Voting among College Students

[Lampoon]

I am gathering info regarding desire to vote or not and political awareness among college students. So my question to any of you who fall under such category is...

What is your stance on voting?

And what are your motives behind it? If you choose to vote, what are the factors and influences behind your decision to do so?

Will you vote or don't, come November?

Thanks in advance

[Woozie]

What is your stance on voting?

I vote in every election, and I think everyone who can vote should vote in most elections (though I understand some people know so little about local elections that they chose not to vote because they don't know who the people on the ballot are).

And what are your motives behind it? If you choose to vote, what are the factors and influences behind your decision to do so?

For the obvious reason that I want my opinions to count. One of the things I hate about people is that so many people complain about the country or the people in office but don't vote. If you vote, complain all you want, but if you're elgible to vote, but chose not to, yet complain about certain issues of our country, I don't want to hear it.

Will you vote or don't, come November?

Of course.

Thanks in advance

Wait, that's it!? I thought I was getting paid for this survey!?!?!

[Conrad]

What is your stance on voting?

I'm a Political Science major, so I've been told many times that voting is the most straightforward way to make your voice heard. However, I'm also a cynic, so I feel that either my voice will be the wrong one, or it won't matter anyway. Everyone who runs for major office is either a douche or a turd, so either way you're screwed.

I've yet to vote in a Presidential election, since I'm only 20 years old, and since I go away to college I don't vote here either. But I am registered (as an independent).

And what are your motives behind it? If you choose to vote, what are the factors and influences behind your decision to do so?

I feel like, as an intelligent and politically aware American, it's my duty to put some sense into the voting populous by making an informed decision. People who vote based on race, religion, gender, or along Party lines have always frustrated me, as they fail to take into account their candidate's views. Unfortunately, many voters fall into this trap, or so it seems.

Will you vote or don't, come November?

I probably will; however, whether or not it will be a real vote has yet to be decided. I want to know who both of the major party candidates are and learn their policies before making my decision. The fact that third-party candidates are all but eradicated from our political system upsets me, as I feel that there should be more voices than two, and people are forced to simply choose whatever voice is closest to their own.

If I don't like either of the two major Party candidates, I'll look into third-party and vote for whoever I think is suitable. Otherwise, I'm voting for Ralph Wiggum .

[Foustian]

What is your stance on voting?

So far I've only voted in the one presidential election that's occurred since I turned 18, but I believe that if you actually care about who is gonna be president, you should vote at least in the presidential election.

And what are your motives behind it? If you choose to vote, what are the factors and influences behind your decision to do so?

I care who wins, so I'm gonna help that person do so.

Will you vote or don't, come November?

I'm gonna vote.

[Weltall]

Don't know if this helps you any, but about 8/10 people that I know in real life who say they are going to vote, never do.

[Zhais]

I'm not registered to vote, and at this point in my life I honestly don't plan to be.

One reason: yet another pool to pull me out of for jury duty. I try to keep a habit of never judging people, jury duty is the exact opposite of that that and it takes time out of work/school/games that I'd rather not.

Also, I don't read up much on politics regardless. Sure, I can think obama would be a better candidate than lolhillary, but until I truly read up on each of their stances it won't make much of a difference. I'd just be a voting sheep... "hurr hurr obama make gewd speech, he's got my vote!"

[Bunnykillah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college

This is why I don't care to vote. When a candidate wins via popular vote I will vote.

[Foof]

I haven't voted nor do I plan on voting any (I'm 20 now). Politics don't interest me in the least bit (therefore, I wouldn't have any information on either candidate if I were to vote anyway). I don't complain about who is in office nor do I have any preference as to who goes into office next.

[Woozie]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college

This is why I don't care to vote. When a candidate wins via popular vote I will vote.

Yeah, it's not like the vote of the people gives their candidates electoral college a higher chance of being the ones to cast the votes for their states.

I'm not saying you have to agree with the electoral college. But regardless of whether or not you agree with it, using it as an excuse to not vote makes no sense.

