On Nov. 5, 2024, millions of Americans will cast their vote to decide who will be the country’s next president. Included in this are the multiple WIS students who will head to the polls next month.
With their 18th birthdays lining up with an election year, some students feel the responsibility of having a voice.
“I feel privileged,” Senior Elia Rigolini said. It’s a real privilege to be able to vote for who is going to run the country.”
Senior Mateo Levey agrees, highlighting the value and gravity of his newfound ability to vote.
“Being a part of a democratic system is obviously very important,” Levey said. “The easiest way to solve anything, especially in a country like the US, is to go out and vote for people who you think will represent you in the best ways.”
However, despite the excitement, many students are apprehensive about the results of the election.
“I’m concerned,” Senior Calder LeValley said. “I don’t advertise it all that much but I am proud to be American, and I’m afraid of what will happen to the country I love if we as a nation don’t vote blue this year.”
Rigolini exacerbated this as he feels that the contentious and tense nature of the election is dangerous.
“It’s being very publicized, which is not a good thing because a lot of people are treating it like it’s a game,” he said. “It puts people into this divided mentality where you’re either with us or with them.”
He believes that this attitude towards politics is a threat to America’s democracy. “People have lost sight of what it means to elect a president, which is a little bit scary,” Rigolini said.
Even so, some students believe that preserving an active democracy is one of the most important reasons to vote in November.
“There is a rhetoric that this will be the last election and some democratic values are being eroded,” Levey said.
Rigolini agrees but acknowledges that voting does come with accountability.
“There’s a responsibility that comes with being able to vote and it’s informing yourself about who you’re going to vote for and why you’re voting for them; knowing exactly what their policies are,” Rigolini said.
Additionally, Levey argues that this responsibility is even more important for young voters, who should inform themselves about issues that benefit them.
“Young voices bring different perspectives, especially contrasted with my parents’ perspective,” Levey said. “There’s always going to be different issues that people care about and it’s always important to value those things as well.”
An issue that is very consequential to the younger generation is LGBTQ+ rights.
“As a queer person one of the issues I’m most passionate about is LGBTQ+ safety and representation, especially with the rise of LGBTQ hate in the last few years,” LeValley said.
On top of that, many students believe that gun restrictions are another important step in ensuring safety for the younger population. “I think safety happens through gun control,” Rigolini said.
LeValley also highlights his worry about the widespread access that Americans have to assault weapons.
“I’m quite concerned with gun laws and the fact that some civilians have the ability to obtain almost fully automatic rifles, that should not be in the hands of people outside the military,” LeValley said.
Levey believes that another important issue for young voters is access to abortion. “Abortion is also very important, which is very popular among young people, but it’s always going to be a big point of discussion,” he said.
Rigolini also believes that abortion access is one of the major factors that motivates his decision for president.
“I’m very passionate about abortion rights… I want a candidate that will represent the right to choose for every person,” Rigolini said.
This is amplified by LeValley, who includes the right to abortion as part of the larger struggle for adequate healthcare in America.
“Access to healthcare, which includes access to abortion, is a major issue I’m passionate about,” LeValley said.
According to Levey, the economy is a major point of concern.
“The economy is always going to be a very big thing, especially as I go into college and after college, it’s important for the economy to be in a good place so it’s not terribly hard to get a job,” Levey said.
With all these important issues that WIS seniors feel strongly about, some believe their concerns are not fully represented in the upcoming election.
“I feel a little bit disheartened that the options are so few because there’s a lot of views that I would like to be able to express, but I feel like I can’t because of the two-party system,” Rigolini said.
LeValley also feels a little disappointed about the two major choices for president in 2024.
“To be completely honest, it feels weird, especially since my first election is one in which we don’t get a choice between two people who could be called relatively centrist,” they said.
WIS voters still maintain a sense of hope and belief that comes from seeing passion from their fellow students and young people.
“People at WIS are much more informed about the election, which is great… [giving] me a lot of hope,” Rigolini said. “That’s an amazing thing.”
Levey feels that the voice of young people is crucial in politics.
“Young people are going to be the people who are eventually running the country, so factoring what they believe is important in any decision-making process,” he said.
Rigolini concurs, saying that the conviction of young voters is what pushes the country to progress.
“It’s really important for young people to be heard in politics because… history and different cultures, it’s always young people who push for societal change,” Rigolini said.
All three seniors encourage their fellow WIS students to take an active role in the upcoming election.
“Stay as informed as possible and go out and vote because that’s the most valuable thing you can do,” Levey said.
Rigolini states that without activity from young voters, the country would be in a worse place.
“A lot of problems happen when young people don’t vote and older people have free reign about how they think the country should be run for young people,” he said.
LeValley agrees that elections are especially important and consequential to young voters specifically. “After all we are the future, and we are the ones who most have to deal with the aftermath of the election,” LeValley said.
Therefore, to create an environment where everyone’s voices are truly heard and people’s opinions are valued, voting seniors believe it is important for everyone to cast a ballot this November.
“It’s important in any society to have a bunch of different perspectives,” Levey said. “The way you’re going to change anything is through voting.”
By Kas Salehi
