November 2012
RB &
Students decide What young voters are saying about the 2012 election
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2 ď Ž R&B ď Ž Students Decide
Madeleine Varda said she is voting for Romney because she feels Romney will make a change. Her biggest concern is health care because she is a diabetic. Kristie Allen said she is not planning to vote in the election but is supporting Obama. Qadeerah Al-Shaa’Ir said she is voting because if she doesn’t, she won’t have a say in her future. She is supporting Obama. Abimael Alvarez said he is not planning to vote this year. Mercedes Battle said she is a registered Democrat and is supporting Obama. Milton Bernal said he will not be voting in the election.
Akeem Berrien said he is planning to vote for Obama. Porsha Bisbee said she is voting for Obama because he’s the Democratic candidate and has a chance to fix things. Maria Castillo said she will not be voting in the election. Kristal Blue said she is voting because it makes a difference and every vote counts. While she is a registered Democrat, she is unsure who she is supporting. Anton Brown said he is voting for Obama because Romney wants to make the rich richer. Philip Brewster said he is going to vote for Obama. He cares about health care, education and taxes. Antonio Brown said he is voting for Obama because Obama will create more jobs. Emilie Brooks said she is unsure which candidate she is voting for because she doesn’t think the candidates tend to make valid points. Danielle Brown said she is voting for Obama because she supports his viewpoints.
Jasmine Burton-Akright said she is voting for Obama because she feels his policies are less elitist. Simon Cabalan said he is excited for his first opportunity to vote. He is supporting Obama. Deziray Canales said she is supporting Obama in the election. Lovemie Cherident said she is supporting Obama. She cares about health care. Ulysis Colon said he is voting for Obama, who he believes is the best candidate. David Cortes said he is a registered Democrat and is supporting Obama. Carla Crosdale said she is voting for Obama because he supports minorities. Erid Cruz said that while he isn’t interested in politics, he supports Obama. Alexa Dasilva said she is voting for Romney because she doesn’t want to see Obama back in office. Nicholas Davis-Mosley said he is voting because his mom told him it was important, and he is supporting Obama because Obama is black. Kylo Deblasio said he is not planning to vote in this election. Eddy Diaz said he is a registered Democrat and is voting for Obama. Nakya Ellison said she is voting because every vote counts. She supports Obama.
Kayla Burrows
Jennifer Bernuy said she is supporting Obama. She cares about education, the economy and woman’s rights.
Benjamin Bucholtz said he is voting because he thinks it’s a responsibility for his age group. He is supporting Obama.
said she is voting for Romney because he has the power to change the country for the better. The issues most important to her are economic status, job market and lowering the deficit. Students Decide R&B 3
Mishka Barrett said she is voting because she thinks if you don’t vote you don’t have a right to complain about those in charge. She is supporting Obama because she cannot justify cutting food stamps or people’s right to choose. Hassan Farah said he plans to vote for Obama because Romney “seems like trouble.” Kelvin Fermin said he is not planning to vote. Ja’Keese Fipps said he is voting because his future depends on it. He supports Obama and cares about Medicare and welfare.
Alex Gonzalez said he is not sure which candidate he is supporting, and needs to do more research before making a decision. Cheila Gonzalez said she is not voting in the election. Miguel Gonzalez said he is undecided on who he will vote for, but is leaning toward Romney after the first debate. J Graves said education is an important issue to him and he is voting for Obama. Jeremiah Green said he is going to vote for Obama because Obama supports lower and middle-class people. Leroy Harris said he is voting because he believes he should have control over his own future. He will be voting for Obama. Adriant Harrison said he is planning to vote, but is undecided on the candidate. Demetrius Hill said that he is not yet registered but will vote for Obama because that is what his mom told him to do. Justus Irizarry said he is registered to vote but isn’t sure who he is voting for yet because he hasn’t paid much attention to the election. Shaniqua Isom said she is going to vote for Obama and cares about health care and college. Ryan Jackson said he is a registered Democrat planning to vote for Obama. Jeanrony Jeanbaptiste said he is not going to vote, but thinks Obama is the best candidate. Anthony Jenkins said he cares about unemployment and is going to vote for Obama.
Dana Foshee said she is voting for Romney because he seems like an intelligent candidate.
