TRANSITION | Forming the next government
15 February 2008
Exchange Students Get Close-up View of American Primary Politics
As volunteers and poll observers, students learn about American democracy
Washington -- As citizens in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia (Washington) headed to the polls February 12, the rain and bitter cold did not keep campaign volunteers from making final efforts to sway “Potomac Primary” voters.
Among those knocking on doors and waving campaign signs was a group of high school students from Georgia, Russia and Ukraine. These students, participants in the State Department’s Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX) program, are spending the school year in the United States and came to the Washington area to witness American democracy in action.
The exchange students joined American volunteers of all ages and backgrounds and waved signs on street corners and knocked on doors trying to sway voters who remained undecided until the last minute.
"Everyone was really excited … it is really amazing that different people of all ages were there," Olha Krasnokutska, 16, from Ukraine, said of her fellow volunteers. "It is really cool that everyone is interested in politics."
Spending the day on the campaign trail gave the students an opportunity to learn more about the candidates. The experience helped them develop opinions on who would be best to lead the United States.
"I would have voted for [John Edwards], said 16-year-old Nikolay Rogov of Russia. "[Barack] Obama, [Hillary] Clinton and Edwards' views were really close … but for me it's personality … it's one of the most important things."
"I think Hillary [Clinton] is strong and I think she is a really good politician," said Tamari Kobiashvili, 17, from Georgia. "She has skills and she is a leader."
But like a large percentage of American youth, the students overwhelmingly favored Obama. They were attracted to the Illinois senator’s personality and messages about ending the war in Iraq.
“He is for peace,” said 16-year-old Natasha Potorochina from Russia. “I’m a very peaceful person.”
“I like his ideas, and many people right now are disappointed that the war is going on,” said Keira Medvedeva, a 16-year-old from Russia.
Aleksandra Kaspruk, 15, from Ukraine, favored Obama after spending time with his enthusiastic campaign volunteers. "A president should be a person people believe in," she said. "Seeing all these people so excited … and screaming for Obama … makes you think that 'Oh, he's a really nice guy -- maybe he should be president.'"
Some of the students also visited Virginia Board of Elections offices, where they observed how problems at the polls are handled. They watched as volunteers answered phone calls and worked to resolve problems, no matter how big or small.
For example, volunteers at one polling site were so cold that officials had blankets distributed to them. In another incident, voters complained that legal parking was unavailable at a polling site, so officials asked a police officer to allow voters to use a nearby parking lot without getting ticketed.
Many of the students also toured polling sites and saw firsthand that U.S. voting is conducted in a fair manner.
"It is very democratic; you know for sure no one knows who you vote for," said Max Krykunets, 16, from Ukraine.
At the polls, some of the students tested election tools not used in their home countries -- electronic voting machines. "Americans have cool voting machines," Krykunets said. "They have machines for blind people, for disabled people."
Yet the students also saw firsthand that many Americans still have concerns about using electronic voting machines, as dozens of voters requested they be allowed to cast their votes on paper ballots.
Although they will return to their home countries before a new U.S. president is picked, the students will be watching closely the outcome of the race. As one student explained, the impact of the U.S. presidential race will be felt globally.
“There is an election going on now in Russia and in the United States,” said 16-year-old Russian student Angelina Onipchenko. “The world will change because of the change of leaders in the two countries.”
