How Much is Your Right to Vote Worth?

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Two-thirds say they'll do it for a year's tuition. And for a few, even an iPod touch will do.

That's what NYU students said they'd take in exchange for their right to vote in the next presidential election, a recent survey by an NYU journalism class found.

Only 20 percent said they'd exchange their vote for an iPod touch.

But 66 percent said they'd forfeit their vote for a free ride to NYU. And half said they'd give up the right to vote forever for $1 million.

But they also overwhelmingly lauded the importance of voting.

Ninety percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for the money also said they consider voting "very important" or "somewhat important"; only 10 percent said it was "not important."

Also, 70.5 percent said they believe that one vote can make a difference — including 70 percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for free tuition.

The class — "Foundations of Journalism," taught by journalism department chairwoman Brooke Kroeger — polled more than 3,000 undergraduates between Oct. 24 and 26 to assess student attitudes toward voting.

"The part that I find amazing is that so many folks think one vote can make a difference," Sociology Department Chairman Dalton Conley said. He added, "If we take them at their word, then perhaps they really think votes matter, and that's why someone might pay a year's tuition to buy theirs."

Sixty percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for tuition also described their families' income as upper-middle or high.

Their reasons for giving up their votes varied.

"At the moment, no candidate who truly represents my political beliefs has a chance of winning a presidential election," one male junior studying film and television at the Tisch School of the Arts wrote on the survey.

"It is very easy to convince myself that my vote is not essential," wrote a female CAS sophomore. "After all, I'm from New York, which will always be a blue state."

Other students wrote that they were disgusted by the thought.

"I would be reversing history — a lot of people fought so that every citizen could be enfranchised," said a female in her second year at the Stern School of Business.

One CAS junior went even further, writing that "anyone who'd sell his lifelong right to vote should be deported."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1107/6892.html

[Jasman0717 9]

Never thought about placing a monitary value on my right to vote. I think it is priceless

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Ninety percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for the money also said they consider voting "very important" or "somewhat important"; only 10 percent said it was "not important."

Also, 70.5 percent said they believe that one vote can make a difference — including 70 percent of the students who said they'd give up their vote for free tuition.

These students should be sent to live in a place where people don't have a meaningful opportunity to shape their country's - and hence their own - future. They should live in such place until they understand the true value of being able to participate in the political process. They have absolutely no clue...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I'd give it up for $50 million.

Maybe $5 million. No, $15 million.

Yeah, $15 million.

[JenAlex 0]

Never thought about placing a monitary value on my right to vote. I think it is priceless

[Jasman0717 9]

I'd give it up for $50 million.

Maybe $5 million. No, $15 million.

Yeah, $15 million.

I guess everyone has their price

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Considered how little influence my ONE vote has, I would be willing to sell my vote. I don't see it as a priceless right. But, I'd want a whole lot more than an iPod or year's tuition.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Considered how little influence my ONE vote has, I would be willing to sell my vote. I don't see it as a priceless right. But, I'd want a whole lot more than an iPod or year's tuition.

State your price, sir.

Maybe we need to establish a marketplace for these things. The rich 5% would end up with all the votes, which would simply serve to formalize the status quo.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Considered how little influence my ONE vote has, I would be willing to sell my vote. I don't see it as a priceless right. But, I'd want a whole lot more than an iPod or year's tuition.

State your price, sir.

Maybe we need to establish a marketplace for these things. The rich 5% would end up with all the votes, which would simply serve to formalize the status quo.

And they'd change the law and take your money.

[Jasman0717 9]

Considered how little influence my ONE vote has, I would be willing to sell my vote. I don't see it as a priceless right. But, I'd want a whole lot more than an iPod or year's tuition.

I think I will just keep my vote

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Conclusion: college students are like lab mice.

[Otto 83]

Could start a whole new category on Ebay - Votes! with sub-categories like "Republican", "Democrat" etc..