Even as the presidential election begins to weed out major contenders, voters seem to still be waiting in the wings to take part in primaries.
According to a government census, less than half of all college-age students voted in the 2004 election. Compared to older age brackets, 18 to 24 year olds seem notoriously absent from elections.
Though only 41.9 percent of the 18 to 24 age bracket voted, 52.2 percent of 25 to 44 year olds participated in the election, with percentages increasing steadily for every age bracket.
College students across the U.S. are trying to increase these numbers so that their age group has more muscle in the upcoming presidential election. Some BU students are taking the extra initiative to ensure that their peers fulfill their civic duty.
‘Everyone knows the issue with the youth vote is motivating them enough to actually go out and vote,’ said Rachel Aldous, a junior English major and the current official representative of the Barack Obama campaign at BU. ‘I think we’ll see this November that they will finally vote.’
Many BU students have worked on political and presidential campaigns and started up groups on campus to raise awareness and increase voter turnout.
‘Being active in the political process is always worthwhile,’ said Randal Meyer, president of the newly chartered College Libertarians, which was started to offer students an alternative to its Republican and Democrat counterparts.
According to some, rewards reaped through participation in the election process extend beyond the end of a campaign.
‘I think it’s great for anyone to work on a political campaign, no matter if it’s for a Democrat or Republican,’ said Daniel Levin, president of the BU College Democrats, who has worked for both the Eliot Spitzer and Obama campaigns. ‘Each person should have a say in the political process and by working for a campaign you get your views out there and make yourself heard through the voice of the candidate.’
Levin got involved through College Democrats, which works with Broome County Young Democrats, Binghamton Democratic Headquarters and the department of political science to organize student internships for political campaigns.
Levin said that when he interned at Spitzer’s office in Binghamton, political science professor Jennifer Jensen advised him, and he got course credit for his work.
Ari Feinman, president of the College Republicans, spent time in New Hampshire and Florida working on the Rudy Giuliani campaign, and met Giuliani, Obama and Dennis Kucinich through his experience.
‘Working on his campaign was one of the best experiences of my life,’ Feinman said. ‘Because I hope to pursue a career in politics after I graduate, it afforded me the opportunity to meet very influential contacts in government. I also made many new lifelong friends who share the same values as I do.’
For Feinman, intern responsibilities included organizing rallies, major speaking events and voter drives to spread Giuliani’s platforms.
‘I felt like I made a difference by getting involved,’ Feinman said. ‘I think it is important for young individuals to get involved by actively supporting the candidate most in line with their principles because it is a fantastic experience and apathy is prevalent among young voters especially.’
Students registered in Binghamton can vote for the Feb. 5 primaries at the Broome County Board of Elections, which will remain open until 9 p.m. There are multiple other locations, which are all listed on the Broome County Web site.