The road to the 2008 elections has brought many surprises and new expectations for future elections. ‘Decision 2008’ has involved both negative and positive aspects, ranging from numerous ad campaigns to early voting and a new rush of young voters. All of these aspects have affected both the staff and students that attend Washburn Rural High School in some way.

Eleven percent of the votes in this election, come from first time voters. According to gallup.com, 62 percent of registered voters, who say they will be voting for the first time are below age 30, including 1-in-5 who are the minimum voting age of 18.

“I am both excited and nervous about voting,” first-time voter Brent Talley said. “It gives me a chance to voice my opinion.”

Around 140 of Washburn Rural seniors were polled, out of that 63 are eligible to vote at Washburn Rural High School and 51 are registered to vote.

According to gallup.com, 40 percent of first-time voters identify themselves as Democrats, 37 percent as Independents and 23 percent as Republicans. Thirty-two percent of first-time voters describe their political views as conservative, 34 percent as moderate and 28 percent as liberal. These statistics are much closer to the conservative-liberal split than is true of the general public, in which conservatives outnumber liberals by about 2-to-1. First-time voters around the nation show solid support for Obama, 65 percent to 31 percent for McCain.

“If I let a party decide how I vote then you lose a little bit of your identity,” senior Brice Manker said.

Nearly half of first-time voters, 47 percent, come from a racial or ethnic minority group. That is higher than the proportion of first-time voters who were minorities in 2004, 33 percent.

According to the Census Bureau, in 2004 more than 47 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted, that was up from the 36 percent in 2000.

For the 2008 elections Rock the Vote has registered more than 2.3 million voters this year.

If the youth of the United States step up to vote there is a possibility that it could rock the vote.

Although a high turnout is expected on Nov. 4 from young voters, currently 30 percent of all voters are voting early for this election.

Students at the high school have mixed feelings on the early voting.

“I want to vote on election day, because early voting takes away the meaning of the elections,” Talley said.

Whereas some students feel it takes away from their experiences others find it helps those who are unable to get out.

“I think it allows people who couldn’t vote, vote,” Manker said.

Overall, the 2008 elections have students both excited and ready to make a change in the future.

“I believe that young people are going to shape the future of government on who they elect,” senior Mandy Fritsch said. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to vote for who we think will best shape the nation through their policy choices.”