In the upcoming presidential election, President Barack Obama and his GOP opponent will most likely be vying for the student vote after its impact in the last election. It all started with Obama’s 2012 State of the Union address, in which he said he wants universities to decrease tuition, threatening to remove taxpayer money if universities fail to do so. This, coupled with his declaration that student loans are currently corrupt, would seem to be a large boon to Obama’s campaign.
Daniel Stribling, Outreach Director for the MU College Democrats, said he thinks the message will appeal to students.
“I think when you put the two platforms next to each other, students will definitely choose what Obama’s been talking about,” Stribling said. “He talked about wanting to double work-study for students, alleviate problems with student loans, student aid. He wants to make it so every student makes it through high school so everyone has an equal opportunity. I think President Obama’s message will resonate with young voters.”
Stribling said he thinks it is extremely important for students to go to the polls.
Freshman Michael Doudna said he thinks it is important for students to vote, though his political views differ, as he said he thinks GOP candidate Mitt Romney would make more economic sense.
“If you look at our country right now it’s the economy that is the most important issue,” Doudna said. “I feel like we are at a crossroad with the economy, that we can either go in the right or the wrong direction, and I don’t believe Obama’s economic policies are adequate for the country. So if you don’t vote, you just don’t matter and your voice won’t be heard.”
MU political science professor Marvin Overby said he disagrees with the sentiments of both sides, saying one student’s vote really would not make a difference in the outcome.
“I challenge students with the observation that it’s irrational to vote,” Overby said. “Rationally speaking, the chance that your vote makes a difference is infinitesimally small, roughly the same chance of bumping your head on the moon. We have a huge population and the chance that any one person’s vote makes a difference is very small. It is a way of affirming your belief in the political system and becoming involved in the political system in ways that I believe are beneficial. I don’t think many young people feel plugged into the political system.”
Overby also said the student interest in voting was a big exaggeration in 2008, with the age group of 18 to 24 seeing an increase of only 2 percent from 2004. It was not only 20 percent lower than the 25 and up age group, but lower than the 1992 rate for 18 to 24 year olds.
“Last time we had a phenomenon like this, Bill Clinton was a young, popular guy,” Overby said. “I think we’ll see youth voting numbers fall in 2012, just as they did in 1996, because Obama is no longer new and novel and, like every president, he has disappointed some people who supported him last time.”
With all that being said, Overby said he thinks Obama will get more of the young vote.
“It’s hard to imagine a Republican nominee who is attractive to young voters, in part because the Republican nominee will most likely be older,” he said.
The MU College Republicans declined to comment on this story.
