The time has come again; the presidential election is underway. Returning voters are casting their ballots once more, while newcomers are taking the necessary steps to do the same. For many in the Gen Z population, this will be their first time contributing to the results of an election.
A part of Gen Z, some seniors at Niles West are now able to vote. While some show little interest in participating, others believe that voting is essential, especially for the younger generation. Senior Alex Wolski expresses his views on why young people need to engage in the voting process.
“It’s important for younger people to vote because our views are different than previous generations. If we are unhappy with something and the other generations aren’t, but they are the only ones speaking about it, they are going to get their way. The only way that we are ever going to get to live in the country that we want to live in is if we make our voices heard, and that’s the biggest thing,” Wolski said.
Joseph Edwards, AP Government and Politics and Civics teacher, has been teaching about the election in his classes. Edwards thinks it is important for people, especially first time voters, to participate in elections and to stay educated throughout the process.
“I spend all day trying to teach students that it is important and it is their responsibility as a citizen to vote. Oftentimes politicians listen to older people because they are more likely to vote. If the younger generation wants their issues addressed, they need to go out and vote. I think younger voters need to stop listening to social media and actually look at reliable resources to help inform them more. It would be helpful for all of us if younger people started to vote in the elections,” Edwards said.
Some 18-year-olds have other things on their mind though, such as college applications, jobs and school activities. This is the case for senior Denise Lohan who is eligible to vote but is choosing not to this year.
“I don’t follow politics or anything revolved around that topic. I am not informed enough on both candidates to place an educated vote,” Lohan said.
Some students have found that the main talking points of the presidential candidates do not reflect their main concerns.
“I don’t know [Donald Trump’s and Kamala Harris’s] policies, and I’m not concerned about the big topics [they’re talking about]. If they can lower gas prices, I’ll vote for them,” senior Gabriel DuBois said.
DuBois plans to cast a vote as his local polling place in Morton Grove, which is near his home. Illinois voters can also look up their polling place online. In the next few days, DuBois will research the candidates’ policies in order to make an informed decision.
“I want to find an unbiased source because I can’t trust TikTok,” Dubois said.
Wolski imagines that some people may not want to vote because Illinois is not a swing state, so they feel their vote might not matter. To him, that’s not a good enough reason to abstain from voting.
“I encourage people that can vote to go and do so even if they don’t think it’s not going to matter. I try to convince them that it does because, at the end of the day, we need to make our voices heard as the younger generation,” Wolski said.
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Illinois allows same-day voter registration, so voters who have not yet registered can do so at their polling places.