Malcolm Franks said he is not voting, but supports Romney. Daltray Freelove said he is supporting Obama because he believes Obama will make a change. Jacob Gagne said he is voting to ensure his concerns are heard by the people who represent him. He is voting for Obama. Yisel Garcia said she is voting for Obama because she believes he will act as he says he will. Jaela Gardner said she is voting for Obama because his plans make more sense to her.
Lucky Harris
Kaitlin Fosse said she is a registered Republican, but is supporting Gary Johnson because she agrees with his position on most issues.
Xavier Gardner said he is not voting. Stephen Garzolas said he wants fewer taxes on the middle class. He is planning to vote for Obama. Dalana Gay said she is voting for Obama. Benjamin George said he is not voting this year.
4 R&B Students Decide
said he is supporting Obama because he believes Obama will help the middle class. He said the economy is an issue that’s important to him.
Jasmine Rogasner is voting because Florida is a swing state. She said that your opinions matter. She is also voting for Obama because of his stance on gay and women’s rights. Fernando Jimenez said he is a registered Democrat voting for Obama. Frankeisha Johnson said she will not be voting but supports Obama.
Elizabeth Mondragon said she is voting for Obama because she likes his policies. Porsha Moore said she is not planning to vote the 2012 election. Stephanie Morel said she is unsure if she is going to vote, because she doesn’t know enough about the election to participate in it. She said that if she did vote, she would vote for Obama. Richard Pastore said he is going to vote for Gary Johnson because he thinks Johnson is morally the right choice. Raahil Patel said he is not voting because his birthday is the same day as the election. He supports Romney. Savankumar Patel said the issue he cares most about is Medicare. If he decides to vote, he will be supporting Obama. Matthew Peckham said that he is a registered Republican planning to vote for Romney because Romney is the more conservative candidate. Chayanne Pelaez said she will not be voting in this election. Mayaisi Penton said she is not voting because she is not a citizen, but said if she could vote she would support Obama. Bendavid Perez said he is not voting because he missed the voter registration deadline, but he supports Obama. Albert Perry said he is a registered Democrat and is supporting Obama. Tequonda Pierce said she is not voting in this election.
Shameka Johnson said that she is a registered Democrat supporting Obama.
Justin Plasencia said he is not yet registered to vote, but is supporting Romney.
Turhan Johnson said he is voting because now that he’s an adult, government choices are going to affect him more. He said he is voting for Obama.
Anthony Plescia said he is voting because a young vote is just as important as an old vote. He will be supporting Obama.
Kadera Johnson said that she is a registered Democrat who is planning on voting for Obama because she said he is for the middle class. Grant Kelly said he is planning to register as a Democrat and vote for Obama. Chris Li said he will not be voting because he was not able to register on time. Jean Lindor said that he is planning to register to vote, but is unsure of the candidate he is supporting. Yesenia Liriano said that she is planning to vote for Obama. Ivelisse Lopez said she is not voting in this election. Stetson Lucier said he is not going to vote in the election. Thiem Ly said he is not worried about voting, but supports Obama. Leisy Martinez said she is a registered Democrat planning to support Obama. Fredericka McCauley said that she is voting for Obama because he is nice.
Pedro Quiles said he is not voting in to 2012 election. Elijah Quinones said he is not voting this year, but is supporting Obama. Kimberly Ramirez said she is supporting Obama because her father has to continue to get his residency approved. Ramirez said Obama would help to resolve her dad’s problem. Arletty Rangel said she is supporting Obama. The issues important to her are the environment and financial aid for students. Tijah Ray said she cares about heath care and education. She is supporting Obama. Daniel Redzic said he is registered Republican and cares about the economy. Raquel Reyes said she is a registered Republican but is supporting Obama. Vanessa Reyes-Concepcion said she is not voting in this election. Conor Rigsby said he is not voting in this election.
