So much for the power of young voters. Despite massive efforts to engage the young voting-age population in this year’s elections, exit polls revealed utterly depressing statistics.

This election was an important one. With politics so polarized and the nation at war, voters from all demographics should have had the necessary impetus to cast their ballot. Statistics suggest that the young voting demographic, which includes 18 to 29-year-olds, had the potential to swing the popular vote in favor of John Kerry. That’s power.

But it didn’t.

According to CNN, the young voting age bloc, which is about 20 million, showed little increase in participation from 2000, despite 1.4 million new registrations. What it means is more people registered to vote and may well have voted, but fewer already registered voters did not actually vote. Yes, it is perplexing.

Election 2004 should serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of voting power. It was in fact the apathy of young voters that helped reelect George Bush.

Students registered to vote in New York – a historically democratic state – who supported Bush thought their vote was futile. Untrue. Although a state’s popular vote usually goes in the same direction as the electoral votes, the overall popular vote is significant to the nation and to the politicians. Moreover, as we saw in 2000, a state’s popular and electoral votes do not always move in the same direction.

Maine and Nebraska residents have even more reason to cast ballot as their electoral votes don’t necessarily go one way. At 10 p.m. on election night, three of Maine’s electoral votes were projected for Kerry, while one remained unknown. The fourth electoral vote eventually landed in Kerry’s court, but it was close.

Although it was voted down last night, legislation was on the table to change Colorado’s electoral system to the one Maine and Nebraska use. Had such a system been in place in 2000, Al Gore would have won the election.

As skepticism grows for the Electoral College and its effectiveness in modern America, we may see other states follow Maine and Nebraska’s path. In addition, if the electoral vote tends not to match up to the popular vote in the future, it might be a sign that the system is outdated. We will never know, of course, until young voters engage in the democratic process.

Voting is important. Not because it may have elected a democrat, because democracy works better when its constituents participate.

Based on CNN’s polls, it’s obvious nearly 50 percent of young voters are either apathetic or they think their vote is irrelevant. Wake up. The 18 to 29 vote is very important and it does have an impact. When you don’t vote you’re not represented and the spirit of democracy is diminished.

Are we that lazy that we need motivation to vote? Australia, Belgium, Switzerland and Brazil to name a few have compulsory voting laws for their citizens and they enforce it.

There are so many people in the world who don’t get any voice – you get to help decide who the most powerful person in the world will be. Do not underestimate the power of one.