# data[].attributes.body
I think that they should be part of the debate, because we would be more informed about what they would do if elected.

# data[].attributes.body
I do think the independant party should be in the debates, it would add more opinions which has the potential of confusing people even more than they are already confused. It could add more productivity, but it could also add just one more person trying to bash the other candidates

# data[].attributes.body
Donald Trump appealed to voters who were tired of a controlling government.

# data[].attributes.body
Just because someone wins the popular vote doesn't mean the electoral vote won't beat it. It makes a check. The popular vote is based on the people, by the people. So it could be uneducated voters who just vote for someone because they like something that is said. Like Bernie Sanders I heard people say that they were voting for him because he promised free or cheaper college

# data[].attributes.body
An election shouldn't be based off of how they look but what their plans are to help the U.S.

# data[].attributes.body
The image of the candidates of this election has almost overtaken the election as a whole. During debates, the two candidates seem to directly attack the image of the other instead of debating policies. It seems difficult to become informed when they don't talk about the important aspects of the election.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with what everyone is saying. All the candidates over time have images, but the candidates in this elections are more negative than other candidates have been before.

# data[].attributes.body
If we went off image; Trump's image comes off as all of his past publicity such as the Hollywood insider tapes that came out a week or two ago. Other nations are going to google our president and view America as a joke. Even if Clinton had the email scandal, she has a large background of political experiences.

# data[].attributes.body
I think that people need to get past the image of the candidates, not completely past it, no because both have done some not so great things. But people need to find what the candidates stand for, what they intend to do, and their platform. It is far more than the things Trump and Hilary have done.

# data[].attributes.body
Image has been really big in this election because I think it's the biggest influencing power in how someone votes or decides who they look. We see so much of them on social media and on tv. These particular two candidates have very distinct images and that's what everyone has mainly focused on rather then their policies or wants.

# data[].attributes.body
If we want younger people to be more involved we need to highlight the opinions of the candidates that are more targeted to the younger generations. The younger people don't value the same things that older people do, so we need a mix of both.

I agree with Andrew, the image that Trump and Clinton are bringing to the election isn't a good one. They are acting so immature and it makes people take the election as a joke.

I think they should be included in the debates, they have their own ideas and opinions that are just as important as the Democrat and Republican candidates.  It would 100% be worth it. Lots of people support those groups and they don't get the same coverage as the other groups. They might have a chance of winning if they could debate and more people could hear what they have to say. If they had the same rights as the others, then they might have a chance to win like everyone else.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel that the younger generation of voters are involved mostly because they want to make jokes or memes on social media cites.

# data[].attributes.body
If candidates understood that targeting the younger voters could make a difference and prioritize it in their campaigns then the youth would start to relate to them more and be persuaded to vote and care about the election.

# data[].attributes.body
Young people do not think that things like social security, pensions, retirement, or even health coverage applies to them.

I agree with what Mrs. Ammons said, young people are often handed things, a lot of kids have cars that their parents buy them and clothes that their parents buy them, and they don't know what it is to work for what they get. My cousin is given $500 a week just to spend, and he doesn't know what it is like to work for what he wants.

# data[].attributes.body
Younger voters are not targeted by candidates usually, because they aren't as involved. Young voters just don't think that politics are relevant to them.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with the fact that our generation kind of expects a lot of things to just be handed to them. We need to learn to work for the things we want

# data[].attributes.body
Thank you Sammy, and that's what I was indicating. If Clinton takes California, Trump can take like, 10+ states and still not have as many electoral votes as California gave Clinton.

You need 270 electoral votes to win majority. California, Texas, Florida, New York,  Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and New Jersey total to 270 electoral votes. This is a total of 11 states. And that's the majority of the votes. This means that the rest of the 39 states can vote for Trump, and these 11 could vote for Hillary, and Hillary would still win.

This system seems broken to me, that 22ish percent of the states is the majority of the electoral votes.

