Some students take 'don't vote' to heart

Not every Penn student is getting out the vote tomorrow.

Beyond those who can't vote because they are too young or not a U.S. citizen, some are abstaining from exercising their right to vote on election day.

For some, like Tony Wang, not voting is a means of making a statement about the election process. The College freshman is an independent who isn't content with either Barack Obama or John McCain, nor with the entire electoral system as a whole.

He is abstaining from voting to show his "dissatisfaction that the Green Party could never win a state under the electoral system."

"The reason why I was truly apathetic was because the electoral system doesn't construct a fair system," said Wang, a California native. "It doesn't really matter who I vote for in my state because it's pre-determined to be liberal."

However, Wang has followed the elections closely and voted in the Democratic primaries, though his candidate of choice did not end up on the ballot.

To reconcile his dissatisfaction with the presidential elections process with the fact that he feels strongly about other aspects of his state's election such as Proposition Eight on gay marriage, Wang mailed in an absentee ballot for California but did not fill out a candidate for president.

"I think it's unfortunate not to participate in such a transformational election when everyone is looking for young people to step up," said College senior and Penn Leads the Vote executive board member Stephanie Simon. She added that the choice to abstain is a personal decision but expressed optimism that Penn will have record turnout.

"Abstaining from voting altogether isn't going to change the political process," said Simon, who instead recommended students cast their votes and then become involved in activism to change the system.

Other students opted not to vote because they were conflicted about the candidates.

"I would prefer Obama but I don't have a strong enough conviction to vote," said College and Wharton sophomore Lucas Lemos, who said he did not want to vote for the lesser of two evils.

College sophomore Jason Doh, who is torn between Obama and McCain, agreed: "I'm tired of seeing all the political banter - it's a really malicious process."

Lemos echoed this statement.

"I feel like we need real, massive change, and on the issues really important to me like the war in Iraq, I don't foresee us getting out regardless of which candidate is elected," Lemos added.

Simon urged registered students who are considering not voting to "think about the choice they're making in allowing others to make the choice for them," saying that it was good to have two such viable candidates.

Both Lemos and Wang said they have definitely felt peer pressure from friends to vote.

"Most of my friends are pro-Obama, but they don't spend much time on me because they know he'll win California," said Wang.

Doh considers his decision a one-time abstention and said he will definitely vote in the next election.

"As I get older and more independent I think there's more duty to become involved in politics," he said.

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