The final showdown between the 2016 presidential candidates, Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton looms nearer, on Tuesday, Nov. 8 – Election Day.
Although a traditionally conservative state, Arizona, this election year has brought an increased support for the Democratic Party, conducted polls continue to show. In a group of 50 randomly selected Arizona State University students asked if they were voting in this years presidential election, just under half said they are voting for the front-runners, either Trump or Clinton in this year’s presidential election, majority not voting at all.
Most of the students voting are in favor of democratic candidate, Clinton. Jonathan Huey, 20, a military hopeful and recruit of the ASU’s Reserve Officers Training Corps said, “I didn’t vote because I think that it would just be picking lesser of two evils.” Everyone else, regardless of if they were voting this election, agreed upon the statement.
“I voted for Clinton because I didn’t want Trump to win.” Said Casey Evans, ASU student studying finance, originally from Dallas. The majority of students asked couldn’t name a specific policy plan
any of the presidential 2016 candidates propose when asked, however, the two students who could, both voted for Clinton- citing her climate change and pro-choice proposals.
Hannah Franklin, ASU student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said she agreed with Huey, adding later, “I tried really hard not to pay attention this election.”
“Trump comes across as a racist, that’s a major reason I am not voting for him,” said a freshman from Arizona planning not to disclose his presidential vote to his parents this year because of the
conservative views they raised him with.
“I support Hillary because she has a proposed policy for climate change,” said ASU student majoring in computer systems and mathematics, Derek Fermeint.
Adam Marsh, an 18-year- old student attending the School of political science doesn’t support either candidate, opting not to vote this presidential election said, “I didn’t research any candidate well enough to form an opinion.” Both, Trump and Clinton have held rallies in Arizona and on ASU’s Tempe campus. Clinton spoke to an estimated crowd of 10,000, Wednesday, Nov. 2., and addressed the diverse student body attending ASU directly during her speech.
Although, Clinton said at the rally on campus, she believes ASU’s students can make a difference by voting in this year’s election, Huey said the citizens should make a difference this election by abstaining from voting.
However, as a constitutionally protected right, Kesley Kessler, 23, student at ASU, said, “I voted for Hillary just because I didn’t want to throw my vote away.”
Donald Trump Jr. visited ASU Thursday, Oct. 27., speaking to a smaller crowd about conservative values and announced his father, presidential candidate Donald Trump would attend Phoenix the following Saturday for a campaign event.
Arizona as a battle ground state this election year held many rallies and drew prominent democratic speakers, especially, after Robby Mook, Clinton campaign manager said the campaign would be investing $2 million in television and direct mail ads in Arizona. Heavy-hitter, First Lady Michelle Obama who spoke at the Phoenix Convention Center on Thursday, Oct. 20., concluding a week of rallies that included Hillary Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea Clinton and Bernie Sanders.
Chelsea Clinton spoke to an audience on ASU’s campus.
