/ Modified oct 5, 2016 5:28 a.m.

Are Young Voters Engaged? UA Students Mixed on VP Debate

The enigmatic voting bloc could have a big impact on the election, if they turn out.

Students Watch VP Debate at UA Union SPOTLIGHT Students gather at The Cellar restaurant on the University of Arizona campus to watch the Vice Presidential Debate. October 4, 2016
Christopher Conover, AZPM

People between the ages of 18 and 34 are the fastest growing group in the nation, but they don’t always turn out to vote.

A group of students gathered Tuesday night at The Cellar restaurant in the University of Arizona student union to watch the Vice Presidential debate.

Spencer Bates is 21 years old and is voting in a presidential election for the first time. He said the vice presidential debate doesn’t make much of a difference.

“Some people may have wanted to see these two more vanilla candidates have more of a serious, calm discussion. So far we haven’t really seen that it has actually been a little bit more rowdy than the presidential debate was,” said Bates

Sitting nearby was 19-year-old Chris. He said he didn’t come to the student union to watch the debate. He was waiting on some friends and it was the only thing on the TVs. He was not impressed with what he saw.

“It’s pretty much a big joke right now,” Chris said. He will vote in November but said it is about the lesser of two evils.

Allison Childress was also watching. The 21-year-old senior said the election this year may turn some people off.

In past elections, “Barack Obama but also with Mitt Romney, they really brought some people into the fold because they were exciting candidates,” she said.

“But I can see where the nastiness in the campaigns could turn some people away from politics.”

The next presidential debate is Sunday.

Early ballots in Arizona go out at the end of next week.

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