Last nights election was historic as we saw the United States elect it’s first African American President. We also saw a shift in the demographics of the electorate, becoming more multicultural and younger. Early on Obama made it clear that Net Generation voters were going to be key to his victory. He used new mediums to reach out to voters across America. Whether is was text message campaign announcements, videos on YouTube or supporters self organizing on Facebook or his campaigns own social tools, it was clear that he was not just including, but depending on the youth of America to help propel him to victory.

However, up until this point the ‘youth vote’ has been seen as something that has over promised and under delivered. Last night however the message could not have been more different and their decision more clear. As you can see from the chart below, CNN exit polls show that Obama won a whopping 66% or the Net Generation vote. “(The youth vote) is turning states that (Obama) would’ve lost or barely won into more comfortable margins,” says John Della Volpe, the director of polling for the Harvard University Institute of Politics. “Not only are they voting in higher numbers, they’re voting more Democratic.”

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