[Bunnykillah]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college

This is why I don't care to vote. When a candidate wins via popular vote I will vote.

Yeah, it's not like the vote of the people gives their candidates electoral college a higher chance of being the ones to cast the votes for their states.

I'm not saying you have to agree with the electoral college. But regardless of whether or not you agree with it, using it as an excuse to not vote makes no sense.

Why not get rid of it all together? At least then you can say your vote counted 100 percent.

[Kaliden]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college

This is why I don't care to vote. When a candidate wins via popular vote I will vote.

Yeah, it's not like the vote of the people gives their candidates electoral college a higher chance of being the ones to cast the votes for their states.

I'm not saying you have to agree with the electoral college. But regardless of whether or not you agree with it, using it as an excuse to not vote makes no sense.

Why not get rid of it all together? At least then you can say your vote counted 100 percent.

I guess they figured the average citizen isn't knowledgeable enough to make a rational decision on a leader.

Either way, I should vote, but I don't.

I haven't decided on if I'm going to vote come November. People keep pushing me to vote for Barack, but honestly I don't know any of the candidates stances on anything. Let alone the key issues.

[Churchill]

What is your stance on voting?

In theory, it's something that one should feel near mandated and honored to do.


And what are your motives behind it? If you choose to vote, what are the factors and influences behind your decision to do so?

How well a candidate upholds the Constitution, personal issues are irrelevant to how true to his oath he is.


Will you vote or don't, come November?

I'll write in my candidate.

[Conrad]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college

This is why I don't care to vote. When a candidate wins via popular vote I will vote.

Yeah, it's not like the vote of the people gives their candidates electoral college a higher chance of being the ones to cast the votes for their states.

I'm not saying you have to agree with the electoral college. But regardless of whether or not you agree with it, using it as an excuse to not vote makes no sense.

Why not get rid of it all together? At least then you can say your vote counted 100 percent.

I guess they figured the average citizen isn't knowledgeable enough to make a rational decision on a leader.

From what I know, it's an antiquated system where, not having access to much communication amongst the states, electors were chosen to assess their state's votes and vote based on that. It provided a better system whereby the President could be chosen more accurately. Today, there's no practical reason to have an electoral college, except of course for tradition (and the fact that it would involve changing the Constitution in order to get rid of it).

Also, there's state laws being enacted (Maryland in particular), where the electoral college MUST vote based on its state's popular vote. In addition, Maine and Nebraska apportion their electoral votes proportionally to the popular vote rather than a winner-take-all system. The most recent application of this was in 1992, when Perot nearly won one of Maine's electoral votes (in fact, he ran second in front of Bush in that state).

So the electoral college theory for not voting, while having a basis, is fairly absurd today.

[SwampdonkeyPLD]

I thought one of the main reasons for an electoral college was to give smaller states more weight in the election. If we got rid of it I think a lot of smaller states would be pretty pissed.

[Ohemgee]

Anyone seen Idiocracy?

[Conrad]

I thought one of the main reasons for an electoral college was to give smaller states more weight in the election. If we got rid of it I think a lot of smaller states would be pretty pissed.

You may be right; considering that the number of electors is the total number of Senators and Representatives for that state, that sounds right.

EDIT: Oh, and we should definitely elect pro wrestlers to be President.

[Kaliden]

Anyone seen Idiocracy?

Loved it.

[Howard Roark]

Anyone seen Idiocracy?

Mike Judge movie where everyone in the future has gotten exponentially stupider?
the movie was a tough sell but i kept watching it, ended up kinda liking it by the end

that being said, I don't think the above statements fall under the future-idiots' level of retardation lol -- heavy handed sir!

[pohibaba]

Why not get rid of it all together? At least then you can say your vote counted 100 percent.

Honestly, the people who make this argument have no real basis for it other than, "Lawl, my civic's teacher told me democracy was good, so I hate the electoral college!" Sure, it sounds good in principle, but it would nearly disenfranchise an entire portion of the country. If you want to complain about our election system, complain about the fact that we still don't have Instant Runoff Voting.