# data[].attributes.body
I definitely think that if candidates geared their campaign to young adults, more people will want to vote.
Alex Vickey is right, Bernie Sanders was successful getting the youth involved by saying he wants free college which as a Senior in high school (Senior yeeeaaaaarrrrr) free college sounds nice.
See what the candidates want to do when they become president would be refreshing. Most of the debates and campaign commercials are just bashing the other candidates. This campaign year has been very negative
The problem with have an electoral vote vs popular vote is that electoral representative. California has a lot more people than alaska when Alaska is bigger than california in land area. Electoral doesn't give the exact voice of the people

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with what Andrew is saying in regards to Alex V.'s response, because while it may seem like this election is geared toward younger voters/younger generations through the media and Internet, I actually believe that some of the issues this election brings up are very mature, so as this younger generation, we need to take mature measures when looking at this election and these issues.

The image of candidates is an intriguing aspect of this election, like how McKenna has been elaborating; the way people view Hillary and Trump are very established already, but new discoveries about the candidates, like the 2005 tape of Billy Bush and Donald Trump, can change some people's views as well.

That is a really good question that Vanessa has brought up. The popular vote can be swayed, like how we read that exit polls can affect the West Coast.

An interesting anecdote about the election: in the elementary school where my mom works, the teachers are actually teaching the students about this election. Our neighbor's son came home and asked her about Gary Johnson and even the inappropriate Trump comments. Maybe we should be informing youth about government, but not necessarily this election.

(again, I typed all my comments into one box)

# data[].attributes.body
I think because of social media the political campaigns have included the youth much more, however I don't think young adults still feel like many of the policies the candidates are talking about apply to them. It will be interesting to see who votes, and if the statistics change this year

# data[].attributes.body
I feel that younger voters can't connect with some of the policies the candidates are proposing, and they feel disconnected from what's going on. Therefore its difficult to be an engaged, educated voter.

# data[].attributes.body
I think that in order to get more teens involved the candidates kind of have to respect these same teens and not speak of them in a negative light. They should also talk about how their policies will influence us in the future but I do agree that this election has involved us much more than in the past.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Mckenna, the younger generation isn't going to care about issues that doesn't effect them.

# data[].attributes.body
Although this election has been associated with most kids because of the amount of people talking about it. Kids defiantly won't take this election seriously because of all of the biases in our world today with social media and our parents political views.

The presidential candidates are supposed to act professionally and represent the United States. They are not taking anything as serious as it should be. Countries will view our country much differently. The face of our country will change whether Trump or Hillary is elected.

# data[].attributes.body
I think a way to get more Americans to vote is to inform them correctly. I totally agree that this election has become a joke. So at this I think Americans need REAL truth and info about both candidates rather than what Trump and Clinton say about each other.

# data[].attributes.body
Is this election the result of the extreme political polarization in our country?

# data[].attributes.body
Voting is privilege, many people have gone through  a lot to have the right to vote. Giving people incentives to vote is a little offense to the people who had to work and fight for the right to vote.

# data[].attributes.body
If people were forced to vote, then people that aren't really involved in the election and those that don't really know what's going on would make uninformed decisions. I agree with what Alex said before, that only the people that are well informed and are WILLING to vote, should vote.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Zoe, Trump and Hilary have lost the respect of them, and they don't respect each other. People still respect Obama and JFK, that is why we don't see t-shirts that disrespect them.

# data[].attributes.body
My first response to "we're gonna have to live with them for 4 years" is "well unless they get impeached" and then I remember that they've both broken a lot of laws but have yet been subject to pay for what they've done. If the laws don't apply to them, then why would impeachment?

# data[].attributes.body
Social media has become the "new parent", and it isn't a good thing, we see things, and half the time they are taken out of context.

# data[].attributes.body
I completely agree with what everyone is saying! The two candidates both behave immaturely, Trump more than Clinton, with their constant attacks on each other over silly things. It makes our country look bad.

# data[].attributes.body
Plus, Trump and Clinton are acting like 4 year old's going after each other trying to make them look better than their opponent. It is atrocious. #makeamericagreatagain Mr. Trump to do that you must stop acting like an immature child. Be a man, and if you win the election win it because you deserve it not because you trashed talked Hilary

# data[].attributes.body
Another major problem is that these candidates don't represent their party well. They don't stand for what these parties are supposed to stand for, and they don't handle themselves with the honesty and professionalism they're supposed to have. But then again that could fall back on us because they only got this far because we let them.

