Kassi Luja
kassiluja.md@gmail.com
This election day, registered voters will be filling out their ballots if they haven’t already voted. One voter demographic that has recently come to play an important role in the election, especially in 2008, is the youth vote.
According to an article in the Los Angeles Times and a 2012 poll by Harvard University, the essential youth vote in President Obama’s 2008 win is not expected to have such a high turnout in the upcoming election. While many youth voters still support the president, Obama isn’t projected to have as great of a youth vote advantage over Mitt Romney as he had over John McCain four years ago.
Despite this research, San Luis Obispo’s county clerk-recorder Julie Rodewald said many young voters have been registering to vote for the upcoming election.
“We’ve seen a large number of young voters getting registered not only for the first time, but reregistering after they haven’t voted in several elections,” Rodewald said. “As an American citizen, it’s not only our right (to vote), but it’s also our responsibility to participate in the process.”
Political science professor Michael Latner recently covered voting and the electoral system in the GE classes he teaches. While the past two elections saw an increase in youth participation, he said projections for their turnout this year are still unclear.
“The last two presidential elections — 2004 and 2008 — saw a significant increase in youth voting,” Latner said. “President Obama was certainly depending on the youth vote.”
In regards to the youth’s continual participation in elections, Latner said there’s a magic No. 3.
“If you vote in the first three elections once you’re eligible to vote, you’re probably going to be a lifetime voter,” Latner said.
Political science professor Allen Settle said students saw the 2008 election as a “fresh start.” In the upcoming election, the state of the economy might be a stimulant to get them to the polls.
As a political science professor, Settle isn’t looking to persuade his students toward a particular ideology. Rather, he aims to educate them about the election.
“I’m encouraging (students) to register to vote and (about) the importance of being a registered voter,” Settle said. “It’s not my job to tell you how to vote, but it is my job to inform you (about the voting process). I’m careful in class to say ‘These are the facts, you decide.’”
Latner echoed Settle’s sentiments on the significance of voting.
“Hopefully students that are in my GE classes, they recognize the importance of voting,” Latner said. “Voting is an essential part of citizenship.”
Getting educated
Whereas 72 percent of young, registered voters said they planned to vote in 2008, 63 percent of this same age group said they will vote in the 2012 election, according to a publication by Pew Research Center.
This same study also found that 48 percent of 18-29 year olds said they have given a lot of thought to the election, a drop from 65 percent four years ago.
Despite these numbers, Settle is confident students are educated about the election.
“The students are definitely informed enough,” Settle said. “It’s a question of they have to be motivated enough to actually show up to vote. They can become more informed by certainly understanding the consequences of failing to participate.”
Industrial technology junior and Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) Chief of Staff Katie Brennan said students can become informed about the election in a variety of ways.
“I think Cal Poly does a really good job of educating students,” Brennan said. “There are a lot of organizations and clubs that provide the opportunity to become educated.”
Despite these opportunities, Settle said students become consumed with their day-to-day lives to even pay attention to the election.
Oftentimes they are so focused on preparing for midterms and getting their student loans squared away, (or) just focused on living, Settle said.
“If I had my way, I’m with Fareed Zakaria; I’d have election day a holiday,” Settle said.
A look at ASI
Along with encouraging students to vote in ASI’s elections at the end of each school year, ASI held a voter registration drive at Cal Poly in hopes of increasing student participation in the election.
“I think from our voter registration drive we’ve had a great turnout,” Brennan said. “I’m hoping that’s a reflection of what (the) turnout will be (for the presidential election).”
A total of 1,741 students were registered through ASI, through their online registration and in the dorms, sociology senior and ASI President Katie Morrow said.
In 2008, 58.5 percent of 18-24 year olds were registered to vote with only 48.5 percent actually voting, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While there’s no telling what the 2012 percentage will be — especially in regards to the youth — Brennan said she hopes the turnout will increase.
In addition to the drive, ASI held a Mayoral Candidate Forum on Oct. 30. San Luis Obispo’s mayoral candidates answered questions and spoke about their campaigns in the University Union Plaza.
The forum will help students become educated in that aspect of the election, Brennan said prior to the event.
On a broader scope, Morrow encourages students to read the voter guide. For further questions, she recommends the Internet.
“I think we know where to go to get the information and ASI is going to work really hard to inform students,” Morrow said. “We’re also going to work with ASI to put up voter resources on the Internet.”
Morrow said these resources will include a calendar of local events with helpful links.
As far as ASI elections, both Morrow and Brennan said voter turnout at Cal Poly is one of the highest amongst all the CSU campuses.
“We’ve been really fortunate,” Brennan said. “(I’m) very confident that will reflect for a much larger scale election.”
Young voters with at least a bachelor’s degree had a higher voting rate than those with lower education levels, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Additionally, registration rates have also increased with greater education attainment in 2008.
These statistics give support to the idea that a good number of college students or graduates will be making their way to the polls Nov. 6.
“If (Americans) want to hold on to their government, they have to show up,” Settle said. “If you’re not showing up, other people are going to call the shots.”