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As a younger voter currently at a university that has seen a lot of political activity and airtime on CNN as well as a stop on the eternally retarded Vote or Die fiasco, I can truthfully say that more young people voted, but that they didn't vote the way a lot of people thought they would. A lot of younger people hate Bush for various (some good, some bad, some completely irational) reasons. But I have yet to meet one that was going to vote for Kerry for any other reason than "He's not Bush". I think the predominate reason that more younger people didn't vote is the fact that they didn't see an option that really interested them either way. Neither major party gave them a good reason to vote, since both candidates are likely to make any major changes (making changes didn't get them as far as they are now). In the end I think a lot of people decided to vote the status quo. And by the way, the whole draft scare thing didn't work on anyone with more than half a brain. Even as apathetic as my generation is, we are used to being mislead by you guys and the fact that the last draft vote was turned down by all but the 2 congressmen that started it (who were democrats) was not lost on us. It also helps to field a candidate that has an economic policy that makes sense, and isn't just a collection of soundbites. If you want to win the youth vote, field a candidate that is social liberal and fiscally conservative.
Disclaimer: While I have talked to a lot of college students here the opinions are my own (I don't claim to have polls of the nation, so I can't use any really neat statistica; tricks), so don't start flaming me about you being a young person that thinks the exact opposite. And I voted for Badnarik.
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In the words of Jello: "Punk ain't no religious cult,punk means thinking for yourself. You ain't hardcore cause you spike your hair, when a jock still lives inside your head."
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