College Students and the Vote

[noski]

I was disturbed today to learn my 19 y/o college student has not yet registered to vote and didn't know which presidential candidate was Rep and which was Dem. She hadn't 'gotten around' to researching. The reality is as a (senior) paramedic student who is also working to support herself she has not had or made the time to get informed. How many other college students out there are in the same boat?

I sent her the link to RockTheVote.com and she is now awaiting her absentee ballot. 18-29 year olds represent 1/5 of the voting public. I don't have an answer, I was just shocked at how little she knew about the current political arena.... Do the community colleges (she is at Southern Maine) do outreach like I understand larger colleges do? Is there a friendly website out there that can help educate young people on the issues and candidate platform differences? Can this thread possible remain unpolitical? (Lock if necessary.)

 

[severine]

I don't recall the community college that I used to attend doing much to encourage students to vote. But then again, that was a long time ago. The university where I am currently a student will be reaching out to students over the 1st full week of October to encourage them to vote. I know they encouraged students to sign up to help spread the word. This is a small campus, too, so I was surprised they were putting this much effort into it. 400 students (much smaller than the community college I used to attend).

It is true, though, that while students make the biggest noise about injustice, they're also the ones who don't take advantage of their right to vote.

 

[Geoff]

I was disturbed today to learn my 19 y/o college student has not yet registered to vote and didn't know which presidential candidate was Rep and which was Dem.

This is why I believe Social Security and Medicare are never going away. The older you get, the more likely you are to vote. Once you reach blue hair status, pretty much everybody votes. In 15 years, federal tax rates are going to be gigantic since people like GSS are going to be paying for my retirement where I ski every day.

 

[chase]

I don't know about other colleges but at penn state you get asked if you are registered to vote at least three times a week. There is also a lot of election info passed out by the political clubs. The last time a presidential candidate came here i think about half of the student body went.

 

[Brettski]

If you're olde enough to vote, old enough to go to war, olde enough to marry, old enough to be "legal", the you should be old enough to drink

 

[severine]

If you're olde enough to vote, old enough to go to war, olde enough to marry, old enough to be "legal", the you should be old enough to drink

That is a completely different subject, but I totally agree. I thought I heard on the news recently that someone in CT was pitching that to the state govt again...

 

[ctenidae]

Article in Business Week last week said the campaigns are focused almost exclusively on "uninformed" voters now, on the theory that anyone who has been paying any attention at all has already decided.

That scares me, in a way.

 

[wa-loaf]

I was disturbed today to learn my 19 y/o college student has not yet registered to vote and didn't know which presidential candidate was Rep and which was Dem. She hadn't 'gotten around' to researching. The reality is as a (senior) paramedic student who is also working to support herself she has not had or made the time to get informed. How many other college students out there are in the same boat?

If she knows that little about the issues, it's probably better she doesn't vote. :smash:

 

[Marc]

Article in Business Week last week said the campaigns are focused almost exclusively on "uninformed" voters now, on the theory that anyone who has been paying any attention at all has already decided.

That scares me, in a way.

Still going to write in my name?

I'm buying write in votes with cabinet posts. So far I'm expanding the cabinet to include about 4,500 close advisors.

 

[Johnskiismore]

It really boggles my mind at how many younger adults don't vote. At one of my jobs I work with a 31 year old who finally registered this year and is going to vote for the FIRST TIME this November! I know plenty other who don't take the time to register, but yet, they seem to complain the most about what goes on in good 'ole DC.

I have a pin on my camera bag that says: 'Didn't Vote? Don't Bitch!'

 

[MR. evil]

what worries me more are all the college students that will once again piss away their vote by voting for some independant canidate instead of the major party canidate who's views more closely match their own.

 

[deadheadskier]

If she knows that little about the issues, it's probably better she doesn't vote. :smash:

q4t

 

[deadheadskier]

what worries me more are all the college students that will once again piss away their vote by voting for some independant canidate instead of the major party canidate who's views more closely match their own.

If the rate continues to rise and it ultimately leads to a political landscape with more/better choices of representation, I don't have much of a problem with it.

I don't blame Nader for the moron in the office right now.

 

[MR. evil]

I don't blame Nader for the moron in the office right now.

I don't blame Nader either. I blame all the people that wasted their vote on him.

 

[Beetlenut]

Of course the big Gorilla in the room that no one talks about, and the reason the present moron is in there IMO, is election fraud. Four years later, and there are still problems with the voting machines and the validation process. I think that is one of the reasons young people are disillusioned and apathetic about the up coming election. I know it concerns me, and it appears not much is being done about it.

 

[wa-loaf]

If you're olde enough to vote, old enough to go to war, olde enough to marry, old enough to be "legal", the you should be old enough to drink

Back in my Army days. The base commander when I was in ARizona decided that was the case and let any soldiers over 18 drink in the bars on base. That also kept us off the streets too.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I just registered to vote for the first time and I'm 29...I never cared for the candidates in 2000, 2004 or 2008...aside from Presidential candidates..I really don't care about people in Congress, mayors, city council and what not...I think that everybody should automatically be registered to vote..more people would vote if that was the case..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

If you're olde enough to vote, old enough to go to war, olde enough to marry, old enough to be "legal", the you should be old enough to drink

Definitely...I've always been for an 18 drinking age and it was 18 in many states prior to the mid 80s...It's crazy to think that 3/4 of the time I was in college, I couldn't drink legally..pot should also be legalized..it's crazy that people are arrested for a freaking plant..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I think more people would vote if they got rid of the electoral college..then every vote would count equally..as it is now..your vote counts more if you're in a swing state with alot of electoral votes..in states like Vermont..which is always Democrat or North Dakota which is always Republican..your vote does not count much..

 

[noski]

I..in states like Vermont..which is always Democrat ..your vote does not count much..

For what it's worth, Vermont, the first state admitted after the original 13 colonies, joined the Union in March 1791, and has participated in every election since 1792. While current-day Vermont is reliably Democratic in national elections, it is interesting to note that from the founding of the modern Republican Party in 1854 through the election of 1988, Vermont went Republican in every election except 1964, when it voted for Lyndon Johnson over Barry Goldwater. In 1992, Vermont broke this tradition, voting for Bill Clinton over George Bush, and has been “blue” ever since.