Perspectives – How do you decide who to vote for?

Students describe the individual they are voting for in the 2020 Election.

November 2, 2020

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Photo by Emma Turk

In what some are calling the most important election of the modern era, early voters are setting records across the nation.  According to Michael McDonald, a professor at the Univerity of Florida and leader of the United States Elections Project , at least 96.4 million people have voted early in the 2020 Presidential Election (as of noon today).  By comparison,  37 million people voted early in the 2016 Presential Election.

Of the 96 million people who have voted early, 35 million have voted in-person and 61 million have returned mail-in ballots. Over 30 million mail ballots are still outstanding.  Mail ballots can still be returned to official drop off boxes located all over the state of Wisconsin through election day. For more information on official drop-off boxes in your area go to https://elections.wi.gov/.

Although the Times does not endorse any candidates, we are interested in what students are looking for in the candidate(s) they support. Here is what a few had to say:

Perspectives
“For the candidate I chose, I felt like I had no choice but to vote for this individual.
I do believe that this candidate is a corporate shill, and I like him and his running mate. But I don’t think that they’re what we need to get us to what I’d want, which is socialized medicine and socialized education where there’s a free education system so future generations aren’t burdened with loans that continue cycles of poverty and oppression.
It could be a generation or two before this happens, maybe longer, but that’s why I voted for this individual. I don’t think this candidate and his running mate are bad, they’re not necessarily good either, but they’re better than the opposing candidate.”
-Joshua Carroll
He is taking an architectural course for a program associated with the Department of Neighborhood Services for the City of Milwaukee
(Photo by Celine Cotton / Times Photo Editor)
“The reason I voted for the candidate that I chose is that he takes things more seriously, and he cares about the people and not about the money”.
-McKenna Friede
Photography Student (Photo by Celine Cotton / Times Photo Editor)
“In all honesty, everyone keeps quoting about how they want to make our country great again, but the right way. We keep saying that we’re implementing different legislation, we’re putting resources in our communities, we’re having panels, and we’re educating people on different things. But as people, we do as we see, not as we say. And when you see different results than what people are talking about, it really makes you take heed to your decisions on who you would like to lead better. To anyone who’s voting, vote with your heart, don’t vote on what will benefit you now, vote on what will benefit you five or ten years down the road.”
– Mikeela Jones Liberal Arts and Science Defense Attorney (Photo by Celine Cotton / Times Photo Editor)
“The party that I voted for is typically the party that I usually vote for. I rarely stray from this party, as my philosophies align with one party better with the other. I feel like with everything going on that it’s just even more important for me to use my voice and affect some change in the community. I encourage everyone else to vote as well, as it’s a right that we have that we should be proud of and take advantage of. Other people lose their lives all over the world for this right, so it should not be taken lightly.”
-David Mahdasian
Photography Student (Photo by Celine Cotton/ Times Photo Editor)