The candidates will be even more visible than normal, as they compete for voter attention. So far, there have been a few primaries, including New Hampshire and South Carolina. Michigan's primary occupies a key position in the state primary rankings, as it occurs relatively early and holds many delegates. It is the last primary before March 7, the day known as Super Tuesday. A sweeping victory for a particular candidate will all but end the competitive element of the primaries.
Students have a vested interest in the outcome of the primary.
While not the final election, the candidate who wins Michigan's Republican primary will be poised to roll into Super Tuesday and finish off the suspense. Even those who are not Republicans should be concerned with how the vote breaks down - if the next president is Republican, then everyone will be impacted, regardless of political affiliation or level of interest. Voting has been a big problem in our country, with turnout steadily going down since the election of 1960. As a society, we need to examine the causes behind this phenomenon. Certainly, apathy and cynicism have risen since the political scandals of the 1970s.