Cerritos College mathematics major Frank Gonzalez speculates that a one-track mind gets in the way of students hitting the polls.
“College students don’t think it’s sexy to vote. People are young and social and voting isn’t social. People get together in groups to go to the movies; they don’t get together in groups to go to the polls.”
Despite the lonely wait at his local polling station, Gonzalez made sure to cast his vote for this year’s Statewide General Elections on Tuesday.
“I like to be a part of the political system. If I don’t vote, I can’t complain about things that suck.”
Earlier that morning, The Field Poll predicted that 9.5 million Californians would cast their ballots for the 2010 Statewide General Elections, while the Public Policy Institute of California estimated that only 19 percent of registered voters between the ages of 19 and 34 would participate in the event.
Nineteen-year-old graphic design major Chris Larroque was not surprised by the statistic and admitted he feels college students are apathetic when it comes to making decisions that can affect their future.
“Right now, I see us as the generation that doesn’t really care,” Larroque said.
President Barack Obama tapped in to that sentiment and set out to change it during several trips last month to universities and concerts meant to encourage college-age citizens to visit the polls.
“You can defy the conventional wisdom, the kind that says you can’t overcome the cynicism of our politics,” Obama told young voters.
To statistics major Dike Ezenekwe, the lack of appeal is not in fulfilling his civic duty, but in having to choose between the lesser of two evils—this term’s gubernatorial candidates—Republican Meg Whitman and Democrat Jerry Brown.
“I know they’re both promising different stuff, but I just don’t feel like either one is going to make a huge difference—so I don’t think the decision is that important.”
Accounting major Diana Melgoza admitted she needed more time to decide on the propositions, but would likely not vote for California’s next governor.
“I think I need to find someone I agree with and can relate to—someone with the same values.”
Aside from expressing dissatisfaction with the state’s next leader, Cerritos College students expressed interest in virtual ballot boxes.
“No one wants to go to the place and stand in line. A lot of people already vote through absentee ballots,” an estimated 55 percent for these elections, according to The Field Poll, “if it was online, a ton of young people would vote,” Ezenekwe said.
