Since 1990, the campaign Rock the Vote has been working to get young adults involved in national, state and local elections, but not all students are singing that tune.
Though participation may prove to be high in the upcoming election, past trends have shown college-aged students are one of the least important groups in terms of voting, senior Jaci Kettler said.
“Probably a lot of college students aren’t fully aware,” she said. “It’s not on their priority list. When you’re a college student, what needs to get done is what gets done. Voting is pretty low on their priorities.”
Student Life Coordinator Myra Glover has been doing her part to rock the vote among Baker University students by registering voters and giving guidance for students wishing to vote in their home districts, she said.
Glover said she has personally taken more than 20 ballots to the Douglas County Courthouse and mailed about 15 to various counties. She also said many more students took part in the elections on their own.
“We have a lot of students with heated contests in their home districts, so they’re going home to vote or filling out absentee ballots,” she said.
Glover said various factors have contributed to what sheconsiders a high participation in this election.
“Only in the presidential election have I seen the same level of involvement, so that’s pretty cool,” she said. “I think Iraq plays into that. I think the economy play into that. It reminds me of when I was in school because we had Vietnam.”
Senior Kelly Gibbens, who will be working for the Kansas Democratic Party in Lawrence during the elections Tuesday, said there are a number of student issues that should influence students to vote.
“Educational finance, financial aid, Perkin’s loan – all of these things are being cut back,” he said. “I believe it’s important for college-age people to vote. We’re a group that could actually make some changes. “
Senior Kyrstan Hubbel said her interests in voting are enhanced by her studies. For Hubbel, a biology major, she said environmental issues are the most important for her.
“It’s something George Bush didn’t really pay much attention to, for sure,” she said. “College students have a vested interest in what they’re studying. It’s important to vote because it feels better to know that I took part in helping to decide who was going to lead this country.”
Associate Professor of Political Science Bruce Anderson said politicians do work for the voters they represent.
“The overarching rule in America is ‘you don’t vote, we don’t care,'” Anderson said. “A representative government works best when they’re representing someone. If only wealthy, white people vote, imagine who’s going to get what they want.”
Anderson said students’ main role is not voting but rather as workers for political candidates.
“They will tend to mobilize college students with get-out-the-vote efforts,” he said.
Kettler, who is a political science major, said she has gained an appreciation for the electoral process and subsequently feels the obligation to vote.
“I do feel inspired to vote just because now, I know so much more about the process,” she said. “Even though I may not make a huge impact, but I might make a little bit of difference. “
Kettler also said she is especially motivated by a current discontent.
“It’s not so much an issue that’s causing me to vote,” she said. “It’s just that I’m generally unhappy with the way things are being run now, and I might be able to change that.”
Kettler, who comes from Williamsburg, 30 miles away, said she doesn’t have to worry about distance between her college and her designated voting place.
“You have to drive far to get home,” she said. “Now, they do a lot of advance ballots and absentee ballots. There’s still a lot of hassle involved.”
Kettler said the busy lifestyles of college students may be another possible explanation.
“I think a lot of people are just busy, and they don’t view it as very important. It’s not really something they think about,” she said.
Anderson said the American political system is busy enough itself.
“We have so many elections, and we’re asked to vote on so many things,” he said. “Turnout tends to be relatively low.”