This year has been full of important elections for this year’s senior class with students voting for Homecoming Court, Class of 2025 president, vice president and secretary and Site Council representatives and now – for some students – the United States Presidential Election. Typically high school students vote through online Google Forms for campus issues, but some students will now have the opportunity to go to their local voting station or take advantage of mail-in ballots.
The 2024 election cycle has been one of the most polarizing and historic cycles in our country’s history. When these students cast their ballots, they will help decide whether former President Donald Trump will become the second president since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms, or if the sitting Vice President, Kamala Harris, will become our first female president.
With the polls showing the candidates neck and neck – especially in key swing states like Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Arizona – excitement and attention on this election continue to grow. For these new voters, being able to participate in this process and to have a say in a presidential election their first time going to the polls is enough of a reason to show up on Nov. 5th.
“I am excited to finally have my voice heard,” said senior Max Carlos, who turned 18 on Aug. 13. “My interest in politics has really grown over the last couple of years, especially after the 2020 election. Knowing that I’ll get to vote in this one rather than just watch really led to that.”
Grayson Boustead, another senior who turned 18 on Sept. 20, emphasized the importance of his vote on a more local level in the down-ballot races. “The presidential race is exciting, but I really enjoyed researching and voting in the local and down-ballot races. These smaller races could come down to really tight margins, and I like knowing I had a direct impact in our local community.”
One of these local races includes Mark DeSaulnier, the Congressman representing Walnut Creek’s district who stopped by and met with seniors and the Sentinel staff on Northgate’s campus last April.
Aside from elections and positions up for contention, there are many important propositions on the ballot this November. Some of these include; raising the minimum wage to $18, borrowing $10 billion dollars to help fight climate change, and ending indentured servitude in state prisons.
Despite the presence of crucial issues on the ballot, young voter turnout has historically been a challenge in the United States. In the 2020 General Election, California’s eligible youth voters recorded the lowest turnout rate at 47.4%, according to the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy.
While this statistic may seem discouraging at first glance, there has been a notable upward trend in turnout over recent elections. Young voters increased their participation from 29.4% in 2012 to 36.6% in 2016, indicating a growing realization of the impact of their vote.
Senior Kailee Newberry said she is not set on her positions on the presidential race or other races and propositions. “I’ll study up on it,” added Newberry, who turned 18 on Oct. 13.
She said she is excited to have a say in this exciting election year and plans to vote in person at her neighborhood polling place with her parents. “It’s really empowering, to be honest,” Newberry added.
Social media has played a pivotal role in the last several elections, and students have a firsthand perspective of how influential it can be.
“I think the abundance of political news and information on social media makes voting too hard to ignore nowadays,” said Boustead. “Every couple posts now I will see something about Trump or Harris, and I think it’s hard for people to try to ignore the importance of (voting) when it’s right in their face all the time.”
“I think our generation understands the importance and what’s at stake this year,” Carlos stated. “But no matter how old you are or what you believe, everyone should get out and vote on Nov. 5th.”
