Retrieve value of hidden form field with jQuery

[eluser]clancey[/eluser]
I am incorporating jQuery into my Codeigniter app. I am working on an ajax style login/logout area on the page.

I have been pout a hidden field into the login/logout form. I want to include the value of the field in my ajax request. However, I cannot figure out how to pull out the value using jQuery.

A simple example field is:

Code:

<input type="hidden" id="data" value="something">

I have tried this [removed]

Code:

var data = $('#data').val();

But, it does not seem work for me.