Students Decide R&B 5
Kevin Rineer said he is not registered to vote, but he planning on registering and voting for Romney because his scholarship could be in jeopardy under Obama’s presidency. Ulysses Rivera said he is registered to vote, but is not going to vote because it is not his thing. Mackenzie Rocha said he is voting for Romney. He said Romney has worked in the private sector, whereas Obama has not, which makes him feel Romney is the better choice. Christine Roman said she is not registered for any party and is choosing not to vote in this election. Taneequa Roman said she is not registered and does not plan to vote in the 2012 election. Juan Salazar said he is not registered and is not voting in the 2012 election. Margarita Salegio said that she doesn’t care who wins the election, she just doesn’t want anyone who will raise the prices. She is going to vote for Obama because her mom wants her to. Angel Santiago said he is voting for Obama because he feels that Obama has proven he will secure the country for the next four years, based on what he has already done in office. Christopher Sato said he is voting because he feels that it is the right thing to do to fix the country. He has been influenced by his parents to vote for Romney. T’Kayla Scott said she is for Obama because she thinks that he has good debate points and the Romney takes from those who don’t have much. Jordan Sherit said he has not decided who to vote for yet because he hasn’t been convinced of either side yet. He feels strongly about education, college, taxes and the job market.
Jesse Smith said she not registered and is choosing not to vote in the 2012 election. Mihai Sotae said he is not registered and is not voting in the 2012 election. Kenneth Spain said he is voting for Obama in this election because of his policies on food stamps. Shantiara Spain said she is voting for Obama because she feels that he will make a difference. Health care is an issue that is important to her in this election. Trevor Steinke said he is planning to vote for Obama because Obama supports the middle class. He also feels that jobs and economy are important issues in this election. Kevin Stephens said he is a registered Republican voting for Romney because he is the lesser of two evils. Rachel Street said she has not decided on who she will vote for yet, but her big issues for this election include education and employment. Shanavahia Stubbs said she is voting for Obama because she feels he will make a change. Her important issues for this election include social security and welfare.
6 R&B Students Decide
Matthew Szabo said he is voting in this election because he feels that is the most important rights that Americans have. He said it separates America from other countries. He is supporting Romney. Devin Talley said he is planning on voting for Romney. Jair Terrero-Marzo said he is not registered to vote and is not voting in the 2012 election. Amanda Thorne said she is neutral on choosing to support a candidate. She said she wants to be more informed first. John Tidwell said he feels that Romney will do a better job than Obama. He is most interested in issues dealing with reducing the debt. Carrie Ure said she is not registered to vote and is not going to vote in this election. Julio Valdes said he is not sure of whom he will vote for because he feels that information is still being put out there that will sway his opinion. Joshua Vazquez said he is voting for Obama because he thinks that Obama’s plan will make the country a better place. Elizabeth Victoria said she is going to vote for Obama because she feels that Romney is unfair with older people. Alexis Villagomez said he is a Republican but is going to vote for Obama because he feels his plan is the best. Giselle Villalobo said she is not registered to vote and does not planning on voting in this 2012 election.
Jasmine WIlliams
Taylor Sisson said she is voting for Obama because she feels that Romney’s policies on Planned Parenthood, abortion and gay rights are undesirable.
Sebastian Suero said he is voting for Obama because he feels that Obama can still help the middle class.
has not registered yet, but said she plans to because she wants to make a difference in the world she lives in. She is supporting Obama because she believes that his policies are better than Romney’s.
Shakereya Wallace said she is a registered to vote as a Democrat and plans on voting for Obama. She disagrees with Romney because she thinks it’s unfair for him to want tax cuts for the rich when classes below are struggling. Richard Walsh said he is not registered to vote and does not plan on voting for a president in this 2012 election. Even though he does not plan to vote, he is supporting Romney.
R&B
Antwaun Williams said he is not registered to vote and doesn’t plan on voting in the upcoming presidential election. However, he supports Romney. Jacob Williams said he is planning to register to vote as a Democrat and is going to vote for Obama because he wants the economy to be fixed. He also wants the employment rate to increase. Austin Wilson said he is not registered to vote and has still not decided on whether or not he is going to vote in the 2012 Presidential Election. Robert Wilson said he is not registered to vote and is not planning on voting in this upcoming presidential election. He doesn’t want to vote because he is not informed about politics. Terry Young said he is registered to vote as a Democrat because this election is very important for the economy and middle class. He plans on voting for Obama because he believes the president is trying to help the middle class.
R&B staffers surveyed students in October 2012. Approximately 15 voting-age students were unavailable.
