After months of voter registration drives and political rallies sponsored by the College Republicans, University Democrats and Student Council, several student political leaders weighed in yesterday on the results of their efforts to mobilize students to vote.
The USA Today reported that in the last midterm election in 1998, Census data show, only 21 percent of eligible voters, ages 18-24, voted vs. 53 percent for citizens 25 and older.
"There is a large majority [of students] that don't care, and are extremely apathetic and ignorant of the political situation," College Republicans President Ben Beliles said.
Beliles predicted that voter turnout levels in Tuesday's election probably will be no different than in past years. He attributed this low student participation to the lack of "tight races," and said he believes the University should try to increase political interest by bringing more political speakers to the University.
But according to Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato, student interest in the higher education bond was "quite high" and that overall participation in the election this year was better than in past years.
The University "has come a long way and is on the right track," Sabato said. However, "apathetic students won't change themselves. They need their peers to point it out to them."
Many University students said their busy schedules kept them from registering or making it to the polls in Tuesday's election.
Fourth-year College student Paul Gladden said he "just didn't get around to" voting.
"I haven't had the time to register," second-year College student Alex English said.
Some out-of-state students said they found it even harder to cast their votes and felt that applying for the absentee ballot wasn't worth the time.
"I'm from Alabama and I didn't go through the process to get an absentee ballot," fourth-year College student Christopher Nicholson said. "I've been really busy."
Despite the universal phenomenon of students disinterested in politics, University Democrats President Ian Amelkin said the number of students with a "desire to have their voice heard" is rising. Through the five-week voter registration drive that took place at the University earlier this fall, the University Democrats and other organizations helped 2035 University students register.
Amelkin said political interest is growing.
There has been an "amazing increase in political awareness and participation," he said.
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