Marecca Vertin lost interest in politics in high school. She had once dreamed of becoming a campaign manager, but she drifted away from it as a teenager. It wasn't until Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) announced his candidacy that the College of Arts & Science sophomore got involved again.

Now Vertin serves as an intern at Obama's Wisconsin campaign headquarters, where she spends her time making phone calls and rallying voters. Vertin said she can't help but notice the large number of young people who turn out to support the Illinois senator.

But college students aren't known for racing to the polls. In the past elections, they've experienced the lowest turnout of any demographic, said Kathleen Dolan, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. But that's starting to change.

According to the Web site of the New Voters Project, a non-partisan effort dedicated to registering young voters, youth voter turnout more than tripled in both the Iowa caucus and the Florida primaries.

"Young people have an incredible impact," said Chrissy Faessen, communications director of Rock the Vote, a non-profit, non-partisan group committed to getting young voters involved in politics. "They propelled Iowa candidates (Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee) to victory."

Young voter participation has increased in the past two elections, and with record-breaking turnouts at early primaries Faessen said the trend is likely to continue. But some experts say it's unlikely they will completely change the course of the election.

"I don't think one demographic can make the difference," Dolan said. "The youth group is still one of the smallest demographics with the lowest turnout, but they have more room to grow. There's lots of potential."

And it's important young voters reach that potential, said Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, who stumped for Clinton on campus last week. Lawton said she remembered a time when the youth made an impact on the election. In 1968, she cast a presidential ballot for the first time along with many of her peers who "changed the shape of politics for the nation," she said.

"Young people have a different view of the future. There's a longer arc," she said. "That view is essential. They need to turn out to vote."

In this election season, campaigns have been reaching out to young voters in a variety of ways, from networking Web sites like Facebook, or college campus visits, like Chelsea Clinton's stop at the 2040 Lofts last week on behalf of her mother.

"This election is the most important election of my lifetime, and if we don't make a good choice the next election will be the next important one," Chelsea told students.

Of all the candidates, Obama seems to have the most success with young voters. His message of hope and change appeals to students. According to CBS News reports, more than 50 percent of young voters selected Obama on Super Tuesday.

On the Republican side, the unlikely candidate U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) is capturing the attention of young voters. Andy Marshall, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, serves as president of Students for Ron Paul, one of Marquette's two Office of Student Development-approved candidate support groups (the other being Students for Barack Obama).

Marshall said Paul appeals to young voters because he looks farther into the future, and it's up to his peers to select a candidate who does the same.

"If we really want to see change, then we know young people have to vote," he said. "The people who have been voting in past elections aren't going to vote for change, so it is up to the young people."