Students indicate they are voting for Sen. Barack Obama to be the 44th president, according to a Crescent poll conducted from Oct. 25–28. Of the 328 polled, 270 students said they have voted or plan to vote Tuesday, while the remaining 58 would not.

Of the students polled who plan to vote, 60 percent will cast their vote for the Illinois senator, while 23 percent will give the nod to Sen. John McCain.

The poll also showed that little more than 2 percent intend to vote for other parties and 14 percent remain undecided.

Freshman Devan Jackson, College Republicans co-president, said the results of the Crescent poll accurately depict students’ political alliances, saying most colleges tend to be liberal.

“But the only poll that really matters is on Election Day,” she said.

Hobart Scales, Vanderburgh County Republicans political director, said UE may be an anomaly. Even though McCain faces some opposition as he trails in many polls, Scales said he is not concerned because Indiana has enough Republicans, especially in the Evansville area, to help him edge Obama when polls open Tuesday.

“It’s all about making sure they get out and vote,” Scales said.

Some national polls show the tighter race Scales expects. According to the Big Ten Battleground Poll, as of Oct. 23 Indiana shows 51 percent for Obama and 41 percent for McCain. Obama leads all Midwest states in the Big Ten—including Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Iowa and Minnesota—by as much as 29 percent.

A recent Gallup Poll shows an even closer race as of Wednesday. In its traditional model, which factors voting behavior in past elections as well as current voting intention, Obama only leads by 3 percent—49 percent to McCain’s 46 percent.

A separate poll based on current voting intentions shows Obama leading with 51 percent.

Polls will only be a factor in some students’ votes.

“It’s going to be close no matter what, and it really will matter,” junior Ian Stamps said.

Stamps, who is undecided, said he will take his time researching each candidate’s positions. He said he remains undecided because of disagreements with both candidate’s stances on foreign policy and the economy, two things he believes will greatly affect his future.

Stamps said neither candidate has clear views on relations with North Korea and Russia’s conflict with neighboring Georgia. He said issues like these are important because the next president will set the standard for the next 5-to-10 years.

Other students made up their minds a while ago. Senior Will Warwick said he supports Obama because his ideology reflects his own concerns and beliefs.

Warwick, who hopes to attend law school next year, believes Obama will give students the best opportunity to afford higher education, adding that voting is an important step for any student’s future.

“By voting I will eventually shape today’s world,” he said. “Voting is the first step into adulthood because you’re investing in your political and economic future…this election shapes what kind of work I’ll have.”

Warwick also sees group unity as a necessity for future success, something he identifies in Obama, adding that working together is the only plausible way to unite a fragile world.

Senior Cortnye Stone also supports Obama, but for different reasons. She said her chief concerns lie with tax policies and the environment, an issue she believes McCain fails to address adequately.

Stone said McCain’s tax cuts would only benefit the upper class tax bracket, which does not include her.

“I’m probably never going to be rich in my lifetime,” she said.

In terms of the environment, Stone is persuaded by the clarity of Obama’s plans. She said issues like offshore drilling should be avoided by investing in alternative fuels, something Obama hopes to pursue.

Stone finds herself in celebrity company in regards to the environment. Actress and activist Alicia Silverstone also supports Obama for the same reasons.

In a conference call for student reporters earlier this week, Silverstone said climate and environmental issues like global warming and offshore drilling can no longer be avoided.

She said she supports Obama because he addresses the numerous threats to the environment.

“He gets it,” Silverstone said. “He gets what we are screaming about.”

If Obama is elected, she said he would make sure corporations do not destroy valuable land and harvest its resources.

Democrats are not the only ones who believe students have much at stake with this election. Similar beliefs are found in the Republican Party.

Scales said the fate of healthcare, social security and higher education will depend on who is elected. Electing McCain would be the best way to preserve those institutions, he said.

In addition to preserving her future, Jackson said she agrees with many of McCain’s morals, especially with his stances on foreign policy. She said only McCain has the right amount of experience to deal with countries like Iraq and Afghanistan.

But regardless of who wins Tuesday, Warwick said there’s much to look forward to.

“We are going to see history no matter what, and that’s exciting,” he said.

Illustrations: © 2008 Dallas Morning News