A supplement to Red & Black November 2012
Hillsborough High School 5000 N. Central Ave. Tampa, Fla. 33603
Editors in Chief Jacob Gagne Brittany Valencic Page Editors Roksana Borzouei Nikki Ferrera Chrissy Geshel Kimberly Rampersad Ellie Rodriguez Staff Ivy Bennett David Blanchard Emilie Brooks Jodeja Chisolm Daniel Dolford Imraan Farooq Nadiya Fakhar Jimmy Herd-Bond Kristine Lee Gabriella McIntyre
Kourtney Melendi Aleesha Mundra Ellie Rodriguez Kyle Rosenthal Holly Schroeder Jenn Travis Samantha Votzke Kellen Yent Adviser Joe Humphrey, MJE Principal Dr. William T. Orr Jr. Disclosure: Gagne and Borzouei both volunteer for Democratic campaigns and elected officials. This magazine was printed in partnership with aPrintis Inc. of Pleasanton, Calif.
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Students Decide R&B 7
“I think Romney will create jobs, balance the budget and reform government programs like Social Security to cut spending and make them affordable without having to borrow 40 cents of every dollar to pay for them.”
Mack Rocha supports Romney on the ballot Co-founder of the Hillsborough Teeanage Republican Club voices his reasoning for backing the presidential candidate By Chrissy Geshel Romney supporter Mack Rocha is a rarity among his more left-leaning peers. He is one of the co-founders of Hillsborough High School Teenage Republicans. The purpose of HHSTR is clear. “We believe the Republican Party has ideals that are good for our country and that is necessary to educate some people about the political sphere regardless of what party one supports,” Rocha said. The club, co-founded by Matthew Szabo and Justin Zeger, consists of about 20 members. Although the founders of the HHSTR wanted to create activities for their club focusing on the election, there just wasn’t enough time to properly plan things out. Both Rocha and the HHSTR support Romney in this election. Rocha finds Romney’s background in business to be his most commendable strength. “I believe that [Romney] can save our country. He is an experienced businessman who knows how to create
8 R&B Students Decide
jobs, run a business and manage budgets; all the things we need in our president right now,” Rocha said. The upcoming election is important to seniors because as legal adults, the election of a new president will now directly affect their lives. “The debt is my main concern because by the time I am out of college and hopefully working, interest will just keep increasing our debt if we don’t start having a balanced budget which will cripple my economic success in the future and leave a broken country for the generations after mine,” Rocha said. Rocha said that if Romney is elected he will address the issues that are important to him such as unemployment and the unbalanced budget. Rocha is primarily concerned with the economy in this election. Along with his business background, Rocha also said that Romney’s personal background is a bonus. “He has experience as a business man and as a leader of a state. He is a principled, religious man, but doesn’t let
that interfere with politics. He is good man who cares about America and wants to see America succeed.” The majority of the school supports Obama over Romney, according to a schoolwide poll of voting-age seniors. Still, Rocha said “there is a large silent group of people who do support Romney, which can be seen from polls such as Real Clear Politics which have Romney at 49 percent and Obama at 47 percent in Florida, or even Gallup and the national poll Romney [is at] 52 percent and Obama at 45 percent.” Although Rocha supports Romney, he does not resent Obama. “I think Obama is a good man and he has sincerely tried to fix the country and even though he has inherited a bad situation from the Bush presidency, he had two whole years with a Democratic majority in Congress in which he could push his plans through to fix America. “He failed, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad president, just that it is time to change. When you lean too far forward, you fall on your face,” Rocha said.
