President Jimmy Carter addresses voter concerns in annual Emory town hall

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Former President Jimmy Carter spoke to dozens of students at Emory University Wednesday night during his 35th annual Town Hall.

The majority of the questions centered on the November election, and Carter answered every question thrown his way.

“With a great deal of hesitancy and trepidation I will answer the questions,” he told the students.

One student asked him his advice to first-time voters in this election.

"I started to say abstain," he said. "I kind of take it back because I'm talking to students, so, I would just say vote. And if you want to be like me, vote Democratic. If you want to be different than me, vote Republican."

Questions came in from Twitter and from the full house of Emory students, ranging from student loans to immigration, even to the amount of sleep President Carter got in the White House. But it kept coming back to the presidential campaign.

“I think it's bound to get better,” Carter said. “We are at maybe one of the all-time lows in our history. Maybe just with the exception of the Civil War era."

That was Carter’s response to theology student Jessica Kawamura's question about how the election might shape the future of American politics.

“Things may not be great now but America has a history of adjusting our course,” Kawamura said.

President Carter said he would like to hear one pledge from the candidates.

“Tell the truth and pledge to the American people that they would keep our country at peace and honor and protect human rights,” he said.

Carter said it's impossible for him to imagine either of the candidates making such a pledge. Still, not surprisingly, he said his family would likely vote for Hillary Clinton.

“I think this has been the worst election season we've ever seen. We just have to remember that our country is resilient,” Carter said.

Cox Media Group