Jeremy Zaccaro is afraid this year’s presidential election will be rigged.
Zaccaro, a junior computer engineering major, said a rigged election is “the only way” Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will win.
This year, many college students will be able to vote for the first time, yet a large number are steering away from the voting booths because of their fears regarding each candidate. Twenty-five percent of Americans have unfavorable views of both Clinton and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, according to a recent study by Gallup, an analytic service. Only 11 percent of Americans had unfavorable views in 2012 when President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney were running.
Brad Schurr, a senior chemistry major, is registered to vote in the upcoming election, but doesn’t think either candidate is looking out for the American people.
“The candidates only seem to care about winning the election,” Schurr said. “It’s more about getting the votes and less about what is greater for the country.”
Trump’s recent quotes have also struck fear into the voters.
Two weeks ago, Trump excused his comments in an interview with Billy Bush as “locker room talk.” Since Trump’s comments, many Republican elected officials, such as Arizona Senator John McCain, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and House Speaker Paul Ryan, have abandoned Trump during the remainder of the election.
But some students say they are more afraid of Trump supporters after his allegations.
Dixon Elegant, a freshman art and psychology major and registered voter, is also afraid of this year’s election.
“I’m scared that Trump is still in the race after his recent allegations about women,” Elegant said. “When he says something it sounds like a joke and it doesn’t even matter to his supporters.”
Registered voters who favor neither candidate have been asked who they will vote for if they don’t plan to vote for either Clinton or Trump.
UB students have expressed a fear of people voting for third party candidates as a result of not wanting to support the Democratic or Republican party.
“One things is the emergence of the third party because it could possibly result in Trump taking office,” said Cory Holzerland, a graduate student studying history and urban planning.
Senator Bernie Sanders is trying to steer people away from voting for third party candidates, such as Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson.
Sanders tweeted, “Gary Johnson: ‘Any restriction on campaign spending violates the First amendment.’ Translation: Billionaires will be free to buy elections.”
Trump and Clinton have given their remarks on Wednesday night in the final presidential debate, possibly easing the worries of some students who are still unsure of which candidate to vote for.
Evan Grisley is the features editor and can be reached at evan.grisley@ubspectrum.com
