On Tuesday, Mass. Democrats nominated Deval Patrick for this year's mid-term gubernatorial race. Patrick will face Republican candidate Kerry Healey on Nov. 7, and unless an independent candidate pulls a major upset, Mass. voters will be making history no matter whom they choose. The winner will either be the state's first black governor or its first female governor.
According to The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE), only 23 percent of eligible voters aged 18-29 voted in the last Massachusetts mid-term election. CIRCLE estimates that there are 842,000 young voters in the state this year, but until more statistics from the primary become available, it is impossible to say how many of them actually voted.
Some Jumbos say that they try to vote, but oftentimes it can be difficult. Students who live far from home may not go through the arduous process of requesting, receiving, and returning absentee ballots on time.
"I probably wouldn't end up voting if my mom didn't send me the ballots because getting an absentee ballot can be complicated," senior Lisa Hyman said.
Senior Ashley Friend-Kendall agreed that having her ballots mailed to her at Tufts makes voting easier. "Oregon does everything by mail, so my mom sends me my absentee ballot for every election and I send it back," she said.
Because Tufts students hail from so many different states, the processes for registering to vote and getting an absentee ballot are not always the same. But it is possible, which begs the question: Are students actually voting?
"I'd like to say yes," senior Alex Nussbaum said. "But I think it's fewer than you'd assume. I just think about my friends; they don't really vote."
Friend-Kendall believes being away from home keeps students from voting. "I think there are a lot of people who don't vote because they don't have time because of work and other obligations, but for students, I think it's just that being out of town makes it harder," she said.
It can also be hard for absentee students to keep track of referenda on local topics. For sophomore Adam Dworkin, who hails from California, the multitude of questions on local ballots is simply too much to handle.
"I get confused about the smaller stuff," Dworkin said. "I don't understand all of the issues that I can vote for, and there are so many in California."
In some states, voting is simpler. Sophomore Morgan Robinson has never missed an election in her home state of Alaska.
"I've voted in person when I'm at home and on an absentee ballot when I'm at school," Robinson said. "Being in a minority political party, I feel it's important to make a protest vote and let them know we're out there,"she explained.
Despite the complications, Dworkin still believes strongly in voting. "Because our country allows us the opportunity to vote, we should take advantage of that right," he said.
