Young Voters Should Inform Themselves Come 2020

Viharachard Dorval/Staff Writer

This past month, my head was spinning as I tuned into the third Democratic debate.

Free health care for all? War in Iraq? A $1,000 a month giveaway? As comical as that last bit seems, it really got me thinking about my place as a young voter.

In all my teenage and young adult years, I’ve never questioned which political party I should align myself with. I’m black, first-generation, queer, working class and a woman. These factors have always screamed Democrat to me, not to mention my family has always leaned towards the left.

When I took a political party quiz by the New York Times, I found out that “people like me” are 79% Democrat. What I found alarming was that there were only four to five questions, most of which were race- and religion-based. With only surface level information, I could be put in a political party box and pressured to lean one way for the rest of my life if I didn’t take action. 

And, while researching the core values of both parties, I agreed with both sides on major issues. I’m a practicing Christian with strong family values, and I’m absolutely behind equality and diversity. 

I can’t help but feel like I’m not the only one feeling this uncertainty. Just last year while standing in line with a friend for the Florida governor election, I asked him who he was voting for and why. He said his dad had sent out a group chat telling him and his siblings who they should be voting for. Without any questions or prior knowledge of who or what he was voting for, he trusted his parents, friends and other outside sources with his Fourteenth Amendment right. 

There has always been a level of urgency and uncertainty among young people when it comes to voting, and many of us are pressured by race, current social economic standing and society. Political party uncertainty derives from the societal pressures thrust upon us at an early age and, if not dealt with, it will continue to cause damage in terms of voting and our government.

History tells us things aren’t as cut and dry was they may seem. During the 1860’s, it was Republicans who helped fund state university systems and passed laws protecting African Americans after the Civil War while Democrats opposed. The media has also done its fair share in creating extreme divide between the parties, leaving voters unable to find middle ground. The narrative of the impractical liberal and rigid conservative creates a bias which affects how we see everything. 

This month will feature the fourth Democratic debate, and it’s vital that all Americans tune in despite party affiliation. Millennials and Gen Zers outvoted their elders in the 2018 midterms, which proves how much of a political force we have become. Voting is sparking change and being knowledgeable of both sides in an unbiased way is just as crucial. 

In a perfect world, what it means to vote and an in-depth analysis of political party affiliations would be taught from early on, allowing people to make decisions. We, however, live in the United States, a continuous merry-go-round of cleaning up messes we’ve made all the while making more. It’s up to the voters of this generation to seek clarity and the information that will impact future generations to come.

DISCLAIMER:

The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of PantherNOW Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

Featured photo from Flickr.