Julia Gellis 2-24-16

Media Writing Professor Sabo

CollegeAgePeopleandthe2016PresidentialElection

ELONUNIVERSITY,N.C.AccordingtointerviewsconductedthisweekonElon

Universityscampus,firstyearstudentsdonotknowmuchaboutthisupcoming

presidentialelection.

Itshardtoactuallycareaboutvotingwhennooneinthepasthasreallystressed

theimportanceofit,MeganWeintraubsaid.IhavetakenanAPGovernmentcourse

myjunioryearofhighschool,andalthoughIbelieveIknowalotaboutthehistory

behindpoliticsandpastpoliticaldebates,Idonotfeelasstronglywhenitcomesto

voting,especiallysinceIamnotasuptodateoncurrentpoliticalissues.

WeintraubservesasjustonefirstyearElonstudentoutofmanywhosaythattheir

votesintheupcomingpresidentialelectionwillnotmatter.

LindsayKaufmansaidhereligibilitytovotethisyearisseriouslycrazy,

consideringthefactthatshehardlyknowsanythingaboutthetwocompetingparties,let

alonewhoisevenrunningforpresident.

Takingagovernmentclasswasnotrequiredatmyhighschool,Kaufmansaid.

Therefore,Itookanarthistoryclassinsteadbecausethatswhatmyteacher

recommendedforme.

AshleyFollenweidersaidsheisoverwhelmedaboutvotingthisyearbecauseshe

doesnothaveaclearunderstandingofhowtovote.

Ihavebeentaughtverylittleabouttheskillsittakestobeasuccessfulvoter,

Follenweidersaid.

EventhoughFollenweidersaidshelearnedalotaboutpoliticsinherAP
Julia Gellis 2-24-16
Media Writing Professor Sabo
Governmentclass,inhighschool,shestillsaidthatshedoesnotknowhowtovote

wiselyandstrategically.

Inaddition,Follenweiderreluctantlyadmittedthatsheknowsverylittleaboutthe

currentpresidentialcandidates.

IfeellikeIhavelearnedsomuchaboutpreviouspresidentialcandidates,butnow

thatIamawayatcollegeandsurroundedbyotherstudentswhodonottalkasmuch

abouttheirpoliticalviews,Ifeeldisconnectedfrommyownpoliticalopinionsandbeliefs

regardingwhomIshouldvotefor,shesaid.

Kaufmansaidthatitwouldvebeenbeneficialiftheimportanceofvotingwere

impressedonhermoreinhighschool.

AlthoughIamphysicallyabletovotenow,Iamnotmentallycapableofmaking

subjectiveassumptionsbasedoffofmyowncurrentpoliticalknowledge,Kaufmansaid.

LaurenGradzkisaiditisnearlyimpossibletohaveconcernforsomethingthat

hasnotbeenemphasized.

Theoldergenerationshouldteachyoungergenerationsnotonlytheimportanceof

votingbuttheconsequencesofnottakingthetimeorefforttodoso,Gradzkisaid.I

believeifIwasbroughtuplearningmoreaboutpoliticsinanoneducationalcontext,I

wouldhavemorepassiontowardsthisupcomingelection,shesaid.

AsFollenweidersaid,Itistimeoureldersmakemoreofanefforttoproperly

informus,forwearetheoneswhowillrulethefuture.
Julia Gellis 2-24-16
Media Writing Professor Sabo