Religious centrists, an ethnically diverse group that comprises 23 percent of the students polled, support affirmative action and believe that religion should play a more important role in national politics. Secular centrists—29 percent of the students—oppose affirmative action, support gay marriage and advocate a less intrusive, less religiously oriented government.

According to Associate Professor of Public Policy David C. King, who assisted in the survey, this new political taxonomy will likely have a powerful impact on the upcoming election.

“Neither party can win simply by appealing to traditional blocs of Republicans and Democrats,” King said.

Chavez and Monahan joined Glickman in Washington, D.C. yesterday to present the survey findings to strategists and the national media at the National Press Club.

They anticipate that the results of the poll will lead both Bush and Kerry to solicit the youth vote more actively, both by visiting college campuses and more personally appealing to the young demographic.

On Monday, Kerry kicked off a campaign tour of college campuses.

—Staff writer Kimberly A. Kicenuik can be reached at kicenuik@fas.harvard.edu.