By Jamil Oakford, Gerrit Goodwin and Jeremy Moore
Bogdan Sierra Miranda/The Collegian
As early voting for the presidential primary has started on TCC campuses, some students are wondering who should get their vote, and some are deciding whether they should even bother.
“To me, it’s the election of the shiniest turd,” NE student Andre Swanson said.
For SE student Camesha Chivers, it’s hard to focus on the election with all the things she must do in a day.
“I don’t pay attention to it,” she said. “I’m too busy with school, work and my kids.”
March 1 marks the Texas primary, part of Super Tuesday when residents in 11 other states plus American Samoa cast their votes for the Republican and Democratic nominee for president.
And while candidates are vying for many demographics, young voters are a demographic that Democrats have focused on in this election.
In Iowa, young people and first-time voters helped presidential candidate Bernie Sanders earn a virtual tie against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
For SE student Tyler Hightower, he’s feeling the Bern and wants to get out and vote.
“I would vote for Bernie Sanders,” he said. “I like what he stands for, and I’m not a big fan of Donald Trump.”
NE student Connery Swinson said he’ll use the campus’ early voting to possibly vote for Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz as he’s been considering him.
Although Swanson doesn’t necessarily trust or like Clinton, she is still the most likely candidate he will vote for.
“I think that she might be careless, and who knows what she covered up or deleted with the email scandal,” he said. “Still, it’s hard to judge because out of all the candidates, I think that she has the most experience and would be the better wartime president.”
Reflecting a similar idea, SE student Abel Portillo thinks this year’s candidates are far-ranging in their careers.
“This election proves you don’t have to be a politician to run for president,” he said.
Portillo is still weighing his options.
“I’m not sure who I want to vote for, but I definitely plan on voting,” he said.
And for NE student Elisabeth Rios, she prefers candidates with experience such as Clinton.
“I kind of liked Bernie Sanders to begin with, but I don’t anymore,” she said. “I’m not sure how much longer Sanders may have.”
