Most college students not engaged in primary elections

 

With primary elections taking place on Aug. 28, many students in Tallahassee do not plan to vote.

According to college.usatoday.com, for the 2016 primary election, there was a low voter turnout for 18-to-24 year olds.

This is not a surprising fact, as citizens in that age range are least likely to vote in any election, let alone primary elections.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, voters between the ages of 18 and 24 have always voted less as a group year after year since 1962.

Raven Payne, a Florida A&M University senior nursing student, says that she does not vote in primary elections because of her lack of knowledge.

“I do not vote in elections other than presidential. I really don’t have time to watch TV and keep up with what’s going on in the world unless it is related to healthcare,” said Payne.

Lack of knowledge is the apparent common denominator between college students across Tallahassee. With the presidential elections being nationally publicized, while primary elections are only locally communicated.  MiAsia Graham, a Florida State University senior exercise physiology student, speaks out on the issue as well.

“There is no other reason other than being lazy I guess,” she said. “I don’t research the candidates and their platforms to ever know who to vote for, so I just don’t vote at all.”

Some students believe the changes within the community are minute and will not directly affect them, which is clearly untrue. Tallahassee Community College freshman business student Cornelius Lunford feels as though his vote does not matter in the long run.

“Either way, the outcome is still going to be the same. Society is the same, and black people as myself are still going to get the short end of the stick regardless of who is governor or commissioner or whatever,” said the freshman.

Daijsha Lewis, an FSU college senior sports medicine student, agrees with the sentiment.

“I don’t necessarily see little changes within the city, so I feel like it wouldn’t matter if I vote or not,” said Lewis.

It appears unlikely the college students of Tallahassee will realize the importance of voting before it is too late.

The primary election will be held on Aug. 28, and the general election will be held on Nov. 6. The deadline to register for the general election is Oct.9.