Fill in the blank: Young voter turnout in the 2000 presidential election was _______. (Hint: insert any low percentage).

Try abysmal. In fact, only 32 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds cast ballots in that election, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, compared to 64 percent of citizens 25 and older.

But MTV, World Wrestling Entertainment and hip-hop baron Russell Simmons all claim to have the silver bullet, and everyone is jumping onto their bandwagon. For the past several years, MTV's "Choose or Lose" campaign, the WWE's "Smack Down Your Vote" and Simmons' "Hip-Hop Summit Action Network" have been holding massive voter registration drives geared toward young adults, during which millions of new voters have registered.

These registration drives are supposed to magically double our embarrassing 32 percent into 64 percent, or something like that. While voter registration of 18- to 24-year-olds has hovered around 50 percent for the past two decades, voter turnout of this same group has steadily decreased, from a respectable 50 percent in 1972 (the year voter eligibility fell from age 21 to 18 in most states) to the current low of 32 percent.

In other words, even if a gazillion new youngsters register this year, it won't make a hair of a difference unless voters actually turn out this November. There is only one way to increase young voter turnout. Those of us who vote and are politically involved need to persuade our friends and peers to register and vote.

Unfortunately, the majority of young people don't think their vote makes a difference. This issue stems from a vicious cycle:

The government collects statistics on who votes in all federal elections. Politicians analyze this information to figure out which age groups voted in larger numbers and use it to determine which groups to concentrate on in order to win elections.

Since older people vote at much higher levels than 18- to 24-year-olds, they get almost all of the attention. As a result, young voters don't think anyone is listening to them and choose not to vote. Sounds pretty dooming, doesn't it?

Luckily, young voters are highly receptive to friends and peers. A 2003 study conducted at the Harvard Institute of Politics proves this. Of 1,202 students surveyed nationwide, two-thirds said they would likely attend a political rally if asked by a friend or peer, and half said they would volunteer on a political campaign if asked.

That said, every politically active 18- to 24-year-old needs to be proactive in getting as many young people as they can to register and vote. In fact, I have already turned three friends into reliable voters by explaining the vicious cycle between young voters and politicians, and warning them about some major issues concerning young adults, including jobs and the economy, the war in Iraq, the potential draft and college tuition.

We represent a massive, untapped source of votes for the presidential candidates, and we could potentially swing the election one way or another. In Florida in 2000, George W. Bush beat Al Gore by only 537 votes out of 6 million. Many say this year's election may be just as close in a number of states, so clearly every vote really does count. I am confident and optimistic that young people will finally overcome their political malaise and reclaim their once powerful and influential voice.

We must realize that politicians will hear us loudest only when we vote and make them hear us. If they do not listen, they will lose.

Remember, in Georgia you must be registered by Oct. 4 in order to vote in the presidential elections this year (Nov. 2). Voter registration applications can be found online at www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/applications.htm.

William Corbin of Madison, Conn., is an Emory University senior and summer intern at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.