Ciaralis Ronda
Brittney Mingo
Taylor Sisson
Most students want second term for Obama By Kimberly Rampersad and Ivy Bennett Students at HHS who recently turned 18 or will in the next month are getting ready to vote this November. Seventy students at Hillsborough intend to vote for President Obama this election, including senior Taylor Sisson. “Romney seeks to repeal Obama’s healthcare laws,” Sisson said. “These healthcare laws expand patient protections, namely by mandating that insurance companies can’t drop patients when they get sick and must allow coverage for people with preexisting conditions. As someone with pre-existing conditions, this is an important issue for me.” She said stem cell research is “incredibly important” because it “can open the way to medical breakthroughs.” Near the beginning of his term, Obama passed an executive order that would ensure responsible stem cell research could be conducted. “Obama’s legislation was a step in the right direction,” Sisson said. Other students have also voiced their support of Obama’s policies. Job security is an important issue to senior Turhan Johnson. He says that Obama’s administration can provide for him and his fam-
ily, and that he “wants a job to exist when [he] graduate[s].” Senior Kadera Johnson said, “I support Obama because he has worked to ensure stability for the people of America that can’t always afford excesses in the government.” She also said “every vote counts,” which she says is the reason why high school students like her are able to have a say in the future of the country. For some students, like seniors Brittney Mingo and Ciaralis Ronda, college tuition is an issue. Ronda said, “If Romney wins, he is going to take away help for the less fortunate and education will get worse. Also, college will be more expensive.” “I’m going to college next year so the issue is really important to me,” Mingo said. Some students voting this year have stated that they have the power to change their government if they don’t like it. Some are even aware that they can vote for laws and representatives in Congress. And some just want to put their vote to use in the upcoming election. Come Nov. 6, every one of the 70 students voting for Obama will have a say in the election. Only the ballots will tell if America will vote in the same direction as the students at HHS.
Why HHS Students are standing up for Obama
Class Of 2013
Women’s Rights
9%
Social Sevices Education
Healthcare
The Economy
15% 25% 28% 40%
Students planning to vote for Obama cited these five issues as the primary reasons. Some students may have identified more than one issue. (Graphic by Holly Schroeder)
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Alternative viewpoints Kaitlin Fosse supports Libertarian Gary Johnson By Samantha Votzke
not know a few specifics on Johnson, she does know that his views align closely with Paul’s, especially on issues such as “big government” and war. The issues most important to Fosse are government spending, particularly to fund wars. Fosse said, “It seems that politicians are all about cutting spending, except for defense. We spend more on wars than any other country.” Fosse supports bringing all our overseas troops home. On growing national debt, Fosse said, “Current spending needs to be cut, not future spending.” Fosse, who is also concerned about the rising cost of college tuition, said, “They keeping giving out loans and people who are fresh out college are unable to
Richard Pastore
Third party candidates generally have slim chances of winning, but senior Kaitlin Fosse will be voting for Libertarian Gary Johnson in the presidential election. Fosse registered as a Republican when she turned 16, but she supports Johnson. Fosse said, “I want my vote to tell the Republican Party, ‘I’m not pleased. I’m not going to put up with your politician; I’m not going to throw away my vote on a candidate I don’t like.’” Fosse credits her father Paul Fosse, who was involved with Ron Paul’s campaign, with encouraging her to be interested in politics. “He provides me with information, and from that I can make my own decisions.” Fosse said that while she does
By Samantha Votzke While Richard Pastore does not identify as a Libertarian, he is an independent supporting Gary Johnson, the Libertarian candidate. He agrees with the policies of parts of each party, but does not relate to one strongly. Pastore said, “I wish people would stop voting
10 R&B Students Decide
pay them.” She agrees with Johnson’s policy to eliminate the federal Department of Education. Fosse aligns with the Libertarian policy that advocates decreasing government role. She said, “The government has taken on more responsibilities than even the private sector, which is just
for the lesser of two evils, and start voting for who they really want … not who they thought would win.” Pastore agrees with Johnson’s policies to legalize marijuana, expand marriage beyond a union between a man and a woman and strengthen Second Amendment rights to bear arms. “I personally don’t smoke, but the only reason it isn’t legal is because the government can’t tax it. I also think that gay marriage should be legal.” Corporate lobbying in Washington, D.C is an important issue to Pastore. “I’m most concerned with ending the banker [and] corporate influence in Congress … Congress needs to be taken out of the back pocket of corporations.” Pastore said, “There are parts of each person’s policy that I agree with, like Obama’s healthcare plan, but when it comes to more important things, Johnson is the best choice.” Gary Johnson may not emerge as the victor this November, but will receive Pastore’s vote as support.
unhealthy.” This Election Day, Fosse will be voting for the candidate she agrees with, not the party with which she is registered. “My vote will still be seen, will still be part of a percentage. It will say, ‘You could have had these voters, but you didn’t, because of your candidate and his views’.”
