Despite recent visits by the MTV "Choose or Lose" bus and Rev. Jesse Jackson to encourage voter registration, many students are not registered to vote and have no plans to change that in the near future.
Students give a number of reasons for not registering, from lack of knowledge about the specifics of the American political scene, to general discontent.
"I don't know much about either party," said LeeAnn Benkert, an RC first-year student who is not registered to vote. "I don't want to go in there and just choose a name because it sounds nicer."
Benkert blames herself for not being informed about party differences.
"It's my own ignorance and it's my fault. I'm lazy," Benkert said. "Maybe if I look into it more, I can decide if I want to vote."
Some students feel discontented with the nation as a whole.
"I don't really believe in everything this country stands for, so I don't really want to fully commit by voting," Benkert said. "Basically, I'm lazy and scared."
LSA junior Alan Cohen said he feels informed about the issues and candidates, but agrees with Benkert's discontent with the American system.
"I don't respect the rights of others to decide on issues which will affect my life. Conversely, I don't wish to affect the lives of others," Cohen said. "My contributions to others are personal, not by forcing my views on them."
But Cohen said he has no problem with other people casting their votes.
"I do not think it's wrong to vote or have democracy," he said. "I simply choose to abstain from the process because it is wrong for me."
According to the Los Angeles-based American Voter Coalition, citizens have become increasingly cynical and believe that their vote does not matter.
Michigan State University student Dan Fitzpatrick said he does not plan on registering.
"It would be dumb for me to vote. I haven't really been paying attention," he said.
While many students are decidedly apathetic about the political process, RC first-year student Patty Brady feels voters need express their opinion.
"I think it's important for people to vote so that they're represented. It's important for people to pay attention to what's going on around them and to vote for what they want," Brady said.
Personally, Brady sees her vote as crucial.
"Voting is important to me because in the government's eyes I have power," she said. "It's the only power I really have."
According to the AVC, roughly 70 million Americans are ineligible to vote in elections because they are not registered.