By Josh Novick ’21
As Election day approaches, our 18-year-old students, first-time voters, are beginning to send out their absentee ballots and votes to their home states for counting; however, the question left to ask is how do they come to a selection on who to vote for?
From researching the elections to reading every newspaper front to back constantly, politics is ubiquitous. From individuals getting intensely emotional over hot topics, to debates that seem to be rather counterproductive and defeat the purpose of unity, our newest voters are faced with some hard decisions: firstly, choosing a party to register under, then voting in primaries leading up to the election of state representatives, the President of the United States, and finally local town selectmen.
I interviewed a few members of the Senior class regarding the upcoming elections. We discussed how they educated and grounded themselves in information to pick candidates and I found our conversations enriching and informative.
As I met with Greg Farrow, he informed me that he registered for an absentee ballot in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For Greg to stay informed, he continuously went online and researched what in particular the presidential candidates wanted to achieve and work towards for the country. He stated, “I looked at the point of views of each candidate and picked one that best aligned with what I believed in.” He prioritized social justice reform for the country and keeping Americans safe from COVID.
When asked about his feelings towards voting in such a polarized election, he responded with a smile, “I felt proud that I voted for the first time. I felt like a mature adult.” Greg has already sent in his absentee ballot and is a prime example of a first-time voter grounding themselves in information and staying prepared and informed in society.
Our first-time voters on campus made a difference this election year. A great quote to get out, educate yourself, and vote is “the ballot is stronger than the bullet” by Abraham Lincoln, former U.S. President. Get out and vote!
