By Richard Carrier
Contributing writer

The interest in the 2008 General Election has manifested itself in a record number of potential voters registering. The Commonwealth of Virginia’s new bench mark is a record 5,021,993 registrations, a 436,155 or 9.68 percent increase in just the past ten months.

Of the 400 thousand plus new registrations, just under 40 percent are under the age of 25, with under 25-year-old females representing the highest percentage at 21.09. Accurate age/gender analysis is not available prior to this year, according to State Board of Elections representative Ryan Enright, but the current data puts female registrants at the top of all six statistical categories; under 25 years of age, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and over 65 years of age. All new registrants in the 25-34 age group total just over 20 percent of the total and the numbers logically fall off from there to a low of 4.75 percent in the most senior category.

No current age or gender statistics are available on a county-by-county basis, but long-time Powhatan County Registrar, Inez L. Poe recognized the youth movement trend early-on. In a September interview with Powhatan Today she remarked that “there has also (the pre- “also” comment being a reference to a disproportionate number of requests for absentee ballots) been a huge increase in the number of young people registering to vote.”

Powhatan County put 1,141 new names on the voter registrations roles since the first of the year to reach a total of 17,713. This 6.44 percent increase ranks the county in the middle of the pack state-wide, with the City of Williamsburg leading with a huge 19.54 percent increase and Highland County’s gain the lowest at 2.7 percent. Neighboring Goochland County plotted a 7.01 percent gain, Buckingham 6.88 percent and Cumberland 7.38 percent.

During the past six general elections Powhatan County has also shown a steady increase in voter registrants, commensurate with the population growth in the county. 1988 counted 6,742 registered voters, 1992- 7,583, 1996-9,856, 2000-12,336 and 2004-15,301 and the 17,713 total for 2008. Powhatan County, traditionally a strong Republican base, has demonstrated a high percentage of voter turn out during Presidential elections. Over the past twenty years the county voted at an average 80% rate, with the exception of the 1992 contest when Governor Bill Clinton unseated incumbent President H.W. Bush. The county voted at a remarkable 93 percent that year. Registrar Poe predicts that the 2008 Presidential election will rival that turnout.

“I predict a 92 percent voter turnout,” she said.