As the Nov. 7 election grows closer, students must decide who to vote for, or, in some cases, whether they will even vote at all.
The 2024 election, between Democrat Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, is one of the most important elections in the history of the United States.
After Biden’s subpar performance in the June 27 presidential debate, in Atlanta, he decided to step down and back Harris. The spotlight was immediately put on her, and in a little over a month she set a campaign fundraising record, raising 540 million.
Trump’s campaign has been riddled with indictments and convictions. He was found guilty, on May 30, 2024, of 34 felony charges associated with hush money payments he had directed to be made to a porn actress, Stormy Daniels. He was impeached for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, in which he refused to accept the transfer of power, and claimed, repeatedly and against factual evidence, that the election was stolen. His violent rhetoric led to the insurrection of the Capital on January 6, a riot that led to the deaths of seven people, according to the New York Times.
Reflecting growing voter disillusionment toward both candidates, Chris Doubleday, a senior day student, rejects both candidates.
“I am still undecided,” Chris said. “This is because neither candidate has done a good job explaining their policies so far. I also have issues with both of the major political parties.”
“I agree with Trump more on policy than Harris,” he added, “but I do not like the way Trump acts. I also have a big issue with how Trump acted after losing the past election.”
After losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, Trump claimed that the election was stolen and that he was the rightful winner. He believed that voter fraud had taken place throughout many swing states, and he communicated this to his passionate supporters, invigorating them in a speech next to the White House on January 6. On the same day, thousands of his supporters stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to resist Congress’ certification of Biden’s victory. They broke windows, doors, and injured police while chanting violent slogans such as “hang Mike Pence.”
“I think Kamala presents herself as more mature than Trump, and she seems like a better speaker,” Chris added, “however, I dislike her policies and dislike how she seems to have flip-flopped all of her positions from a couple of years ago, which makes me think I may not be able to trust her.”
Kamala Harris has changed her stance on several of her previous views. At one point she wanted to ban fracking, a way of extracting oil from below the Earth’s surface. Now, according to an article by CNN, she says she will not ban it, and will support the jobs created from it. She has also changed her position on immigration; she now advocates for more border security and control.
Luke Green, a junior from Northampton, believes the election will be very polarizing.
“I think it is an election that has divided many people, and will continue to divide America in the future,” he said. Luke thinks both candidates are both weak choices for the country.
“Kamala Harris does not know how the economy works, and her policies on taxing the rich and large corporate businesses and high-income people will not fix any of the problems such as the national debt and homelessness,” he said.
The economy has been a hot-button topic for the 2024 presidential race; many Americans think it is the most important problem facing the nation. Many disagree with Harris’s policies which will increase taxes on businesses and high-income earners because they believe that it will take money out of the economy and will lower the GDP.
Luke’s main criticism of Trump, however, is his position on gun control.
“My concern regarding Trump is that he is owned by the NRA, and gun violence will persist with him as president,” Luke said.
Under Trump’s presidency, according to the Gun Violence Archive, mass shootings took place more often than in years prior. At the start of Trump’s presidency in 2016, the number of mass shootings in that year was 338. By the end of Trump’s presidency in 2020, that number skyrocketed to 610 in one year. Many blame this increase on the lack of gun control laws during his time as president. Trump also receives funding from the NRA and other gun lobbyists and PACs (Political Action Committees) that trust he will advocate for gun rights rather than gun control. In the 2020 election, the NRA spent $54 million dollars, including $30 million, to help Trump get elected.
School shootings are a terrible reality of American life. Many believe a second round of Trump in office will result in further gun violence and terror.
Trump’s recent assassination attempts have impacted the election, too. Many believe the attempts have amplified unease regarding the polarized state of American politics.
The first assassination attempt took place on July 13 during a campaign rallies in Ohio. A shooter, poised on top of a building near the event, fired eight rounds at the former president, killing a spectator and injuring two others. Apart from a bullet that grazed Trump’s ear, the former president was uninjured.
The second attempt happened on Sunday, September 15, in West Palm Beach, Florida. While Trump was playing golf, a Secret Service agent spotted the muzzle of a rifle in a bush approximately 400 yards away. Agents fired on the bush, and the attacker escaped in an SUV, but was later arrested by law enforcement in a nearby county.
As of Sept. 19, Kamala Harris is ahead of Trump in the polls by three points. She is beating him by at least one point in the swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, according to a New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College poll. However, it is still too early to tell who the victor will be, as the polls are too close to determine a definite winner.
