Spencer Swearingen was born and raised in Mist, Ore. He's a political ccience major at Portland Community College, and he says his progressive olitical beliefs come from parents.

The issues that rise to the top for Shanel Swan are health care and the economy. It took her more than a year to find her job as a service worker at Taco Bell. And as a mother of three, with another one on the way, health care is big for her. too.

An advocate for peace, Meryl Six's father fought in Vietnam and she experienced firsthand the effect was has on veterans.

Julia is the president of the Portland State College Republicans. As a daughter of immigrants from Jordan, she feels that the American Dream and the ideals of hard work define her political party.

After not finding a job in California, Dominic moved to Oregon to be with his family and go to school. He wants to see the next president turn the economy around.

Ashley Williams says she is not going to vote. She does care about a variety of issues: lowering the deficit, stabilizing jobs and the gap between lower and higher income earners. But growing up working in a family motel, she says he doesn't feel either candidate represents her.