Eagle News

By: Maryann Batlle

Posted: 10/29/08

This election, Amanda Thorpe will not be voting.

But it's not because she doesn't care about the future of her country.

The sophomore communications major understands that people typically view non-voters as apathetic, but she said she is far from it. Thorpe feels that, in America, abstaining from giving an opinion is just as patriotic as expressing one.

"I am exercising the right to speak and not speak," Thorpe said.

On Thursday, Oct. 23, the United States Student Association and Brennan Center for Justice held a media advisory on "The Power of the Student Vote."

The teleconference was designed to notify students about the importance of their vote and to address the challenges young student-voters face.

Specifics about the election, such as details on how to register to vote and voting rights concerning students, especially in battleground states like Florida, were also discussed during the conference.

Carmen Berkley, president of U.S.S.A., believes students are a "vital component" in this election. The U.S.S.A. is student-run and student-led, and it recently registered more than 100,000 students to vote in only 100 days.

Berkley said U.S.S.A. has a "proven track record in both registering students to vote and mobilizing them to turn out on Election Day at levels that far surpass the national youth demographic."

She also said there has been a steady increase in youth votes in the past few elections, and this year it seems that same trend endures. Young voters showed up in record numbers in the Democratic and Republican primaries, and today's college students are a part of the largest, most racially diverse generation in history, Berkley said.

"Our generation has inherited eight years of bad policy that will undoubtedly have long term effects on our future," she said.

Berkley also mentioned tuition costs have skyrocketed and students are having trouble finding loans to pay for school expenses - a vital concern for students to consider in this election.

"Where's the relief for our generation?'" Berkley said.

She thinks the student population will turn out in record numbers on this Nov. 4 - and for future elections - and politicians will have to take notice. After all, the impact of this younger demographic will be significant.

"It was the youth that helped them get elected," she said.

Berkley' prediction seem to …. FGCU students are getting involved in significant numbers as well.

Cindy McDill, a senior majoring in human performance, will be voting for her candidate of choice on Election Day, but she said she will support whoever wins.

"We're going to work with whatever … we get," she said. "I just hope it's Obama."

She described herself as a supporter of the troops but not of the war, and she said Obama's stance on national security and the economy won her vote.

"He really understands what Americans need," McDill said.

John Mitchell, a freshman majoring in business management, is voting for McCain. Although he feels neither candidate can fix the economy within his first year, he still listed it as one of his main concerns.

"As long as I can keep my job and gas prices stay low, I'm OK," he said.

Autumn Peterson, a junior majoring in human performance, feels it is important for voters to be informed.

"Do your research (and) know why you are voting," Peterson said.

Even students who are ineligible to vote are getting involved in the political dialogue.

Guedna Desir, a junior majoring in civil engineering, immigrated to the United States from Haiti. Although she cannot vote because she is not an American citizen, she does recognize the significance of this election.

"The economy is so bad right now, and everybody wants something to change," she said.

Sergio Ferrante, a freshman majoring in biology, is a U.S. citizen but can't vote because he is only 17. But if he could weigh in on Election Day, he said he'd vote for McCain.

Patrick Norris, a senior majoring in English literature, already has cast his ballot for Obama. He said he didn't want to deal with the inconvenience of waiting in long lines on Nov. 4, so he opted to take advantage of early voting.

"I just wanted to get it over with," he said.

Early voters, like Norris, have set a new record in Florida. As of the morning of Oct. 27, 1,016,275 people already had voted, according to the Associated Press. That number is expected to continue to grow until the early voting period ends on Nov. 2.

Norris credits the rush to vote to a strong desire of the American people to have a new person in the Oval Office, whether it be McCain or Obama.

"It's been eight years of awful, awful things," he said.

And while many FGCU students already have cast their ballots or are planning to vote on Nov 4., there are many others who'd rather not have a say.

"I don't have the time to delve deeply and consider what they are presenting to me," Thorpe said. She will not be casting a vote for any candidate mostly because she has not had adequate time to research candidates' platforms.

Thorpe juggles school and a job and found it close to impossible to consider all the issues appropriately.

"The brain is full," she admitted.

Thorpe's family will be supporting McCain this election and have been pushing her to do the same, but she has resisted.

She wants her vote to be the product of a certain level of political sophistication she doesn't feel she has at 19.

"I think there are a lot of people my age (who) can vote and be a good voter, but I'm not of them," she said.

The student deadline to register to vote has passed, but if you have any questions about your voter registration, contact the Lee County Elections Office at (239) 533-6919.

And for additional information about this election and the issues that surround it, visit www.usstudents.org or www.govote.org.

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