We are only days away from Election Day, and it’s safe to say that tensions are high. If you thought the 2016 election was hectic, well, I think it’s best if you buckle in.
Millions of early voters have already cast in their ballots. Amongst these people are first time voters. This election has caused the younger generation, ages 18-29, to rise up and voice their political concerns from both sides. According to previous censuses, young people are the least likely to cast in their votes for elections in America. The reasons for this vary from thinking voting is ineffective to not being educated enough on issues. Voting is considered a civic duty, however, young men and women aren’t typically interested in politics when they have other things to worry about: school, careers, and the stress that comes with starting their adult life.
It’s no secret that this election has brought division amongst all sorts of people. Citizens and parties are more focused on asserting their dominance based on their political beliefs rather than the advancement of this country, and for this reason, young voters are coming through to fill out their ballots early and get their voice in. They have slowly begun to realize that elections dictate their futures, and if they aren’t happy with the circumstances of the country they live in, they have the ability to change course. Many people have previously argued that because there is an electoral college, their votes don’t matter, however, the popular votes alert state officials to tell them who the citizens of their states prefer. Recently, more people have been urged to voice their concerns and elect officials who stand by them with the nation’s best interest in their minds.
There is a lot that goes into voting. The presidential race itself can be confusing and dividing, as people scramble to find the representative they support the most. In the beginning of the 2020 election, there were 1,222 candidates running for presidency, and although we have narrowed down to 4 now, it’s very time consuming to research each candidate’s political views. As if it isn’t already hard to narrow down picks, when a candidate drops out of the race, one must find the second best option, and as candidates continue to drop, people run out of their favorites.
Take Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for example. Both candidates are members of the Senate and share many similar political views such as their stances on environmental issues. Inside Climate News reported, “Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) cited climate as the main reason he opposed President Donald Trump’s free trade deal with Mexico. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said climate had to be part of defense strategy.” Young Democratic voters mainly favored Sanders and Warrens due to their progressive beliefs, as young voters are typically more liberal, however, when both dropped out of the race, the youth eagerly looked to who they’d endorse and it was Vice President Joe Biden. Now, this is a challenge because Biden is less progressive than the other candidates, however, even though he isn’t a favorite with young voters, they have coined a term: Settle For Biden. There’s a detachment because voters aren’t exactly pledging their allegiance to Biden, but simply saying, “Well, this is as good as it’s going to get.” While the majority of the young Democratic voters have decided to settle, there are some voters who have become discouraged enough not to vote. The Republicans face the same problem with young voters, but this election has seen a rise in numbers for both sides.
The problem is just this: voting is hard. It’s a massive responsibility to research your candidates and then narrow down the list and then continue to narrow it down until there is just one option left. And what happens when that candidate isn’t the one the people want?
Young voters have been encouraged to show up as they make up a third of the votes. Amongst the states who have already shown a high percentage of young voters include Texas, Florida, and California. These states also have the greatest number of electoral votes.
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