After President Barack Obama handily won re-election over GOP challenger Mitt Romney on Tuesday, hundreds of students in Ann Arbor flocked to the University of Michigan Diag to celebrate.
Students celebrate Barack Obama's victory at the University of Michigan Diag late Tuesday night.
The average turnout rate in student areas near the university —including precincts near central campus and the residential areas near north campus— was 36.2 percent, according to the article.
Nationwide, the average turnout rate for registered voters under 30 was estimated at 48.3 percent, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.
University of Michigan students wait in the Michigan League to vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012.
Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com
The 36.2 percent turnout rate is also significantly lower than the countywide turnout rate. This year Washtenaw County's registered voters averaged a turnout rate of 64.5 percent, or 181,032 voters.
After Obama was declared the victor of the Nov. 6 election, hundreds of students flocked to the Diag to celebrate the president's re-election, chanting "four more years, four more years."
Many students voted for the first time.
"It feels wonderful. I was so excited to turn in my ballot," sophomore Kiana Alexander, who voted in her first presidential election Tuesday, told AnnArbor.com while celebrating at the Michigan Union election party. "I was going to vote straight ticket, but I just wanted to fill in all the bubbles."
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.