While thousands of Americans walked to the polls, turned on their TVs and closely followed the mid-term elections, Loyola students were auctioning off dates with members of the Delta Gamma Sorority.

An informal survey by mass communication majors showed most Loyola students were more concerned with getting a date than voting for the people who will represent them in Congress.

The closest polling place was located next door at Holy Name of Jesus Elementary School, where a tiny trickle of Loyola students entered to vote. With one hour left before the polls closed, only 3 or 4 Loyola students had voted, according to an election volunteer at Holy Name. A possible reason for the low turnout of Loyola voters was because students went to other voting locations, as one student suggested, or they were not from Louisiana.

Many students across campus were not aware elections took place Tuesday or did not care. When several students were asked if they were going to vote, some responded with “I don’t care” or “For what?” Others were disappointed and claimed fellow classmates were too lazy to register and vote.

Tulane University apparently produced a better turnout. According to another election volunteer at Holy Name, Tulane’s turnout was almost as good as it was during the previous presidential election. When several Tulane students were asked, however, if they were going to vote, many responded with the same level of apathy as students from Loyola.

Former Loyola political science major, Kristin Saybe, who transferred to Colorado during Katrina and graduated in 2006, wrote in a recent article, “It’s just abysmal how few students and young people vote.” In her new home in Boulder, Colo., she claims more college students are involved and aware of mid-term elections.

Across Colorado University’s campus, for example, people distributed flyers and stickers, and walked around with clipboards registering young voters the day before the elections – activities Loyola lacked.

After 12 years of Republican control, the Democrats won the majority of seats and regained control of the House of Representatives and for the first time, a woman, Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will hold the position of Speaker of the House.

Locally, U.S. Representative William Jefferson, D-N.O., faces a run-off election with state representative Karen Carter for Second Congressional District Representative, despite being under federal investigation for alleged bribery.

Rosamar Torres [email protected]. Angela Reed can be reached at [email protected].