The politicians are working hard to get their views across, but will their persuasive push have an impact on college students ? Experts do not expect the political tactics to have an impact on student turnout at the polls. However, if they show up at the polls, they could make a difference.

“In a very unpredictable environment you are talking about two or three people in the mix by New York,” said Lee Miringoff, a Marist College pollster.

All voters will help determine who will face President Bush in the November election when they hit the polls for the March 2 primary. The states primaries used to be in April, when a clear front-runner was pronounced. Those who do vote , most likely will not be college students.


Voter turnout among college students is the lowest among age groups. Turnout will already be low due to the fact that it is a primary election. In many states voters can only vote in a primary if you are registered with a specific party; voters cannot vote in primaries for a different party. The Republican party is not holding primaries because no one is challenging President Bush.

Buffalo State College Political Science Professor Simon Gomez said there are three key reasons why college students do not vote.

• Education : People who are more educated are more likely to vote. People 18-24 are less educated than older age groups, therefore, are less likely to vote.
• Socioeconomic status : People who are wealthier are generally more likely to vote. The more wealth you have, the more of a stake you have in the political system.
• Issues : The Democrat and Republican parties rarely discuss issues that college students care about. Students for the most part are not interested in medicare and economic reform.

But do college students not vote because the politicians ignore the issues they care about, or do politicians ignore those issues because they know they don't vote?

Marian Deutschman, League of Women Voters officer, believes other issues also contribute to college students not voting.

“They also don't have a vested interest in the community in which they live because they aren't sure where they will be settled. Once they pay taxes, purchase a home, have a full-time job, and perhaps a family, many issues become relevant at the local, state, and national level of government.”

Getting out the vote has been a high priority for many organizations such as the League of Women Voters, NYPIRG, MTV, and many others with clever campaigns, special events and incentives in an effort to attract students .

Those who have not registered yet may do so online.

If you will be absent from your county on election day, you may fill out an absentee ballot.

Currently, there are five candidates in the race. John Kerry is the front-runner, with the other candidates trying to gain ground.