By KATE CALLAHAN
STAFF WRITER
Many young voters did not participate in the New Jersey Gubernatorial election this past November because they felt voting in the election was not a priority in their lives.
Student voters have other obligations, such as taking classes, participating in clubs, playing sports, and working. Often, they said, it is hard for students to balance their busy school schedules with their lives outside of school.
In many cases, young people do not pay attention to what is going on in the world outside of school due to their heavy workloads. The election between Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, Republican Chris Christie, Independent Chris Daggett and 9 others was not seen as important to young voters, so many of them focused on their own agendas instead.
Amanda Strobino, a sophomore at Villanova University, is a N.J. resident who finds it hard to care about politics when she is focusing on her workload.
“I didn’t vote in the governor’s election,” said Strobino. “I have been so busy with school that I didn’t even have the chance to.”
Strobino is an accounting and finance major and devotes the majority of her time to studying and learning about the different aspects of business, she says.
In addition to her class workload, she is also a member of Equity and Society, a club for business majors which has an intense study and homework load of its own, says Strobino.
Strobino feels she doesn’t know what is going on in America because it doesn’t have to do with what she is learning in class and therefore doesn’t study it, she says.
“Maybe schools could focus a little more on politics rather than class work and news relating to just my major,” she says.
Christine Schumacker is another young N.J. voter that feels like school work has interfered with her ability to vote.
Schumacker, a sophomore art major at Syracuse University, says that time spent following news and politics is valuable time she could be spending in the studio getting her art projects done.
“Personally, I will not take a proactive stance on becoming more aware when it comes to politics,” says Schumacker. “I barely have enough time with my school work and art work.”
Strobino and Schumacker both agree that hectic schedules have kept them from voting, but it has also kept them from being informed about what is going on in state politics today.
The lack of information and education about our government is another reason why young voters feel disconnected from the political world.
Kathryn Walczuk is a sophomore and Division III soccer player at Bloomsburg University who is uninformed about New Jersey state politics.
“I have no idea what’s going on in Jersey to be honest,” says Walczuk. “I didn’t even hear or know about the gubernatorial election that happened this year.”
Walczuk goes to school two hours away from her home in New Jersey and did not hear any news or information about what was going on during the recent election. Walczuk feels that if she is uninformed about local elections and politics, then there is no reason for her to vote, she says.
Emily Dumbrill, a sophomore at New York University, acknowledges that she does not pay attention to the news or to politics and therefore didn’t know much about the gubernatorial election.
“I had no extensive knowledge of either candidate before this election, but I had seen commercials against Corzine which probably would have impacted me had I voted,” said Dumbrill.
Dumbrill admits that everything she knew about the gubernatorial election in N.J. was based on things she had seen or heard on television. Dumbrill didn’t know about the political stances or beliefs of the candidates in this election which concerned her, she said.
Carmen Del Guercio, a sophomore at the County College of Morris agrees with Dumbrill that she is uninformed when it comes to politics.
Unlike Dumbrill, Del Guercio feels disenfranchised because news coverage and information about politics is not phrased in a way that is easy for young people to understand, she says.
“I do not think I am informed properly on political issues because it is always about fancy words and it’s hard to follow when people preach their side,” says Del Guercio.
The political and legal jargon and argumentative nature of politics turns Del Guercio off to the whole establishment, she says.
The disenfranchisement Del Guercio has experienced with regards to politics has not only made her uninformed about the issues, but also uninterested in politics as a whole, she says.
Danielle Rakus, a Boston College sophomore, is another young New Jersey voter who has felt left out during the gubernatorial election.
Rakus has felt disconnected from American politics ever since the 2008 presidential election when she was unable to receive an absentee ballot and could not vote for the next U.S. President, she says.
Rakus does not feel the need to go out of her way vote if she doesn’t know what is going on, she says.
Rakus also says that political issues are not very present on her college campus and it is therefore unimportant to her at this moment in time.
Erik Jacobsen, a teacher of History and Contemporary World Issues at West Morris Central High School, believes it is understandable that young voters did not turn out for the New Jersey gubernatorial election this year.
“[Young voters] have a lot of other interests in the early stage of their lives, and usually politics isn’t one of them,” says Jacobsen.
“The political world can seem complex,” he says. “Since many of the issues begin to affect a lot of people (i.e. taxes) after you graduate high school or college, the political decisions do not seem to affect them right away.”
Jacobsen also says that teen voters are traditionally a small voting block and less attention is focused on appealing to them during a political campaign.
The cost of appealing to young voters is a lot higher than the cost or benefit of getting an older, more interested voter’s attention, he says.
Although Jacobsen understands why young voters are less interested in voting, he thinks it is important for the younger generation to start learning about politics and making their voices heard because they can have a huge impact on our society.
“If you look at young people from a trend setting perspective, they set it,” says Jacobsen.
Jacobsen says that American culture, such as fashion, music, social norms, are often changed or started by the younger generation, which is why they should be compelled to learn and actively participate in government.
“Their influence, when in large numbers can provide a critical swing in an election that may be both close, and important to their future,” says Jacobsen.
Carmen Del Guercio agrees with Jacobsen that the youth of America have a lot of influence over our culture, but says she is unwilling to take that first step into being a responsible and informed voter at this point in time.
“I am not a political person,” says Del Guercio. “I am sure I will be in the future, but right now I am focused on school and enjoying the freedom of being young without too many responsibilities.” |
