Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
By Sophie Torres
The United States 60th Presidential election is coming up in less than four weeks, and it’s one for the history books. This will be former president Donald Trump’s third run for president, after being impeached twice in 2019 and 2021, during his time as the 45th President of the United States. On the other hand, Kamala Harris, Joe Biden’s Vice President, is running for the second time. If elected, she will be the first woman of color to serve as president. In the past five years, young voter stats dropped dramatically, with only 20% of voters ages 18-29 casting their ballots in the 2022 election. However, with issues that directly impact the future of the new generation such as climate change, war in the Middle East and Ukraine, and gun control, young voters have been trying to make their voices heard during this election cycle.
With polls opening on November 5th, smack dab in the middle of most universities’ fall semester, The Paper investigated what students around campus thought about the two potential candidates. After interviewing multiple students whose majors range from economics to theater, it was clear most students hold similar opinions in politics. While some students admitted to not knowing which candidate they were voting for or that they were abstaining from voting altogether, most begrudgingly said they were casting their vote for Kamala Harris. Begrudgingly, they say, because most students don't like either candidate. Many believe it’s a matter of picking the best of the worst. A majority of students used the debate to back this claim, with one student going as far as to say that listening to Trump speak made her feel like she was crazy. She couldn't follow his points, and feared that people really do believe what he’s saying.
It also became clear while interviewing that a lot of students are getting their information for the debate from TikTok. Some students argue this leaves people with poor takeaways of the election as a whole. An example of this being one of the most viral sound bites of the debate “They’re eating the dogs, the people that came in, they’re eating the cats,” in reference to Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. Not to mention some students only know Kamala Harris as the woman who “fell out of a coconut tree” or more recently, “the lady with a glock.”
Despite the majority of students’ disdain for Trump, they still feel conflicted in their decision to cast their vote for Harris. Young voters' concern for Kamala Harris’ policies are not unfounded. Watching the debate was the first time many saw Kamala Harris speak outside of her past viral clips circulating social media; and most students weren't very impressed. One policy that concerns students is immigration. Joel Rosario, a third year theater major, said that one of the main things that separated Republicans and Democrats is that the former usually stand for and with immigrants, but right now he feels both parties have obtained the same standing. During his interview he stated, “If I were to vote on who thinks immigration is good or bad, I would not be voting.” Back in 2019 Harris called out Trump's separation policy as a “human rights abuse,” however, throughout her 2024 campaign she has seemingly changed her mind. Instead, she has commented heavily on the need for more border patrol agents and her desire to strongly curb access to asylum seekers. She seems to be following the same position as the Biden administration, which students dislike as well. Young voters want Harris to form her own ideas and separate herself from Biden’s viewpoints.
Concerning the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, neither candidate has been able to produce a satisfying answer for students. Some stating that this is the reason they are abstaining from voting altogether. During the debate, Harris called for a two state solution stating, “In that solution there must be security for the Israeli people and Israel and in equal measure for the Palestinians, but the one thing I will assure you always, I will always give Israel the ability to defend itself.” As with immigration, young voters fear that Kamala Harris is simply following Biden's word.
A major concern among young voters is climate change, leading students to be concerned about Harris's pro-fracking stance. During the debate Harris once again disavowed a pledge she made in 2019 to ban fracking, now taking a pro-oil stance in this election. Fracking releases Methane, a potent greenhouse gas. If continued, these gasses could become worse for our climate than coal, which is currently the largest contributor to global temperature rise.
As for the positives, Harris’ stance on women’s issues and trans rights is a main reason students say they will be voting blue this November. Many young voters feel that Trump's only stance on women’s and LGBTQ rights is that he seems to not want to give them any. His overturning of Roe v. Wade, a constitutional right that granted women legalized abortion across the nation for nearly 50 years, is often cited as his will to control women and strip them of their bodily autonomy. While talking about this overturn during the debate, Trump stated, “And the states are voting. And it may take a little time, but for 52 years this issue has torn our country apart. And they've wanted it back in the states. And I did something that nobody thought was possible.” Whereas, Harris had a completely different take, stating “I pledge to you when Congress passes a bill to put back in place the protections of Roe v. Wade as President of the United States, I will proudly sign it into law.” As for LGBTQ rights, Trump has promised that if elected he will rescind a Biden administration policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as a policy that offers protections for transgender students under the Title IX Federal Civil Rights Law.
While students worry about Harris’s lack of identity with her own campaign, on issues such as climate change, immigration, and war in the Middle East and Ukraine. Students worry equally about these same issues regarding Trump, along with his policies on women’s and trans rights. For young voters, this election is a matter of choosing the lesser evil.
Whether you’re voting blue, red, green, or independent, The Paper urges you to use your voice and vote! For New York City residents, polls are open from 6am to 9pm on November 5th, 2024. Make sure to check where your designated polling site is. If you are an out-of-state student and wish to vote, make sure to register for an absentee or mail-in-ballot online, by going to your state's Division of Election website. If you are not yet registered to vote and still want to participate on Election day, the last day to register for New York State is October 25th.
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