As Super Tuesday draws near, the fight for the presidency begins to heat up. On Tuesday, 22 states will host primary elections, and in the days before, Democrats and Republicans, not to mention Independents, Populists and Green Party members–throughout the country will read over voter information booklets in order to decide whom they will support.

At the high school level, many newly registered teenagers anticipate their first true political experience. Some seniors will be 18 by Feb. 5, old enough to vote in the California primaries. Senior Chealsea Farmer believes that this voting age is appropriate, as turning 18 comes with other obligations as well.
“Before you’re 18, you are young and you don’t really care,” said Farmer. “When you’re old enough to fight for your country, you should be able to vote.”

Senior Katie Stevens is another senior who is eligible to vote in primaries and believes that teenage voting can play an important role in elections.

“I feel like if you have the right to vote, you should use it,” said Stevens. “I’ve heard that teenagers are the largest group of potential voters that never actually vote, so I think it’s important to get the word out among teenagers that if they band together they can actually make a difference.”

However, seniors’ votes will go to different candidates. Stevens remains undecided between democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama while Farmer believes a Republican leader should become president.

“I’m voting for Rudy Guliani, even though nobody likes him,” said Farmer. “He has good values and he’s a moderate Republican.”
Most other seniors will only be able to vote in the general election on Nov. 4. Senior Alex Kang is one such senior, who believes that the voting is essential in determining the country’s future.

“It’s pretty good since I know that this elections is probably one of the more important ones in a long while as it’s going to determine the direction that the country is going to head in… for the next four years,” said Kang.