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Show FEA TURE 6 CLIMATE CHANGE CANDIDATE WILL COMBAT PARTY AND BACKGROUND CLIMATE Bernie Sanders - D United States Senator,- VT - Donald Hillary Clinton TO STUDENT DEBT LEGALLY REDUCE EMISSIONS YES YES REQUIRE HIRING WOMEN AND MINORITIES Tuition-fre- Strongly Favors college e WITH COMFORTABLE SAME-SE- MARRIAGE X Strongly Favors ABORTION IS A UNRESTRICTED RIGHT Strongly Favors a NO NO Stop the government from profiting OFF STUDENT LOANS. Opposes Opposes Opposes 3 E - D YES Former Secretary of State WOMANS E Trump - R Real Estate Mogul CHANGE PROPOSAL EQUALITY STANCE ON YES Use government intervention to EASE THE STUDENT DEBT BURDEN. Strongly Favors Strongly Favors Strongly Favors 3 E Get students through school faster, expand Jeb Bush - R NO Former Florida iiLJ Governor NO ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE GRAMS & INCENTIVIZE COSTS HIGHER EDUCATION PRO- COLLEGES TO DRIVE DOWN & IMPROVE Opposes Opposes Strongly Opposes QUALITY. 1 E ALL PHOTOS ARE PUBLICALLY SOURCED IMAGES LABELED FOR REUSE. Students become more involved as campaigning ramps Jaqueline Dobbins Staff Reporter Candidates: 22 five democrats, 17 republicans. Days until the primaries begin: 151. Days until Election Day: 432. Its early in the presidential election game, but as more candidates throw their name in the race for presidential nomination, the need to decipher their numerous political, economic and social stances is growing. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that college students compose nearly 16 percent of the U.S. population. Candidates are zeroing in on this and placing a larger emphasis on issues that students care about. More than ever, students are faced with the need to be educated about the candidates and active participants in the election. Harvards Institute of Politics revealed in a 2012 survey that 69 percent of college students were likely to vote in the presidential election. I hope young people will be engaged in this election, but I think thats up to the candidates, as well, said Mike Zarkin, a political science professor at Westminster College. You need candidates who will excite young people. Historically, Utah is consistently one of the bottom five states in regards to voter turnout, according to the University of Utahs Hinckley Institute of Politics. This is largely due to the lack of a primary election in Utah. Rather, the parties offer caucus voting (a meeting of the members of a political party to select candidates or decide policy) that results in limited participation. People have to participate in the primaries, Zarkin said. It makes a lot of a difference. Were going to have a very competitive field on both sides right now, and the primaries will be important. Zarkin suggests that people should pay more attention to what the candidates are saying. Here in Utah, theyll have to do that by doing their homework, he said. We dont have the luxury that they do in Iowa. Nobody is going to be coming to Utah for the primaries. At Westminster, students are less likely to be active participants in the election because of a lack of time, rath er than a lack of interest. Ive been meaning to learn more about the candidates, said Sonya Overholser, junior math major. I just havent found the time to sit down and focus on politics. Ive been focusing more on school and work. Its the time factor. Students also find they are overwhelmed by the many candidates and unaware of their stances on important issues. Theres so much going on that I dont want to say something thats incorrect, said Amie Sinor, undeclared sophomore. There are so many issues and I just dont understand all of it. I dont want to vote for the wrong person, I want to make sure I know everything about every candidate before I vote, and I just dont have time to do all that research right now. up have to move beyond criticism to find solutions. Students are also interested in the candidates stances on issues of equality and foreign policy. With the hullabaloo with Planned Parenthood lately, I think its going to be really important to see where people fall on that, said Overholser, a student at Westminster. It also seems like foreign policy is always on shaky ground, so Id like somebody in office who isnt going to start fires. I feel like Donald Trump will start fires. Environmental issues are also a topic of interest among ' Westminster students. I care about environmental policy, but I havent heard the candidates talking too much about it, said Jake Bergquist, junior biology major. Though Election Day is still over a year away, students think its important to get involved now. Its definitely important to get involved before the primaries. You have more time to gather information and more time to focus on it. feel like your opinions will be more no matter what they are." I well-forme- f Regardless of time constraints, students care about the election and where candidates stand on important issues. Many are concerned with student debt, which has reached $1.3 trillion an issue that is taking a larger role in candidate campaigning. We have seen some of the candidates address the cost of college, said Zarkin, who teaches political science. Candidates understand the need to talk about it. People are coming out of college with a lot of debt and theyre going to be voting. Democrats are focusing on making college cheaper or in some cases, free while republicans are looking to make it more efficient and are focusing on education re- H d, JL Its definitely important to get involved before the primaries, said Overholser, a student. You have more time to gather information and more time to focus on it. I feel like your opinions will be more no matter what they are. The democratic and republican parties in Utah will hold caucus voting in March 2016. In order to vote at the meeting, students must be registered with the party of their choice. Voting in the caucus allows students to make an impact on which candidates make it to Election Day. I think its important that we narrow it down to two good candidates, said Sinor, a Westminster student. If we get two crappy ones, then its a lose-losituation. well-forme- d, se form. Both sides face hurdles in enacting their proposals. Democrats need funding, and lots of it, and republicans CONTACT DOBBINS JKD0129WESTMINSTERCOLLEGE.EDU |