Some still undecided By Samantha Votzke
Some students in our survey were still waiting to be won over. Jordan Sherit said he hasn’t “Been sold or convinced on either side,” while Adriant Harrison said “Really can’t decide on who I want to vote for yet.” Others cited a lack of reliable information as a reason for waiting. “Information is still being put out there,” said Julio Valdes. Rachel Street said “They both have good points ... and things wrong about them.” Kristal Blue, meanwhile had her eye on the future, wanting to know “what the outcomes of these [policies] will be in five to 10 years.”
Juan Salazar plans to vote when he becomes a citizen
Turhan Johnson
By Jodeja Chisolm Juan Salazar is one of the few students at Hillsborough who is old enough to vote. However, Salazar imigrated from Cuba in 2011 and is not yet a citizen of the United States. He hopes to become a citizen in the near future and have the right to vote. Salazar and his fam-
ily are currently applying for citizenship. Issues most important to Salazar are education and the economy. He said, “People are different. Some people are less fortunate than others. The less fortunate could also benefit from special assistance.” Salazar stressed the importance of education. He also said, “When students come to school, they can get educated and be active in sports, such as soccer.” Salazar hopes to begin voting in future elections once he’s a citizen, so his vote can count as his voice.
Kyle Deblasio
Choosing to not choose
Juan Salazar
He would if he could
By David Blanchard The opportunity to vote for a candidate is presenting itself for the first time for students all over campus. Yet, the buildup was still not enough to convince some to vote. There are approximately 160 students in Hillsborough eligible to vote, but not every single of those students will be casting a vote come Election Day Nov. 6.
Students all over Hillsborough along with people all over America are out supporting their choice for the President of the United States, yet those like senior Kylo Deblasio are not getting involved. “I just don’t care about politics. It doesn’t interest me.” Senior Ulysses Rivera said, “It isn’t my thing.” For 49 Hillsborough students, Nov. 6 will just be another normal Tuesday.
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Students step up By Roksana Borzouei This summer, I became active in politics to learn the inner workings of government, but also to participate in the democratic system. As an Organizing Fellow for Organizing for America, President Obama’s grassroots campaign, I essentially directed my own micro campaign. I also assembled a self-sufficient neighborhood team in Citrus Park. The team did not exist before the summer, so I spent about a month recruiting volunteers, developing them into a team and training them for specific roles like Neighborhood Team leader. In addition, I organized canvassing events, phone banks and voter registration drives. Besides the campaign, I interned at the office of U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor two days a week.
By Jake Gagne During my volunteer work for the Obama re-election campaign, I did a variety of things that both helped the campaign function and educated people about the president and all the wonderful things he’s accomplished these last four years. But my favorite thing about the campaign was talking to real people about real issues. I loved canvassing door to door and making persuasion calls on the
Politically active youths share stories of their involvement in government
In addition to regular office tasks, I traveled with the Congresswoman to outreach events like a Congressional panel discussion at the Tampa Club and workshops for identity theft. I also filed cases for constituents concerning issues like immigration and veterans affairs. What I received from the campaign was more than votes; it was a renewed optimism for the power of one vote and validation of my leadership abilities. Interning was equally rewarding, as I realized that congressional offices provide tangible help to constituents. I could not put the decision that would affect the first four years of my adult life in the hands of people who do not care about my generation. I joined the campaign, because I knew that if I could not vote in this election, I had to get other people to vote in my place.
phone. Going door to door and calling people did have its setbacks, with a few people not liking you bothering them on a Saturday or at work with questions and information about a president they (sometimes vehemently) don’t like. But for every door slammed in my face, there was a conversation where I surprised someone with information. Registering voters was something else entirely. I registered people who may have moved, come of age or just not registered to yet so that they can vote in the upcoming election. This activity was much less volatile, and I felt good supporting my country and the democratic process because I truly believe that no matter who you support, you have a right to voice that opinion and make changes accordingly.
