From CIRCLE, the youth vote increased in the New Hampshire primary to 43% of eligible voters 30 and under, up from 18% in 2004 and 28% in 2000 based on exit polls conducted in the state. That numbers equates to 84,232 young people or 16% of the overall vote.

Specifically young people represented 18% of the total Democratic vote and 14% of the overall Republican vote.

For Democrats young people between the ages of 18-24 went 60% for Senator Obama compared to 22% for Senator Clinton and 9% for former Senator Edwards. Meanwhile young people between the ages of 24-30 spread 37% for Clinton, 35% for Obama and 18% for Edwards.

Check out the CIRCLE page for more information.

For the Republicans young people between the ages of 18-24 went 27% for John McCain and then spread 19% for Ron Paul, 17% for Mitt Romney and 15% for Mike Huckabee. Meanwhile young people between the ages of 24-30 went 37% for John McCain, 33% for Mitt Romney, 15% for Ron Paul and 15% for Mike Huckabee.

The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) released ‘Revised Estimates Show Higher Turnout than Expected Iowa Youth Turnout Rate More than Triples 65,000 Iowans under the Age of Thirty Participate in the Caucuses’. (.pdf)

13% of eligible Iowans under the age of 30 turned out an increase from 4% in 2004. Most interesting turned out not just for Senator Barack Obama but for Governor Mike Huckabee as well. (Remember in 2004 the Iowa Caucus was not held for Republicans as George W. Bush was the incumbent).

The turnout rate has historically been low in Iowa caucuses, but the youth turnout rate
was much higher tonight than in recent years. This result continues a trend observed in
other elections since 2000. In the 2006 congressional elections, the voter turnout rate
among 18-to-29-year-olds increased by three percentage points compared to the previous
congressional election of 2002. And in the 2004 presidential election, the national youth
voter turnout rate rose 9 percentage points compared to 2000, reaching 49 percent. In
2004, under-30-year olds were registered to vote at the highest rate in 30 years.