What sways the most votes in Buckeye Boys State?

June 10th marked the first primary and general elections of the 87th session of the American Legion Buckeye Boys State (ALBBS) in 2025. A lot happened, and it makes delegates wonder, what is the true gravity of votes here at ALBBS?

Hunter Williams-Sanders of Zulch City talked a little about whether he feels a devotion to his city. “Slightly,” he said, after going into why he tries to break this pattern.

“You got to vote the best person for the job, regardless of their origin. But yeah, you get to know people in your city more than you do anyone else,” Williams-Sanders continued.

Some delegates voted objectively while others voted based on their city. Williams-Sanders also mentioned he has a very strong opinion that transparency is key to a good campaign.

“You’ve got to have your voters know what exactly you’re going to do in office, or else you can’t be sure,” Williams-Sanders said.

Another delegate, Grant Zoganski of Albert City, discussed how the small population of his city made for a more inclusive dynamic.

“We are the smallest city I think, which is a lot more intimate for sure, which makes it easy to get really close with everybody. And that definitely swayed the way I voted and everyone else did,” he said.

Felix Mathias of Favreau City also contributed to the conversation by saying, “Yes, all the guys here were really out there. It was easy to vote for them because of… knowing them.”

Biases occur when someone has an ulterior motive for a decision or direction in speech. This can skew elections because not everyone chooses the objectively best option for the position.

Delegates base votes on different criteria, but regardless those votes had an impact on who represented them no matter the motivation. This makes them feel the importance of the ballot illustrating their direct involvement in the democratic process.