There has been a lot of talk this election year about the growing influence of young voters in the 2008 election.  More voters are eligible to vote in 2008 than at any time since the baby boomers turned 18.  “Rock the Vote” alone set a goal of registering 2 million young people in 2008.  In a July poll, Barack Obama led John McCain by 12 points among voters under 30.

These young voters don’t have home phones and along with their status as a first time voter, they don’t appear on a pollsters sample sheet.  This is one of the many reasons why people have been suspect about all of the polling done this season.

The other thing young people do not do is watch television news.  Brian Stelter of the New York Times has a story today about the efforts by network news programs to court young voters.  CNN has launched the “League of First Time Voters” and FOX News is supporting “The Y Factor” with a full-time correspondent.  Luke Russert, son of the late Tim Russert, is covering the youth vote for NBC.  Previously, ABC News announced that it would set up digital news bureaus affiliated with graduate schools of journalism in five states.

Stelter will speak at the Clinton School of Public Service as part of the 2008-09 speaker series.