Young Voters Speak

By Kelvin Butler, Jacob Sinclair, Joshua O’Dell and Keelan Bromberg

UNIVERSITY CENTER — With just one week until Election Day, people across the political spectrum are feeling anxious about what lies in store for our country. But many young people are ready to rock the vote.

A recent poll conducted by Harvard University found 63% of respondents age 18-29 indicate they will “definitely be voting,” compared to 47% during this same time before the 2016 presidential election.

Delta College freshman Madison Woodfin is looking forward to participating in her first election.

Woodfin feels confident in her choices.

“I did not vote in the primaries because I wasn’t registered yet, but I would’ve voted for either Bernie or Biden,” Woodfin said.

While she cites many reasons for coming to this conclusion, one of the biggest issues she is concerned with protecting the rights of her friends.

“I’m not voting for him for myself,” Woodfin says.” I’m voting for him for others. For my friends who are black, for my friends who are Mexican, because everyone needs to feel safe in their country and as of right now, people like them, and honestly myself, don’t feel safe with Donald Trump.”

In addition to this, Woodfin is a big fan of Kamala Harris, Biden’s pick for vice president. “She is a strong woman. She is fierce. She knows what she wants and she knows how to do things. She’s another main reason why I’m voting for Joe Biden,” Woodfin said.

William Butler, 25, of Saginaw, says voters have the power to impact our national character.

“I want to help make the country better,” he says. “I want to support a better direction and vision for America. Also, I think voting gives people the chance to help move the country in a specific Direction.”

Butler feels that when people consider supporting a particular presidential candidate, they should think about how this candidate carries themselves. He believes people with a long track record of immaturity should not be considered a potential candidate.

Like most people, Butler has been seeing all of the election ads all over the media. He even watched a couple of the presidential debates to get a feel of the two candidates.

“I like the idea of Joe Biden’s plans for justice system reform and his economic plan to support working-class families,” Butler says. “Joe Biden’s approach to the justice system reform involves redirecting some funds to social services like mental health.”

He has also plans on voting on more than just the presidential election, including community Millages.

As the Harvard Youth Poll recorded, young Americans are more likely to vote for Joe Biden.

Gabriella Levangie, 20, an MSU student living in Saginaw, expressed a lot of concern for the next couple of years to come and seemed anxious about the future state of America as a whole. 

Levangie has many worries about how many people in their generation seem obsessed with revolution, while not wanting to participate in civic duties that they take for granted. They seem to have a deep concern that this kind of complacency could lead more individuals into Fascist ideology, Levangie says. 

“You don’t live in a void. This behavior could be negatively affecting others,” Levangie said about how many of their peers seem to forget that others exist. 

Levangie hopes that the Black Lives Matter momentum will continue to lead the long-needed change within this country, but fears the worst will come if the incumbent is re-elected to another four-year term.

“If Trump gets elected, we could all say we are doomed,” she says. “If Biden gets elected, we could also sit back and say it’s fine now.” 

22-year-old Midlander Maddie Fordos expects youth turnout being high this year.

“I have noticed that most of my friends plan on voting and we’re trying to talk the rest into it.”

Fordos thinks the polarity of the candidates and the issue of the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has thrown many college students’ plans into a whirlwind will be key factors in this younger demographic getting out to vote.

Fordos admits that her family is pretty apolitical, but that is not stopping her from being the only person in her family that is set on voting by this Nov. 3. While she is confident in her vote, she knows this country is very split when it comes to the top of the ticket.

“I think that regardless of who wins to be the next President, I think a lot of people will be very upset,” she says. “Hopefully people will stay civil.”

Delta freshman Woodfin offers this advice to young voters.

“I would tell new voters that they need to listen to themselves. If your parents say, ‘Oh, I’m voting for this person so you have to vote for this person,’ that’s just wrong. You need to have your own opinion, you need to have your own voice, and you need to research before you do anything.”