With the 2024 presidential election following candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris steadily approaching, political tension continues to grow as well. Ever since the political growth amongst the youth following the 2020 election, 66% of college students are now voting. Now that the myth that only older generations vote is finally beginning to diminish within the United States, it seems as if the opinions of younger generations are finally being heard and respected. The increasing participation of young adults’ involvement within elections is highly significant to the development of the United States. But how are students on campus viewing this important upcoming election? AIC students received a survey that asked questions about their perception, desires, and hopes for the upcoming election. Throughout the survey students were asked whether or not they wanted to stay anonymous. Because of this, some statements included in this article will have the speaker’s name redacted and replaced with “Anonymous” and a number pertaining to their response submission.
For starters, question number one asks, “Do you feel confident in the candidates chosen for the upcoming election?” In regards to all those who answered, every submission claimed they did not feel confident in the candidates chosen for the upcoming election. I found this riveting because all of the submissions display a wide variety of political standings, but question number one was the only question with the same answer all across the board. These results are a great representation of where our society stands with politics in this hectic era.
In order to make the survey more personalized to college students, the survey asked, “How important is it to you for a candidate to address issues and find solutions regarding college students and their lives?” Anonymous #1 stated, “I think it is important to address all sorts of parties and individuals. Not just college students, but people out of college and who are not yet at that point in life.”
On the other hand, participant Zujeili Negron considered candidates addressing college student concerns to be “Very important since we are the new voting generation. I think it’s important that we are part of the debate.” From the jump, concerns regarding their own involvement within the election are somewhat divided. There are plenty of concerns for the present day, but also the future of our country, which is something that continues to drive division within this election.
In order to get an idea of what college students are concerned about within policies and executive duties, the survey asked, “What are some key issues that help determine your vote within this election?” Anonymous #3 explained, “Public policy, Climate crisis, Economy, Immigration, Abortion laws, Cost of Healthcare, Taxes–I can go on but those are just some of the most significant ones.”
Anonymous #3 included plenty of concerns they hold to these candidates, while other participants like Anonymous #4 had an overall concern. Anonymous #4 said that when casting their vote, they would consider “What certain candidates have that can help [a] majority of the people and our future.” The difference is noticeable, but both responses are significant because they demonstrate that despite political involvement, a majority of people show concerns and hold these candidates to high standards in order to represent our country.
Towards the end of the survey the participants were asked, “Finally, do you plan on participating in this election? Why or why not?” For starters, Anonymous #1 said, “Yes, because I believe it is a privilege and a right to vote.”
Zujeili Negron stated, “Yes, although not one person can make a difference. It [is] nice to know that I am using my rights to help [make] my time in this world better.”
Anonymous #3 exclaimed, “Yes. Even though it’s a lose-lose in my eyes, every vote matters… When you have an opportunity to have a voice – use it! There’s nothing I can’t stand more than people who complain about who gets elected but don’t vote.”
Anonymous #4 stated, “No, I come from a family that isn’t big on voting due to citizenship. It shouldn’t be an excuse, but I’m not really interested in doing so.”
It was very fascinating to receive the variety of responses that came with this survey. The diversity and eclectic responses are significant in understanding where young adults in this country stand within politics. Taking a look into other perspectives can help to encourage others to participate within this upcoming election and can help to bring a sense of understanding of those around us. As November 5 steadily approaches, take this time to review your beliefs, voting stance, and help our country by using the resources around you.
Voters in Massachusetts can use this link to register, check your registration status, look up your polling location, or to find out more about voter registration. Information about the five ballot questions on this year’s Massachusetts ballot can also be found here.
