To vote or not to vote: Students opt out of voting

Millions of Americans prepare to cast their ballots in the presidential election every four years. Yet, for many, the choice to stay at home and sit out the vote isn’t uncommon. 

In recent presidential elections, the percentage of Americans choosing not to vote has remained between 40-50% of the population, or about 100 to 125 million eligible voters, according to a study by Michael P. McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida. 

Professor Michael Hagen of Temple University said there are several different reasons why people choose not to vote. 

“These reasons range from individuals believing that elected officials have little impact on their lives — to those who feel their vote doesn’t matter — to others who simply don’t feel like politics is an area where they have enough expertise,” Hagen said. 

Tim Lynch, ‘25, is among those who chose not to vote because he said he believes the election outcome will have minimal impact on his life. 

Lynch said he didn’t vote in the election because he doesn’t believe he has been personally affected by the president in the last eight years.

He also said he didn’t notice any major differences between the two administrations during this election cycle.

“When the election is all said and done, I don’t know how drastic the difference would be between the two candidates if they were both in office,” Lynch said. “I don’t think I would notice anything different in my day to day.” 

He also said his one vote wouldn’t make a difference toward who wins or loses the election, so he didn’t feel obligated to vote. 

G.B.,‘25, preferred to be anonymous and also chose not to vote, however, they feel much differently than Lynch. 

“I think my vote has a purpose,” G.B. said. “And that’s why I’m not doing anything with it.” 

In Northampton County, a key area in Pennsylvania’s swing state, and where they’re registered to vote, every vote could make a difference, they said.

G.B.’s decision not to vote stems from their dissatisfaction with both presidential candidates on the ballot. They said they would rather abstain from voting entirely, as they don’t want their vote to influence any outcome.

Brian Fife, the chair of Lehigh’s political science department, said not voting based on not liking the candidates has happened since the end of the 18th century.

He said it’s a common way for non-voters to think. However, he urges people to reconsider and cast their vote for “the lesser of two evils.” 

For Rebecca Lloyd, ‘25, determining the lesser of two evils was difficult because of the election’s divisive nature. 

“I have people that I love and care about that would not talk to me depending on how I voted,” Lloyd said. 

Growing up, Lloyd said she was raised in a conservative household, and her family urged her to vote for Trump. While at Lehigh, her friends largely lean in the opposite direction, advocating for Kamala. 

Hagen said surrounding the 2024 election, there was a lot of social pressure to vote. 

“Everybody’s telling us to vote and is pushing their ideas on others,” Hagen said. “So if you don’t vote, you kind of feel bad about it.

Lloyd said she would’ve been willing to vote if the people around her didn’t feel so strongly about the election. 

“If I didn’t feel like I was going to get ridiculed, then I’d be a lot more inclined to vote,” she said. 

Drew Pruyne, ‘25, was someone who had been planning to vote in the election until a few weeks ago when he realized he had forgotten to register. 

He assumed same-day registration in his home state of Maine was the norm everywhere.

“I’m disappointed in myself, just because I should’ve made a plan before, now I feel kind of ignorant,” Pruyne said. 

Hagen said the voting process in the U.S. is complicated. The process is burdensome on the voters, not on the government, leaving people like Pruyne unable to vote, he said. 

Although he never voted, Pruyne said he was relieved to wake up this morning to news that the candidate he was intending on casting his vote for, Donald Trump, had won the election. 

“I regret not voting, but thankfully the outcome I wanted to happen did,” he said. 

Despite Trump’s win, Lynch said he still feels indifferent about not voting. 

G.B. said  they have small regrets about not voting after seeing the outcome because they feel the next four years might be “very polarizing.” 

All four students didn’t vote in this election but said they plan to vote in the future under different circumstances.