MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Last summer, while many of his peers were working part-time jobs or enjoying the last fleeting moments of vacation before the start of school, Robert Johnson, 21, immersed himself in New Hampshire campaign politics.
A senior at the University of New Hampshire and the chairman of the New Hampshire College Republican Federation, Johnson has been spending his time working from the Manchester campaign office of former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman.
"I'm heading up his calling efforts in New Hampshire," Johnson said late Saturday night. "I was in Manchester today and it was buzzing with excitement -- not many college students in the country get to experience this."
And to be fair, not many college students are quite as enmeshed in the political scene as those who go to school in the Granite State. According to statistics from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, the turnout of young voters in New Hampshire has been higher than the national average in every general election since 1998.
'The vote matters'
What exactly spurs this high level of interest among the state's young people? For CIRCLE Director Peter Levine, the answer lies in the state's primary-centric political culture.
"Candidates go to New Hampshire and go to all of the different towns around the state," Levine said. "There is heavy media coverage, and all of that is engaging for young people. In New Hampshire, the vote matters."
The state's politics-heavy atmosphere is partly what attracted college senior Brock Weber, 21, to attend Saint Anselm College in Manchester. An intern for Texas Gov. Rick Perry, as well as an officer for the state's college Republican federation, Weber immediately got involved in politics as a freshman.
"There is an excitement level you don't get in other states," Weber said.
For the six men vying for the nomination, winning over the youth vote on Tuesday is a prize worth having. While only four percent of eligible voters under the age of 30 turned out for last week's Iowa caucuses, 48 percent of them voted for Texas Rep. Ron Paul, according to CIRCLE. On Tuesday, Paul and his competitors will want to make sure they harness some of that youthful New Hampshire enthusiasm for politics if they hope to win. The University of New Hampshire survey center reported on Friday that Paul has an early lead among voters 18 to 34 years old.
CIRCLE reports that in 2008 an estimated 43 percent of voters ages 18 to 29 cast a ballot in the primary. While three-fifths of those votes were for the Democratic side, 33,000 of the state's young voters turned out for the GOP, helping John McCain win the primary.
'Democracy in Action'
Johnson decided to become involved in politics the Thursday after Barack Obama was elected. Johnson said it was important not to stay on the "sidelines anymore."
"Whether Democrat or Republican, students are involved here," he said. "It's democracy in action."
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