Youth turnout during Arizona Tuesday's election may break record

PHOENIX (KSAZ) -- Young people is a demographic that has always been behind on Election Day, but that may have changed, at least during the midterm election.

On Tuesday, the youth, especially college students, turned out to vote in what's expected to be record numbers. The lines out at Palo Verde West building on Arizona State University's campus in Tempe were unbelievable, as some said they waited in line for hours to vote.

As for why they were so fired up to vote this election season, students offered different explanations.

"Been told this is a big election, and I think there's gonna be a lot of change switching from democratic and republican, both parties, so a lot of people like to put their opinion," said one person.

"That's the main reason why voted because, hey I want to make a difference," said another person.

According to Nextgen America, more than 40% of students at Northern Arizona University voted, and more than 30% at University of Arizona, as well as 30% of students at ASU.

Students said they've never seen anything like it, but at least they were fed. A group called "Pizza to the Polls" sent 8,000 pizzas to hungry voters waiting in lines across the country, including those at ASU Tempe.

Out of all the students we talked to, both off and on camera, almost all of them said they voted. A spokesperson with the Arizona Secretary of State's office said it will take about a month before the state will release detailed numbers on which groups voted, and how many votes were actually counted.