RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Millenials could be a powerful force at the polls this Super Tuesday, so much so that C-SPAN rolled up on to VCU’s campus today with their big bus hoping to rally the vote.
There seems to be a lot of excitement on campus about this primary; The Richmond registrar reports turnout at the polls is high in the Fan/VCU area.
“We’ve definitely had great turnout in terms of people coming here and asking us questions,” VCU student Teresa Merck said.
Students set up tables in the middle of campus to help guide students to the polls. Jessica Diaz, a VCU Student said, “we have information on both Republican and Democrat candidates, and we also have information to help students find out where their polling place is.”
In the months leading up to Super Tuesday, there was a big push to get students registered to vote.
“There are so many people that don’t go out and vote,” says student Raphael Debraine. “The weight of one vote now matters so much.”
The younger voter has already played a big role in this election. So far, Millennials seem to be drawn to the outsiders, sort of a rejection of the establishment. The young vote won the New Hampshire primary for Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump took home 37% of the youth vote in the GOP primary there.
But millennials also came out strong for Ted Cruz in Iowa. So, what is it that matters most to millennials?
“Obviously for me it’s college education, but also like our national economy and national security,” says another VCU student, Christin Smith.
Debraine says “Environmental issues are a big thing and international relations with Syrian refugees and just refugees in all.”
VCU student Bridgette Cooke added, “I think issues with student loans and payments and how expensive tuition is getting.”