There’s a Midterm Election?

By Carlo Valladares, Harry Pearse
News Editor, Staff Writer

Democrat Andrew Cuomo has been re-elected for a second term as Governor of New York State on Tuesday, Nov. 4, after defeating Republican Rob Astorino, the Westchester County executive. Despite the victor of the gubernatorial race in the 2014 Midterm Elections, the real question here is did students from LIU Post have an impact on the outcome?

The Pioneer asked 45 random students from New York State if they had voted, and the results reflected a general consensus that Post students are not interested in politics. Five students said they voted while 40 students said they did not.

“I think most students just don’t care about politics. They don’t realize that what happens in Albany and in Washington affects them, too,” said Jacob Schmotzer, sophomore English and Secondary Education major and the president of the College Republicans club on campus. “I think they’re throwing away not only a right, but a privilege, too. What really annoys me, though, is when people who don’t vote complain about politics.” Schmotzer was one of the five students who voted on Tuesday; he casted his ballot for Astorino.

Amal Zeidan, a first-year Nutrition graduate student, voted for Astorino as well. Zeidan explained that voting is something that people should take advantage of. “It’s crucial because it gives us a chance to take back the senate,” she said. Zeidan also feels that students do not vote because they feel their vote doesn’t matter, and “because this is most likely their first election, they are not interested in politics or the election process in general. Many are also unaware of [where to vote], [and] if they’re registered. [Also, if voters] don’t know the issues or the candidates, they won’t vote because they are uninformed.” Zeidan feels students are throwing away their political voices. “Voting is a beautiful privilege in this country and too many people take it for granted,” she said.

According to the New York Times, Astorino struggled to raise campaign money, as well as his political profile to the people, which explains his shortcomings in this year’s Midterm Elections. Tuesday’s victory makes Gov. Cuomo New York’s first Democratic governor to be re-elected since his father, Mario Cuomo.