It’s the day many of us have been anticipating for months: Election Day. As college students, we are faced with pressure from both parties to hit the polls and vote. While some students on campus preferred to keep their political opinions private, five students spoke about their voting experience, key issues and presidential favorites.
Isaiah McIntyre, sophomore communication major (he/him)
How much attention have you paid to this election?
I’d say casually. Whatever mainstream news is reporting is what I look at.
Did you vote in person, drop-off or mail-in this year? Why?
By mail. It’s what my grandparents chose, and I hear there’s ballot burners. They were very freaked out by that. They wanted to make sure their vote got in.
How much research do you do before you vote?
Not a lot. I just voted based on cultural bias. Whatever my grandparents were going to choose, I was going to choose. It would start an argument if I chose whoever I didn’t choose.
What is the number one issue you are concerned about in this election? Why?
Safety. There’s a lot of tension everywhere in the world, so I just want to make sure the world is safe at the end of the day.
Which presidential candidate are you voting for? Why?
Is there a Fifth Amendment plea?
Merideth Grotto, freshman early childhood education major (she/her)
How much attention have you paid to this election?
A lot. Like, I’m reading about it every other day.
Did you vote in person, drop off or mail-in this year? Why?
Drop off. I’m from California, so my ballot’s in California.
How much research do you do before you vote?
A lot. I looked up everything, and I had been paying attention to it before.
What’s the number one issue you are concerned about in this election? Why?
Women’s rights, because I am a woman, and you never know what happens.
Which presidential candidate are you voting for? Why?
Kamala because I hate Trump with a passion.
Miguel Sotomayor, freshman nursing major (he/him)
How much attention have you paid to this election?
Zero, if I’m being serious. Actually, I’ll give myself 10%. I’ve been watching a lot of videos online, like I’ve been watching a lot of debates and stuff. That’s all I’ve been watching, but like, I haven’t given too much thought to it.
Are you planning to vote?
Not really, I’m not going to lie. My morals don’t align with any of their morals, so I don’t feel like my decision to vote for someone is justified if I don’t believe in anything that they believe in.
Have you ever voted? Have you done any research?
Nah, I have not voted. Not a lot of research, like honestly, I’m my own person, like I just be here for real. I just walk around. I just chill. Like, if there’s a new president, there’s a new president. I’m not leaving the country, like the country’s one of the greatest, obviously, so why would I ever leave? I trust whoever we have in office, and I just kind of hope.
Is there any issue that you think is particularly concerning surrounding the election?
We put so much emphasis on culture, religion and all these things, so a lot of people vote for that stuff, but we’re not looking at the economic aspect of it. We’re not looking at what actually will do good for the country. We’re looking at self-bias versus overall growth of the country.
Which presidential candidate do you align with more, if you had to pick one?
If I’m being honest, I probably align more with Trump, but like I said, how could I vote for someone I morally don’t align with? I think it’s just like, I believe in his morals more than I believe in Kamala Harris’.
Megan Graham, freshman nursing major (she/her)
How much attention have you paid to this election?
Not that much, but I’ve watched some of the debates and stuff with my family.
Did you vote in person, drop-off or mail-in this year? Why?
I voted in person. It was just easiest that way for me.
How much research do you do before you vote?
Lots, because I like to know who I’m voting for and what their morals and values are.
What is the number one issue you are concerned about in this election? Why?
I just want gas prices to go down or just prices of everything to go down. I’m a broke college student, you know?
Which presidential candidate are you voting for? Why?
Trump, which is controversial, but he has a lot of the same morals and values that I have, and I am a Christian, so part of that was going into that. Also, I feel like if anything, it was better than Kamala, to me at least.
Khamani Murphy, junior business administration major (he/him)
How much attention have you paid to this election?
I’ve looked probably every other day.
Did you vote in person, drop-off or mail-in this year? Why?
Mail-in. My ballot went to my house in Denver, so I mailed it back.
How much research do you do before you vote?
Not too much since I stay caught up instead of having to wait and research a bunch of stuff.
What is the number one issue you are concerned about in this election? Why?
Like just how crazy people are. Can’t separate politics from anything.
Which presidential candidate are you voting for? Why?
Harris. I guess I don’t really care for either, but I had to pick from two bad choices, and I went with the slightly less bad choice.
From left: Isaiah McIntyre, Merideth Grotto, Miguel Sotomayor, Megan Graham and Khamani Murphy. Photos by Josiah Dolan.