 election can be recaptured for 2012:

  • Will the campaigns and parties once again invest in black youth and their political participation?
  • Are funders prepared to direct money to poor and marginal communities so that community groups can facilitate the participation of young people, especially young people of color?

 Click here for the full analysis