Though voter turnout among college students is notoriously low, some students at NIU are hoping to change that stereotype.

Many on campus have shown interest in the 2008 presidential race, and are planning to exercise the right vote this election year.

Senior geography major Andrew Valentine said he will try to vote in the Feb. 5 primary.

“If I can actually make it,” Valentine said. “I’m registered in my parents’ county.”

Freshman undecided major David Black has already cast his vote.

“I voted in the primary absentee,” Black said.

Meagan Szydlowski, president of the NIU College Republicans, is pleased with the student interest and involvement she has seen thus far.

“I think that this year students are definitely taking an interest in the election,” Szydlowski said. “It’s great to see.”

Barbara Burrell, associate professor of political science, surveyed her Wednesday morning political analysis class to gauge student interest in the ’08 presidential election.

The majority of Burrell’s students said they are “very interested” in the election and they talk with family or friends about the election “a few times a week.”

“Students seem interested,” Burrell said. “I would think Barack Obama would generate a lot of interest in young people.”

Obama has generated enough interest on campus to warrant a chapter of the national Students for Obama organization.

“I started it in about July when I saw there wasn’t an NIU chapter,” said Matthew Duco, NIU Chapter Coordinator of Students for Barack Obama. “I think [Obama] definitely appeals to what college students and young people are looking for in a leader.”

Matthew Streb, assistant professor of political science, doesn’t think many students will actually show up to vote on Super Tuesday.

“18-24 year olds are the least likely to turn out when compared to other age brackets,” Streb said. “I’ve seen no indication that this trend will change this year.”

Kristin Reed, a sophomore physical therapy major, said she doesn’t pay attention to the election.

“I just stay away from it,” Reed said. “I don’t have a TV or a radio.”

Duco is optimistic students will show up at polling places on Feb. 5.

“We did see in Iowa that students came out [to vote],” Duco said. “Here in Illinois, we are going to meet that challenge and exceed it.”

Kevin Chambliss, president of the NIU College Democrats, thinks students are starting to realize the responsibility that comes with having the ability to vote.

“They’re learning that, as the future leaders of America, politics are part of their civic duty,” Chambliss said.

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