# data[].attributes.body
I think more people watch the SNL versions of the debates than the actual debates, which shows how big of a joke people are taking these debates; Sarah's question was a very good topic starter, because adding third-party candidates could increase the ratings and make it more serious.

I like what Mrs. Ammons has been describing about the maturity of the candidates; Michelle Obama said "when they go low, we go high" - are they living up to this idea?

Ashley has a really good question; it reminds me of Think Like a Freak from AP Seminar and the chapter about incentives, because giving incentives can either backfire or work extremely well.

(I just typed all my comments into one rather than send a bunch of separate ones)

# data[].attributes.body
Well first they'd need coverage, and the rule for the debates is that they need to be polling at least 15% to be covered. Without the coverage, they can't gain support to make the ticket or win the election. Maybe we need to make a change to the system first.

# data[].attributes.body
Debate now is seen as "THE BIG FIGHT". I AGREE WITH MRS.AMMONS STATEMENT ON THE IMMATURITY OF THESE TWO CANDIDATES. I apologize for the yelling...I just really agree. This whole election is spiltting up America because I feel like no one can talk about politics without an argument.

# data[].attributes.body
It would create a sense of knowledge and info brought to the debate because everyone is used to hearing what Democrats and Republicans say, but they don't always get to hear what third party candidates say.

# data[].attributes.body
Agreed with Sarah. Bernie connected with the younger generation which cost him his running & if Clinton did name him her VP she would for sure have a larger margin

# data[].attributes.body
Ross perot participated in the debates in 1992

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Maddi.

# data[].attributes.body
Trump and Clinton just put on a show for the crowd. Some people find pure amusement while others get upset over it. We have to keep in mind that one of these candidates is going to be our soon to be president. Trump and Clinton both do certain things to reach out to a certain target audience such as Clinton trying to be 'cool' with the new dance moves people use or slang.

# data[].attributes.body
Bernie sanders was the only one who focused on young voter's issues like high college prices, but it didn't get him the presidential nomination because he missed the older voter connection. If clinton had named bernie as her VP she more then likely would win by a large amount because he has the younger voters under his wing and clinton has the older voters under her wing.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with the fact that the debates have been turned into a joke this year because like Jillian said,  social media just focuses on the insults they throw at each other and much of the youth doesn't actually learn about important policies and such.

# data[].attributes.body
Andrew I totally agree!

# data[].attributes.body
I agree that most of the general public has limited knowledge on the candidates and base their votes on inaccurate information.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Callie. Social media really does twists everybody's words around some way

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Alex, generally people focus in only on the negatives of each candidate and base their opinion off of that one thing rather than seeing different sides.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel citizens never know the whole truth when it comes to the presidential election because of social media and the news.

# data[].attributes.body
I always heard about Bernie Sanders on twitter. When I asked my mom about him, she  didn't even know who he was.

# data[].attributes.body
People will get involved in the election if the issue affects them directly, for example the youth focuses on the cost of college and what the president can do to help those costs.

# data[].attributes.body
Kristina I totally agree with that. People maybe aren't politically educated, but will get their opinions from social media.

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with Callie also. Social media has a way of swaying your mind and making your opinion change.

# data[].attributes.body
There's also people who don't like either candidate, so they just don't cast a vote at all.
Going off on Mindy's point about honesty in the candidates, the younger generation loved Bernie because of his honesty when speaking about his past.

# data[].attributes.body
I think people just cling to certain ideas wether good or bad and use that one idea to determine weather they will vote for someone or not.

# data[].attributes.body
Social media really gives biased opinions towards the election. People aren't able to make educated decisions without further research.

I agree with Mindy. Trump and Hillary are not considered to be honest at all. People aren't going to want to vote for people who are not very trustful

# data[].attributes.body
How we can get more people to vote is to put more information on social media about Hilary and trump.