Poll Tracker

Some highlights from the poll:

• Students say they can relate more to Obama by 2-to-1 majorities or more in each of the four states and the same is true about who they believe can bring about real change.
• Like older voters, a solid majority picks McCain as the more effective commander-in-chief.
• By 2-to-1 or better margins, student voters say electing Obama will make a difference in bettering their lives.
• By 3-to-1 or better margins, they say Obama will do more to improve the U.S. image in the world.
• A majority of students say Obama is "a different kind of Democrat" but not by as much as the positive marks they give him in other areas. In Ohio, they said that by 51 percent to 48 percent and by margins of 7 points to 12 points in the other states. Students see McCain as a typical Republican by margins at or approaching 2-to-1.
• On experience and age, between 15 percent and 19 percent of student voters think he is too inexperienced while roughly 40 percent say his age "gives him fresh new ideas." Roughly 40 percent say it doesn't matter. By pluralities of more than 40 percent in each state, students say McCain's age is a liability, with about a quarter saying it gives him experience and 3 out of 10 saying it doesn't matter.
• Students don't like Sarah Palin. In Ohio and North Carolina, 49 percent say they "don't much like" her, and 53 percent in Pennsylvania and 60 percent in Colorado say the same.
• Among students favoring Obama, they say their parents are also backing him by majorities ranging from 57 percent to 62 percent, but those supporting McCain are clearly more in tune with their folks since they say their parents will also vote for McCain by majorities ranging from 73 percent to 83 percent.
• Roughly two-thirds or more students have watched political videos on YouTube or visited a candidates' web page. Far less using social networking sites like Facebook for political activities or searching for information, or engaged much in e-mail or Twittering about politics.
• Students cull information from a variety of sources. Seven out of 10 or more say they got their information from TV news, internet news sites or discussions with friends and family. Two-thirds listed talk, entertainment or comedy shows. Fifty-two percent turned to newspapers and 31 percent to radio.