Americans revved up and ready to vote

WASHINGTON -- American voters, to borrow a candidate's phrase, are fired up and ready to go.

Turnout in the opening Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary this month smashed records. By 2-1, those surveyed in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll say they're more enthusiastic than usual about voting this year. Nine in 10 say it makes a difference to them who is elected president.

With the stakes high and the country's direction up for grabs, voters are poised to continue a rebound in Election Day turnout that began after dipping to a historic low in 1996, when barely over half of those eligible to vote bothered to go to the polls. High levels of interest are reshaping the races in both parties, boosting candidates who have reached out to new voters at the expense of those who targeted the ranks of the tried-and-true.

"I hate to say it, but (in past elections) I'd vote if I was available or my schedule allowed it or I remembered," says Sara Koscura, 28, a Republican and attorney in upstate Watertown, N.Y., who was among those surveyed. "Voting wasn't a high priority, but this year it is."

She supports Arizona Sen. John McCain, who won easily in New Hampshire over the better-funded Mitt Romney after pulling independent voters to the Republican primary. In Iowa, Romney's superior organization lost to Mike Huckabee, who drew a flood of conservative Christians to the caucuses.

The broadest outreach to young and independent voters has been by Democrat Barack Obama — who coined the phrase about voters being "fired up."

Young and independent voters swamp Obama's rallies, delivered a sweeping victory for him in Iowa and contribute to his strength heading into Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, when 22 states will hold contests.

Opposition to the Iraq war, anxiety about a possible recession, dissatisfaction with President Bush and dismay over gridlock in Washington are fueling Americans' engagement in the 2008 election.

By 62%-28%, voters say they're more enthusiastic about voting than usual. That's 17 percentage points higher than at this point in 2000 and 6 points higher than in 2004 — a year in which November turnout was the highest in a generation.

Democrats are significantly more keyed up about the election than Republicans, a major advantage if the feeling continues to November.

Republicans and independents who "lean" to the GOP say by 49%-37% that they're more excited than usual. For Democrats, it's 74%-19%.

"If things are going fine, people would relax and get back to their lives and go to the movies. But when the country's in trouble, then obviously you turn your attention to solving the problems in front of you," says Jon Krosnick, a Stanford professor who studies political psychology.

"Lots of people in the country, more so than in a really long time, are unhappy with the direction the leadership has been taking," he says.

That unhappiness is deep-seated. In the USA TODAY poll taken Thursday through Sunday, more than half of those surveyed say they are pessimistic or uncertain about how well the U.S. government will work in the long run. Nearly two-thirds are pessimistic or uncertain about the long-term soundness of the economy.