After my post this morning on NYU students' willingness to accept payment for their right to vote, I decided to test how Ohio State students would react.
I asked the attending members of my principles of economics class (30 out of 64 registrants--hey, it's late in the quarter) if they would be willing to accept a) an i-pod touch, b) free tuition, room and board for 4 years, and c) $1,000,000 for their right to vote. The first two were asked with reference to next year's presidential election. The last was asked in reference to all future presidential elections. The results are below the jump:
Willing to accept an i-pod touch for not voting next year:
- OSU: 50% (15 out of 30)
- NYI: 20% (Sample size unavailable)
Willing to accept an free tuition, room and board for not voting next year:
- OSU: 63% (19 out of 30)
- NYU: 66%
Willingess to accept $1,000,000 for not voting ever:
- OSU: 40% (12 out of 30)
- NYU: 50%
I'm befuddled and have lost all faith in my understanding of human decision making--OK, that might be extreme. Are student really that idealistic? If someone had come to me in 1988 and offered me $400,000 to never vote...I'd be sitting on the beach in front of my beach house right now. I think I might be a selfish prick.