(The Verge)- Student issues of education and employment after graduation are high priorities during presidential campaigns, but after the phenomenon of young voter outreach during the 2008 presidential election, Democratic and Republican parties have a developed range of affairs from the larger electorate to address.
A recent CBS and New York Times poll surveyed the most important issues among voters when deciding how they would vote in November. 37 percent said the economy and jobs were top priorities. Only three percent of voters surveyed said that education was the most important issue of the election.
“At the end of the day, young voters are not as engaged…it is not always about informing the electorate,” said Patrick Murray, founding director of the Polling Center at Monmouth University.
“Although there was a great deal of outreach by the Obama campaign in 2008, we have not seen anything that is going to drive students to the polls this election,” Murray continued.
The Associated Press reported in April how more than half of America’s recent college graduates are unemployed or working a job that does not require a bachelor’s degree. Markets are flooded with bachelor’s degrees and some students want a candidate to alleviate the economic pressures of degrees.
“The politicians that are elected are going to impact the future of this nation. The next president’s policy decisions about the economy and the job market will impact students after graduation. Why wouldn’t a student want to control their future by voting?” said Katelyn Nawoyski, senior at the University.
“This is not one election, but 50 simultaneous elections where 40 to 45 of the states are foregone,” said Dr. James Lindsay, senior Vice President at Council on Foreign Relations.
Both presidential candidates have distinct opinions on students and the accessibility of high education. Mitt Romney advised students to “take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money from your parents, start a business,” citing a friend that borrowed $20,000 from his parents to start a company.
President Obama discussed student policies at an August rally in Ohio, explaining how his administrations $10,000 tuition tax credit and doubling of Pell Grant scholarships helped three million students afford college. He explained how Romney’s proposed investment cuts in education would leave one million students without scholarships and would reduce financial aid by nearly 10 million students.”
“It comes down to the battleground states. Who wins those states will matter and those could change the outcome of the election,” said Lindsay.
