Just 47 percent of eligible voters under 24 cast their ballots in 2004, and with no presidential race on tomorrow’s ballot, national youth turnout may well be lower yet. At Stanford, where half of the student body hails from outside California, students wishing to vote must conquer not only their apathy, but also ignorance of local issues and absentee registration for elections thousands of miles from home.

Civics Professors take solace. Many interviewed students did express eagerness to vote, as evidenced by the proliferation of student political groups and voter registration drives across campus. Like many students, senior Jeremy Hoffman of Bethesda, Maryland was excited to vote this year, but he was nearly stymied by his local elections board as his ballot did not arrive until last Friday, just one business day before today’s postmark deadline. Now, even with ballot in hand, Hoffman said he felt handicapped by the limited news he received about area politics.

“I have hardly been to Maryland in the last year, so I really don’t know any of the local issues, and I’m reading the Washington Post for endorsements,” he said. “I still don’t know who I’m going to vote for governor, the biggest race. I might abstain or maybe I’ll ask my parents. Most of my political views are shaped from how they raised me anyways.”

Meanwhile, freshman Ryan Woessner said he was eager to weigh in on a tight Senate race in Minnesota.

“This is my first election I get to vote in,” he said. “I’m really excited to make a difference.”

Still, the realities of modern-day bureaucracy are leaving Woessner out in the cold — and quite possibly without a ballot. Having submitted an online ballot request two weeks ago to no avail, Woessner has resorted to calling local officials for updates and is considering sending his ballot, if it ever arrives, via priority mail for $10.

“I’d pay up to $20,” Woessner said. “I’ve wanted to vote ever since I was little.”

Often though, once the novelty wears off, so does the turnout.

National commentators stress students have rarely had more incentive to vote than now — barely five years removed from September 11, 2001, in the midst of controversial conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and with party control of the United States Senate and House very much on the line. But time and again, some students, especially upperclassmen, said they feel no direct connection to these issues, and will likely stay home as a result.

Atherton, Calif. resident Megan So, a senior, lives just a 10-minute drive from campus, and vividly remembers voting as a sophomore in Florence Moore Hall in 2004.

“I voted because I was mad at my dad, who was voting for Bush, so I told him I’m going to vote for Kerry to cancel out his retarded vote,” So said. “That’s the last time I’ve voted, and I don’t know if I’m going to vote this time.”

Generally politically apathetic, So was comfortable not voting — until she learned about Proposition 85, which would mandate parental notification for teenagers seeking abortions, and Proposition 86, which would tack a hefty tax on cigarettes. Now, she’s considering heading to the polls Tuesday.

But even if So does vote, her ballot will still reflect her apathy.

“I might go vote on those propositions and still leave everything else blank,” So said. “I’m really, really lukewarm when it comes to politics.”