This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Oct. 16, 2012 - Student voters may not be the most vocal group, but one thing that gets them talking politics across their respective campuses are the presidential debates.
Diana Carlin, associate vice president for graduate education at Saint Louis University, thinks the debates make a good entry point for many first-time voters. Carlin said that it can be hard to motivate students to stay informed in the elections since they already juggle coursework and are adjusting to college life. This is why the debates play an important role in the elections process for students.
The debates "give them a chance to really listen nonstop and see both candidates at the same time,” Carlin said. “In 90 minutes they can sort of capture the entire campaign.”
Leigha Empson, president of the College Democrats at Washington University, said that the number of students that attend political events has been increasing. In non-presidential election years, Empson said that turnout for College Democratic events ranged from 30 to 50 people.
“This year our events have been significantly bigger,” Empson said. “At our watch parties for the presidential and vice presidential debates we have had hundreds of people turn up, probably around 300 or so per debate. Even students who usually don’t care about politics are interested in the debates since such a huge election is inching closer.”
At SLU, Carlin holds an event called Debate Watch. This is a watch party for the presidential debates. During these events, the students watch the debates and then split into smaller groups to discuss what they liked, disliked and wanted from their candidates.
At the first Debate Watch, which was held for the presidential debate, Carlin said that around 180 students showed up at the event. At the second, which was for the vice-presidential debate, 60 students turned up at the event. Carlin says that result wasn’t unusual, given that the viewership is typically less for the vice-presidential debate.
Overall, interest in politics seems to be increasing for students. Amelia Lutz, chair for the College Republicans at St. Louis University, said that she has seen a large increase in student interest in both her organization and the elections in general.
“Last year, we had about 15 [people] at each meeting and 200 on our email list. Now, we have 30-40 people at each meeting and over 300 on our email list,” Lutz said.
While Carlin says watching the debates can spur student interest, Brian Calfano, associate professor of political science at Missouri State University, said that debates may also turn some students away from the political process.
“The tempting answer to give is that the debates help to clarify candidates' issue positions and voter choices,” Calfano said in an email. “The reality is more likely that, given the polarization and lack of substance these debates often contain, it reminds many college students why they hold political engagement in such low regard in the first place.”
Carlin said the presidential candidates have been doing a good job of discussing topics of interest to students. The economy, higher education and the job market have all been discussed, and these are the types of topics that encourage students to tune into the debates, according to Carlin. She also said that many students professed an interest in foreign policy at the watch party for the vice presidential debate.
No matter what their political opinions are, the debates create a buzz around campus, according to Empson. The face-off between candidates is a magnet for student attention, sparking conversations and pushing people to think about the candidates and issues at stake.
“Every time there is a debate, Facebook and Twitter are covered with posts from students about the debates, so Wash U students are definitely paying attention,” Empson said. “Students generally have one or two issues they really care about, and the debates have helped spark a conversation between students when those issues get brought up.”
Dan Fox is an intern at the Beacon.