Click here to view interactive results from the Mustang Daily political survey.
Whether you like it or not, it’s everywhere. Scribbled on the sidewalk on your way to class, plastered on the stakes you pass by on the way to grab food, in the opinions section of the Mustang Daily every Wednesday – politics are a significant part of life at Cal Poly.
Or so you might think.
We wanted to look at just how seriously Cal Poly students take their right to vote and their part in the future of their country. A total of 377 students were selected to complete a standard survey inquiring about voting habits, party affiliations and political interest. And you might be a bit surprised by what we found.
More importantly, we wanted to look beyond the stereotypes. We’ve all heard the stigma that Cal Poly is a conservative campus and that students are largely apathetic, but our reporters looked beyond the stereotypes and statistics. They talked to the people who make politics a substantial part of their daily lives, whether it’s a job, a volunteer position or simply a passion. They even spoke with local and state politicians who got their start here at Cal Poly.
Though the 377 students surveyed and those interviewed represent only a fraction of the student body, that fraction had something to say.
And that’s the first step.
– Kristen Marschall, editor in chief