Bluejays at the Ballot: Diverse Political Perspectives and Voting Dilemmas – “We Need Help”

Photo by Lily Morgan

With the Nov. 5 presidential election approaching, the national debate extends to Elmhurst University, where students hold diverse political views. Interviews with voters for Trump and Harris reveal a campus both divided and engaged, as students consider their choices for the country’s future, and some are still deciding whether or not to vote at all.

Some will choose to vote for Donald J. Trump, the former president now running for a second non-consecutive term. He has maintained a base of supporters since his initial 2016 campaign and subsequent presidency, among those supporters is fifth-year student Hector Herrera.

“I am really here for the policies. Of course, I would like a president who is more kind and more professional, but I invest myself in what they are able to implement if they are elected,” said Herrera.

Herrera’s voting for the policies over the candidate mindset can be seen through his dislike of Trump in 2016 when he was first running for office, and how his perspective has changed over time.

“I hated Trump, I believed that he was a racist, mean, and unprofessional–not a person for the office. During COVID, I started leaning more and more towards the Republican side, concerned about our freedoms being taken away and that Democrats were trying to take away our freedoms,” said Herrera.

Herrera’s reasoning for voting for Trump in the upcoming election is reflected in his first term being president.

“I am mainly concerned with the economy. Under Trump’s first term in office his economic plan was more efficient and more friendly to the market, and to businesses, especially corporations, which reflected in good prices that the country had throughout his first term,” said Herrera.

In contrast to Herrera’s support for Trump, sophomore Devin Thomas is voting for Kamala Harris, the current Vice President of the United States, and the first woman to hold the office. Thomas said he’s casting his voice for Harris because of her policies regarding healthcare, energy, climate crisis, taxes, and affordable housing.

“As a kid who has had to rely on government assistance, it is so important that those resources are available to people to just live and exist. Her policies are so important, we need housing, we need healthcare, we need help, we need money, and not a lot of that is being given to people,” said Thomas.

Thomas not only contrasts Trump’s policies but expresses his concerns with Trump’s approach to the presidency.

“From what I have seen about Trump, I don’t think he is taking it as seriously as I would like. I feel like the position as president is more of a money grab for him, a business opportunity, rather than an actual leadership position that should be taken very seriously,” said Thomas.

Although these students have different beliefs that reflect the debate in our society as a whole, their viewpoints overlap on ideas such as the influence of social media, and the importance of informed voting.

“I do believe that mainstream media are biased but they don’t say it, they’re trying to be objective, but they tend to favor the left and democrats. What we call ‘normies,’ who are not in touch with politics, tend to be swayed by the mainstream media because they see the mainstream media as a credible and reliable source,” said Herrera.

Thomas adds to this idea of bias in political media, commenting on the doubts he has when getting political news from social media sites.

“I get some information on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, but I don’t believe that to be the end all be all. More research has to be done, and not everything I see online is the truth, especially at how fast-paced news is being sent out, and you cannot trust that they are not throwing things out there to get clicks,” said Thomas.

This awareness of the limitations of social media leads him to a broader conclusion about the responsibility of his generation.

“Moving forward, as a society, our generation needs to be better at our consumption of media, where we are getting our information from, and whether we choose to believe it or not. Once we do that politics in this country will be better as a whole,” said Thomas.

As Americans, including the Bluejays, navigate the challenge of identifying bias in journalism, they also face the critical decision of which candidate best aligns with their values and beliefs.

Deciding who to vote for is a hard decision, let alone whether to not vote in the first place, however, for Herrera, the decision was easy.

“This time around, voting is not hard because I voted for Trump in 2020. When I voted for him then, I thought people were going to find out, but now I am solid in what political positions I hold, and I am not afraid to express them,” said Herrera.

However, for Thomas, the decision was more tasking, because of his relationship, or lack thereof, with politics growing up.

“Deciding if it wanted to vote or not was a bit of a challenge because it was not something I was taught to do or something we even talked about. But as I have grown up, and time grows, our generation is more in the loop within politics, so I should vote,” said Thomas.

This newfound awareness underscores his belief in the importance of civic engagement.

“We are voting for people who make decisions on our behalves and for the face of our country, so it is important for me to do my civic duty to vote,” said Thomas.

After choosing to vote, Thomas has become passionate about his role in his country, and how everyone’s vote matters.

“Having that fixed mindset of ‘oh my vote won’t matter’ is so harmful, because if everyone has that mindset and they do not vote, then how are we going to have the representation of what we want to happen and we want to be changed?” said Thomas.

Herrera and Thomas agree on another harmful aspect of politics in this country: straight-party voting.

“For me, I feel like I am voting for the policies rather than the candidate himself,” said Herrera.

This sentiment is echoed by Thomas’s views as well.

“In the past, I would not have always supported the democratic party because every candidate has their pros and cons. I believe in supporting a candidate, not a party, because that limits you so much,” said Thomas.

Although we may disagree on politics in this country, EU as a prime example, Herrera argues that we are not as divided as we used to be.

“There are kind of coalitions forming along the political spectrum where people from the left and right are coming together to say ‘no we don’t like this’,” said Herrera.

In light of the diverse opinions expressed by students, it’s clear that the political landscape is complex and nuanced. Thomas emphasizes the importance of focusing on policies over personal likability in voting decisions.

“I think people are more susceptible to vote for someone if they like the person or not, rather than the change and policies they want to see. You should not be basing politics and who you vote for, on if you love the person or not. You do not have to love a person to trust them to be in charge,” said Thomas.

As the Nov. 5 presidential election approaches, the Bluejay community stands at a crossroads, reflecting a microcosm of the larger national conversation.

Through the voices of Herrera and Thomas, it’s evident that the decision to vote extends beyond mere preferences for candidates; it involves a critical evaluation of policies, media consumption, and civic responsibility. While they may hold differing views on the candidates, both students agree on the importance of informed voting and that every vote carries weight in shaping the future.

As a part of the political discussion club, Herrera invites the Bluejays to join their club for a watch party on Nov. 5, election night.

“It’s going to be from 5-10 pm in Koplin 11, and feel free to stop by the political discussion club because we have great conversations and our club is growing every semester.”