UGA Student Voters--They Know They Should, And Some Will, Vote

With Election Day less than two months away, many University of Georgia students are deciding whether or not they’ll vote in the upcoming presidential election.

As the number of college students who are eligible to vote increases, many first-time voters will be heading to the polls on Nov. 6 to support the candidate they feel is most in tune with their concerns.

Like older voters, the economy is a major issue--especially for students who will be looking for jobs and worrying about repaying loans.

Cara Henslin, an 18-year-old freshman who has just started her college career, knows that what happens after graduation depends on the state of the economy. And although she is unsure whom she will vote for, she knows why she needs to vote.

“Now that I’m going to college and thinking about my future,” Henslin said, “I’d vote for someone who makes more jobs, so I can get one.”

Katie O’Connor shares a similar concern. “As a college student, the future outlook on jobs is… the most important for me,” O’Connor said. O’Connor, who has voted previously in local elections, says that voting is part of her job as a citizen.

“One of the most important issues for me has to deal with the issue for college students and loan repayment,” said Marriah Paige, 21, a senior majoring in Communications Studies and Sociology. She sees President Barack Obama’s position on interest rates for student loans, which he proposes to freeze, as a major influence on her decision come Nov. 6.

“It seems like President Obama is more focused on college students and providing opportunities for us to be able to pay off those loans in the future,” Paige said. “I’m interested in going to law school, so I’m going to accumulate more loans, and I don’t want the interest rate to continue to increase.”

Paige, who was 17 when President Obama was first elected, expects to remain politically engaged in the years to come. Eventually, she hopes to be in a position to do volunteer work and donate to campaigns.

Not everyone who is registered, however, has the same enthusiasm for exercising their right to vote.  The upcoming presidential election is barely on the radar for one UGA freshman, who didn’t want to give his name.

“It is my first year to vote. I have my voter’s registration,” he said. “To be honest, I’m not all that excited. It’s just another stage in life.”

Another freshman, Eric Reynolds, 18, said that politics has not been a top priority since coming to UGA. He’s eligible to vote in November but doesn’t know if he will. Reynolds knows that could change, however, and does not rule out the possibility of becoming politically active in the future.

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