Study: Young voters need to show up on Election Day

Young voters could have a decisive impact in Iowa's U.S. Senate Race, according to a new study by the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.

The number of millennials, those age 18 to 29, has surpassed baby boomers. Here in Iowa there are about 424,000 18-29 year olds, comprising 20 percent of the state's population. They could have a big impact in the election, if they show up at the polls, according to the study's authors, but in the last midterm just under 29 percent cast a ballot.

The number of young voters has risen each year since 2002, when it hit rock bottom at 22 percent. The college Republicans and Democrats at Cornell College have been doing their part to make sure their peers head to the polls. They knocked on doors and hit up students on their way to the cafeteria to get them registered, along with holding events to get students informed about the candidates.

While their parties are divided on almost every issue, these young voters say the majority of their generation agrees on many issues, and they are looking for more moderate candidates to represent their views.

”Millennials are pretty much unanimously in favor of marriage equality, of same sex marriage whether they are Democrat or Republican, it doesn't matter,” said Thomas Cooke, President of Cornell's College Republicans. 'Millennials are pretty much in favor of decriminalizing or legalizing the procession of marijuana.”

'The economy is huge. College loans and college debt is probably the most relevant to kids our age,” said Trevor Hazen, President of Cornell's College Democrats. 'A lot of people are going to come out of college with large debt and we'd like to see an economy where we can get a job and eventually pay back our debt.”

These two young men represent opposite parties on their college campus, yet they are united in their message to their peers: 'Get out and vote!” With less than a week to go until the election, the polls show the U.S. Senate race is likely going to be extremely close.