By Matt Szabo as told to Nikki Ferrera I started to get interested in politics in the last few years. My dad always had the television on all the different political channels and news networks, so I was around politics a lot at home. My dad has always been open with me to have my own ideas and ideals. He’s never made me feel like I have to want the same things from government that he does,
and he’s never tried to force me to view things in the same way as him. He has always encouraged me to form my own opinions. However, my family has given me certain values, and those values have helped to play a part in forming the base of my thoughts on government. Because of my dad’s influence on my interest in politics, I decided to start the Young Republicans Club. My friends and I debated and discussed politics at lunch a lot, and so I decided that starting the club would be a good way to talk about political happenings. At first, the reaction to the club was kind of slow. But for the last couple of weeks more and more people have joined. It’s been growing all the time, growing steadily. It’s had a pretty good response so far.
Students Decide R&B 13
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Justin Zeger, Tyler Jones and Ashley Sacco all share a Nov. 7 birthday.
18 too late By Ellie Rodriguez While the majority of America celebrates or grieves the results of the 2012 presidential election, three seniors will be celebrating their 18th birthday. On Nov. 7, the day after the election, Tyler Jones, Ashley Sacco and Justin Zeger become legal adults. That’s one day too late to vote. “It’s irritating,” Jones said. “I’m prepared for this duty, but by technicality, I can’t participate.” The would-be Obama supporter says he feels especially frustrated because this election was his chance to find middle ground between his liberal mother’s ideas and those of his conservative father. Sacco also looked forward to voting this election because of her parents. “Both my parents vote. This is my mom’s second time to vote since her citizenship.” Although Sacco would rather not specify who she would vote
“It’s irritating … I’m prepared for this duty but by technicality, I can’t participate.” -Tyler Jones
Three studnets who turn 18 the day after the election must watch as their peers vote without them in the upcoming election.
for, she said, “I think it’s important to vote if you want to make change. If you want to make a change, you[‘ve] [got to] vote.” Although he is ineligible to vote this election, Zeger wanted to make a difference and therefore “decided to be an activist.” He co-founded the HHS Teenage Republican Club and tried to volunteer at the Republican National Convention this past August. “People need to be more educated though,” Zeger said in regard to voting. “I think there should be a general U.S. government-knowledge quiz to make sure you’re educated.” He knows that such a statement can seem ignorant. The active Republican, who was supposed to be born on Oct. 31, said, “I don’t care if you’re Republican or Democratic as long as you’re educated and know what you’re talking about.” The three students support different candidates and have varying political ideas. Nonetheless they all hope to see changes between this election and the next election. “I want to see Citizens United [a Super PAC] get repealed. They’re the single worst thing about politics,” Jones said.
“I don’t care if you’re Republican or Democratic as long as you’re educated.” -Justin Zeger “I hope our middle class is stronger,” Sacco said. “From now until then, [the middle class] just might be.” Although the current voting age is what prevented Sacco (and some of her fellow seniors) from voting this year, she has no desire for it to change. “Teens,” she said, “don’t really understand” politics. Both Jones and Zeger agree teens need to be more involved in politics. While Zeger hopes to see his generation more focused on politics and government as a whole, Jones just appreciates that more peers of his are getting excited and “throwing themselves into it” rather than being “more apathetic [than they were] in 2008.” Zeger also hopes to see “a lot less slander on behalf of both parties” between now and 2016.
Students Decide R&B 15
of youth Independents (18-29) are undecided
6
percent of youth voters plan to vote for a third party
2012
32
percent of youth voters consider themselves conflicted over which presidential candidate to choose
percent of voters ages 18-24 have a favorable view of Mitt Romney
will make an additional 16.8 million youth eligible to vote
46
Half 24
of the youth voters surveyed threw their support to the Democratic party
83
young people 18-29 years oldare eligable to vote
2/3
40
percent of young voters listed “jobs and the economy” as the national issue that concerns them the most
18-29 year olds say they believe the country is “headed in the right direction”
46 million
58
One in five
percent of the voting population made up of youth
percent of youth voters still believe their generation has the power to change their country
Youth voters (18-29) are expected to
percent of voters ages 18-24 say they are “absolutely certain” they will vote in the 2012 election
lowest
turn out at the rate of any demographic this year
44
percent of youth voters engaged in politics this past year
We obtained data from the following sources: www.collegestats.org www.nextgenjournal.com www.rockthevote.com Compiled by Kellen Yent Illustration by Brittany Valencic