As in elections past, student apathy toward the government was evident by the percentage of registered student voters who made it to the polls Tuesday.

Although total Story County voter turnout was 49 percent this year, precincts made up predominantly of students did not contribute much to that percentage.

Story County Auditor Judy Emmons said 7.61 percent of voters registered in precinct 4-5 — made up of Richardson Court Association, excluding Maple, Willow and Larch Halls — went to the polls. Precinct 3-2, which includes much of the greek system, saw 9.95 percent of voters. Precinct 4-3, Friley Hall and many campus-area apartments, saw 18.54 percent.

Excuses and explanations pour out in various forms, but the current theme of students’ attitude is “apathy,” said Molly Klein, president of the Iowa State Democrats and sophomore in political science.

“They don’t care,” she said.

But these turnout percentages are not unusual nor are they a problem, said James L. Hutter, associate professor of political science.

“[Students] are simply young and inexperienced,” Hutter said. “They’re not experienced in voting and politics like adults who have been voting for 20 years. As they grow older, they will vote more.”

Hutter also said there can be a distorted view of voter turnout results when registered students graduate and move away. The Story County auditor’s office estimates that 3,300 registered voters are rendered inactive, meaning they do not really exist as potential voters.

Hutter said students vote at very high rates for their age group. He said the problem is that they “don’t get the political news” because they don’t watch that much television and “don’t have access to a ‘real’ newspaper.”

“I do, however, commend the Daily for the series of articles they did on the candidates,” Hutter said.

“Many students don’t vote because they’re not tied to this community; they’re in a transient state and aren’t planning on staying here,” Hutter said. “They plan to vote absentee but almost never do.”

Vice President of ISU Democrats Stacy Walshire, junior in political science, said, “Students don’t understand that they live here nine months out of the year. If you live here, why not vote here?”

Walshire and Klein said typical student attitudes range from “Why should I vote? I don’t know the issues and who’s running” to more opinionated reasons such as “Politicians suck and they’re all corrupt.”

Sarah Ballard, senior in psychology, said she is not exactly apathetic.

“It’s not that I don’t care, I just try to stay away from the government and politics as much as I can — I don’t like the government,” she said.

“I realize I can’t complain if I don’t vote, but I can’t vote for what I totally disagree with,” Ballard said.

Ballard said she would vote for Independent Party candidates, but they “don’t have the finances to make it.” She said she won’t vote Republican or Democratic because “I know they won’t do what they say after they’re elected. They’re all corrupt by the time they get to that level.”

Hutter said attitudes such as Ballard’s are a minority and “not worth focusing on.”

“It’s ridiculous,” he said. “Almost no politicians are corrupt, and they keep getting better and better.”

Hutter said it is no surprise that attitudes like Ballard’s exist.

“When every commercial on TV says that every politician is a lousy jerk, of course that’s what we’re led to believe,” he said. “It’s awful.”

Other students said they aren’t necessarily disenchanted by politics but are simply preoccupied with a busy schedule. Many said they forgot to vote.

“I meant to register by mail, but I kept forgetting to send in the forms, and when I realized I’d forgotten, it was too late,” said Laura Vasser, senior in English.

Walshire said her ultimate goal is to get all students registered.

Klein said she thought of running advertisements in the paper next year. “We need to give students a reason to vote,” she said.