DURHAM -- With North Carolina's political primary weeks away, hundreds of young voters across the state are trying to make their voices heard.

Hundreds of young people gathered to talk politics this weekend at the Young Democrats of North Carolina state convention. National figures such as former Sen. John Edwards, political strategist James Carville, and Chelsea Clinton showed up to join them.

"On our campus we're working to get at least 80 percent of the voters registered," said Noel Bynum, a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill who attended the convention. "I think it's our job to speak up and say that our voices should count too. And I think that's what we're doing in this election."

Amanda Vaughn, a junior at UNC-CH said, "If [young people] turn out [to vote] like I think we're going to, we can definitely provide a swing either way."

"I think we're going to be really important," she said. "We're also really important in getting out the vote, and studying the candidates' messages. We're the ones that go out and knock on doors for them, so we're really important."

As the state primary approaches, North Carolina has already proven important enough to draw both Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama to the state last week. Former President Bill Clinton made stops across the state, too. Saturday, John Edwards showed up for the Young Democrats convention with praise for both Clinton and Obama.

"We would be blessed as a nation to have either one of them as our president," Edwards told the crowd. "We are blessed with having a great choice, a choice between two candidates, either one of which, if they are our nominee and they are a president, would lead America in the direction it needs to go."

Democratic strategist James Carville said young voters can make an impact, especially for Clinton, the candidate he supports.

"This campaign has really inspired a lot of young people, and as it goes on and on I think you're going to see enormous turnout in young people, and certainly North Carolina is at the center of that," Carville said. He said "If [Clinton] wins Pennsylvania, I think that North Carolina and Indiana become ground zero here."

Some students at the convention said politicians should not underestimate the power of young voters. They said issues such as education, the economy and the war in Iraq resonate with them too.

Vaughn said she wants to hear politicians talk about making college more affordable.

"It's becoming so difficult for students to pay for college," she said. "I know friends that have two or three jobs to pay it off."

Zahir Rahman, a student at Wake Forest University, agreed.

"A lot of students are really worried about student loans," he said. "And on a national level, I think a lot of students are really concerned about the future of this country, both economically and as far as foreign policy is concerned."

Chelsea Clinton continued the youth power theme during a question-and-answer session with the audience.

"We're not just the future, we're the present, so we need to make sure we are having our voices heard, and that we're getting registered to do that," Clinton said, going on to explain how her mother's plans would impact young people.

"I'm proud that the maximum Pell Grant level is now $5,400 because of work my mom helped sponsor, that the Democrats passed and the President actually signed in autumn," Clinton said. "We also now have Pell Grants available year-round for the first time in history because of work my mother did as a senator."

Whether they supported Clinton or Obama, young voters at the convention said the youth empowerment theme resonated.

"I think that every election there's always this hope that younger voters are going to come out and make a difference," Rahman said. "I think that this one in particular, they can actually make a difference, and I think they will."