As the presidential election draws ever closer, opinions on either side of the election are starting to solidify as all legal age voters get ready to make a decision on the ballot. However, it’s not only adults that have a vested interest in the upcoming elections. Though most students at Ames High are not of voting age, there are many differing opinions on the presidential candidates. Many students at Ames High School have been following the campaign closely and have developed strong positions about both Mitt Romney and Barack Obama. Politically inclined junior Chris Jackson shares his opinion on the incumbent. “If I were a year older, I would vote for President Obama because I think he’ll stand up for the poor and middle class.” He adds, “My family has also been Democratic since Andrew Jackson, so there’s that.” Jackson’s views seem to reflect the standard at Ames High. In order to get a snapshot of the current opinions in the school, a poll was taken of the AP U.S. Government/U.S. Government classes. The sections were each asked whether they would vote for Romney or Obama in the upcoming elections. According to the results, Obama is leading at AHS by a whopping 67 percent to Romney’s 24 percent. About 8 percent of students were undecided. However, AHS also has some substantial favor on the other side of the debate. Senior Max Allamong has strong opinions on the Republican candidate. “As a business man, Romney knows what it takes to build the country’s economy,” Allamong said. “During his time as a governor, he balanced the budget, created a successful health care system, and encouraged the education system to produce some of the best schools in the country. He knows what it takes to put Americans back to work.” Whatever opinion they have, it’s frustrating for the younger generation to have to wait for their turn to make a difference. However, the most important thing is for high school students to make it a priority to be informed and in the know about politics from now onwards