Earlier this month political observers got some interesting news, in the midst of what we can now safely call a very compelling mid-term election both in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

The news: younger voters might be prepared to show up to the polls this November in greater numbers.

That’s the takeaway of at least one group of data miners, TargetSmart, which took a look at recent voter registration numbers and found that young people appear to be registering to vote at a faster clip than their older counterparts.

Pennsylvania in particular, according to the group, seems to be shaping up to see a larger portion of young voters, with a “surge” of youth voter registration of more than 16 points after Feb. 14. Butler County followed the trend, according to data provided by TargetSmart, with younger voters making up 69 percent of new registrants after Feb. 14.

That date, if you recall, marks when a gunman massacred 17 staff members and students and injured 17 others at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.

TargetSmart posits that the killings represent a galvanizing moment for younger voters — that is, voters between the ages of 18 and 29 — in Pennsylvania and across the nation.

Other political observers aren’t so sure, and point to the small sample size being used as a reason to question the group’s conclusions.

We have a third take on the issue: simply being pleased that more young people are registering to vote.

Whether or not you believe that gun control or the Parkland massacre is a galvanizing force for younger voters, this data is encouraging — for no other reason than simply showing that more young people are interested in getting involved in the democratic process.

As a rule of thumb these young people are right to want to get involved — after all, it is they who will be affected by decisions at the state and federal levels for the longest period of time. It makes sense for them to move to influence politics now.

The million-dollar-question is, of course, whether they will actually show up when it counts — that is, this November and in proceeding elections.

We hope the answer to that question is yes. Making your views known is one thing; making your voice count is something completely different.