91 Percent of Gen-Y Intend to Vote in Presidential Election According to Peanut Labs Gen-Y Political Survey

Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:04am EST
 
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  SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Jan 30 (MARKET WIRE) -- 
 A survey of voting preferences of younger voters on social networks by Peanut
Labs, Inc., provider of the largest Gen-Y sample for market researchers,
currently shows a close run between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, with Obama
slightly leading, garnering 39.6 percent of all Gen-Y voters.  Also, a never
before
seen majority of younger voters, 91 percent, indicate they intend to vote in
November while noting they feel most strongly about domestic issues, like
health care, education, and poverty.

    The survey, conducted in January 2008, examines the voting habits and
preferences of Gen-Y, today's 18-29 year olds with a four point margin of
error.

    Party Affiliation: Percentage of Gen-Y describing themselves as: 

--  Democratic: 44.9 percent
--  Independent: 27.8 percent
--  Republican: 27.3 percent

    
Overall presidential preferences (eligible and intending to vote):


--  Obama: 31.6 percent 
--  Clinton: 26.1 percent 
--  Huckabee: 7.7 percent 
--  Giuliani: 5.5 percent

    
Preferences by Party:

Democrat

--  Obama: 43.4 percent 
--  Clinton: 39.1 percent 
--  Edwards: 8.2 percent 

    Independent

--  Obama: 34.8 percent 
--  Clinton: 23.8 percent
--  Huckabee: 7.2 percent 
--  Giuliani: 6.6 percent

    Republican

--  Huckabee 23.9 percent 
--  Obama: 17.6 percent 
--  Clinton: 13.2 percent 
--  Giuliani: 13.2 percent 

    
Gen-Y Voter Snapshot 

--  91 percent of all eligible Gen-Y voters plan on voting. 
--  68 percent of eligible voters who do not intend to vote stated they
will not vote because they do not care or are not interested. 
--  Some 69 percent of all Gen-Y voters say their parents are going to
vote.  16.3 percent doesn't know what their parents' voting plans are.


    
Gen-Y's Hottest Issue

    When asked what they consider to be the most pressing current issue,
Gen-Y,across all parties, is most concerned with domestic issues such as health
care,
education, and poverty, with 30.2 percent noting as most important.

--  Economic issues like inflation, jobs or risk of recession were the
second most important issue for 24.3 percent of all respondents
--  16.2 percent stated environmental issues 
--  15.3 percent felt the War in Iraq was most important
--  10.1 percent indicated equal rights issues like same-sex marriage, gay
rights or abortion

    
Gen-Y on polarizing issues

    Gen-Y appears to be less polarized than older counterparts, with the
majority
agreeing on major topics like the War in Iraq, the environment or same sex
marriage, but split along party lines on the issue of abortion.

    War in Iraq

--  75.6 percent of all Gen-Y respondents strongly opposed the war with
68.6 percent of Gen-Y calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops. 

    
Same-sex marriage and abortion

--  Over all, 55.1 percent of all Gen-Yers oppose a constitutional
amendment banning same-sex marriage. 

--  52.8 percent of Republican Gen-Yers opposed the ban 
--  60.9 percent of Gen-Y Democrats 
--  57 percent of Independents also opposed a ban on same-sex marriage.


    
--  When asked about supporting or opposing the legalization of
abortion,the most polar issue, 55.2 percent of all Gen-Yers supported keeping
abortion
legal. 

--  65.7 percent of all Gen-Y Republicans opposed legalized abortion
--  71.5 percent of Gen-Y Democrats who support abortion rights
--  56.4 percent of Gen-Y Independents support abortion rights


    
The environment

--  80.5 percent of all Gen-Y supported legislation to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions. 

--  89.2 percent Democrats support legislation
--  86.1 percent Independents support legislation
--  73.9 percent Republicans support legislation

    
--  When asked whether they support the development of alternative
fuels to reduce dependents on foreign oil, 89.5 percent of Gen-Y agreed.


--  94.6 percent Gen-Y Democrats
--  90.4 percent Republicans 
--  93.2 percent Independents


    
"We are excited by Gen-Y's high level of political engagement and
anxiousto see if they vote in the vast numbers they say they will, as that would
make
them the deciding demographic in November," said Murtaza Hussain, Chief
Executive
Officer at Peanut Labs.  "It is interesting to note the resounding solidarity
that crosses party lines on issues like the environment, the war in Iraq and
same-sex marriage that shows Gen-Y may have a different, less polarized view
of the world than their parents -- something that leading candidates should
bear in mind."

    The survey was carried out among 1070 Gen-Y respondents active on more
thanseventy leading social networks that examined Gen-Y's voting preferences
heading into
the 2008 primary season.  For more information or the complete survey results,
please contact Peanut Labs.

    About Peanut Labs

    Peanut Labs is changing the way online market research is accessed and
delivered, providing unparalleled access to millions of 13-25 year olds that
comprise today's Gen-Y audience. Developer of Sample3.0, the Peanut Labs sample
methodology taps into more than 70 social networks including MySpace, Facebook,
and
Google OpenSocial. Sample3.0 is quickly becoming the online sampling
methodology of choice by leading marketing research firms. More information
about Peanut Labs and Sample3.0 can be found at www.peanutlabs.com.

    Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=677030


Media contact:
Dan Gould
SHIFT Communications
415-412-1068
Email Contact

Copyright 2008, Market Wire, All rights reserved.

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