Today is Election Day but you wouldn’t know it if you were on the Syracuse University campus this afternoon. A student body which turned out in high numbers for the presidential election last November did not seem as interested in exercising its right to vote in the Syracuse mayoral election this year. Fewer than ten voters entered the two voting booths at Bird Library (right) from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and election inspectors appeared to be trying hard not to doze off.
Sophomore Natalee Fisher was one of the booths' few occupants and noticed the lack of students voting. “I think people don’t vote because they don’t care very much or they’re not aware of the issues or the candidates,” Fisher said.
Syracuse University College Democrats President Kyle Rapone agreed that many students have no interest in the mayoral race among Democrat Stephanie Miner, Republican Steve Kimatian, and Conservative Otis Jennings. “Students don’t understand that it has not a bigger impact, but a huge impact, on us because we’re living here,” Rapone said. “So the mayor does have a big role in our lives but a lot of people just don’t know that.”
Sophomore Jill Feigelman said she did not vote this year because of registration problems but understands the importance of voting. “I think that students forget and young people in general that if we want to change the government we have to go out and vote,” Feigelman said. “A lot of people think everything will change on its own but it won’t so you have to keep voting.”
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