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BYU students decide who to support in presidential election

BYU students make final decisions on presidential election

The presidential election is less than 30 days away and polls say college students may make the difference the election's outcome.

With both the presidential and vice-presidential debates now over, multiple BYU students said they have all the information they need.

“I will be voting for Donald Trump. Mainly my reason is because, like, we were just better off before when he was president,” Mark Sedgwick, a BYU student, said.

This response was common among former President Donald Trump supporters. Students cited Trump's work with immigration, the economy and crime.

Despite a lot of love for Trump on campus, it was not hard to find students supporting current Vice President Kamala Harris either.

“I'm planning on voting for Kamala Harris in this election season because she represents my values,” Emily Whipple, another BYU student, said.

Other students also said they support Harris because of her experience as a prosecutor and her work with current President Joe Biden.

Voter turnout has historically been low among college students. However, more of them are casting their ballots in recent elections.

“A vote is not a declaration of love. A vote is a strategic move in a chess game,” Darren Hawkins, a political science professor, said.

Hawkins said students here may understand the importance of voting more than most, even with a lack of political protests on BYU campus.

“It’s quite possible that BYU students will vote more than other students at other universities even though students at other universities may seem more politically engaged,” Hawkins said.

Students wanting to register to vote can do so at vote.utah.gov.