by Ashley Welch, Christina Diaz, and Jonathan Camhi
Tuesday was just like any other day at St. John’s University in Jamaica Estates, Queens. Students leisurely strolled to class and crowded into the cafeteria when professors let them out. There were no rallies, no posters reminding students to vote and no buttons endorsing candidates. In fact, when walking on campus, one might not even realize it was Election Day.
“I’m not so interested in politics,” said Jose Martinez, 21, a sophomore majoring in accounting and finance. “I’m concerned with my life. Maybe I’d vote if I had more time, but I’m super busy. I’m looking for a job right now, and I have a test tomorrow.”
Such apathy, while not universal, was typical among young voters in New York City this midterm election.
Studies have shown that traditionally, youth turnout in midterm elections is about half that of presidential elections. In 2008, the wave of enthusiasm for Obama drove more than 51 percent of voters between ages 18 and 29 to the polls. This was the highest turnout of young voters since 1992. In comparison, only 25 percent of young voters hit the polls for the previous midterm election in 2006, according to Circle, a research center at Tufts University that has followed youth voting trends since 2001.
In addition to the disinterest that haunts young voters during midterm elections, the excitement over Obama in 2008 appears to have died out. Polls show that Obama’s approval rating among young voters has tumbled from 73 percent in February 2009 to 48 percent in September this year.
“Unfortunately some people thought that Obama would literally be a light switch and that once he was elected, all the bad things would go away. And when that didn’t happen, they got discouraged,” said Julia Engel, 29, daughter of Congressman Elliot L. Engel (D – NY 17), who was up for re-election and at was spotted voting at P.S. 81 in Riverdale with his family.
Some young voters said they would not vote in this election because they are disillusioned with how the state and federal governments have been run.
“Most of the kids in my class, said, ‘Well, I’m not going to vote because it’s not going to make a difference, and they’re all corrupt in some way, so I’m just not going to vote,’” said Stephanie Zapata, a student at CUNY Lehman College in the Bronx.
However, Zapata was among a number of students who get angry with their peers that opt not to vote.
“One of my biggest pet peeves of this generation is just laziness,” said the 21-year-old political science major. “Vote! Do something, do research, pick the person who is going for your interests.”
Anthony Cestaro, 21, a senior at Manhattan College in the Bronx, also expressed how important it is for young people to vote.
“If we are lucky enough to be given the opportunity to vote, we should,” he said. “It is wasteful not to.”
Congressman Engel, however, said he was worried about the consequences of young people not showing up at the polls.
“Young people are the future of this country,” said the congressman, who is seeking his 12th term in office, “and they should play a role in deciding the direction the country goes in because it will affect them more than it will affect anybody else.”
