The Sundial surveyed potential voters at The Ohio State University on Jan. 31 about their political engagement. 989 students were asked, “are you following the presidential election coverage?” in anticipation of the “first in the nation” primaries and caucuses.

For many respondents, the election coverage is unavoidable. 14 percent surround themselves with political news, advocacy and campaigning, and they genuinely love what they do for democracy. Everyone else has no clue what is going on.

People are so unaware, 19 percent of students mistakenly believed the election coverage was actually another season of Donald Trump’s reality show “The Apprentice.” Said one respondent, “If Trump hates Ted Cruz so much, why doesn’t he fire him?”

As if they were competitors on a reality show, nearly a third of respondents were unaware that the candidates were running for president of the United States. 31 percent of students had heard of Ted Cruz, Ben Carson, Rick Santorum and others but were shocked they were competing for the highest office in the United States. “I really don’t think I’ve seen anyone on ‘The Apprentice’ that is fit to be commander-in-chief,” said one respondent.

Another 20 percent were confused about the election in question and thought the survey question was referring to the Ohio State president. “I think the Jon Waters scandal is going to hurt Dr. Drake’s reelection chances,” said one respondent.

Although a majority of respondents are misinformed by election coverage, over one-third of respondents were not following election coverage at all. 16 percent of student voters have actively avoided the coverage because President Obama’s campaign of “hope and change” still inspires them, but not enough to vote again. One respondent also thought it was important to share with the surveyor that Barack Obama smiled at her during a 2008 rally.

Political insiders are counting on some kind of “hope and change,” mostly change, to bring students to the ballot box. Many of the candidates have not made Ohio a priority before the first primaries and caucuses, but they will be dispatching staffers within the month. A campus where two-thirds of students think President Drake is running for reelection may be a great place to start.

-Travis Filicky, Senior Staff Member