The presidential election on the horizon presents students with either their first time voting or another major election in their lives. Balancing misinformation, varying policies on important issues and two visions for the future, a recent survey shows U-High students are most concerned about reproductive rights, gun policy, health care and climate change, and they overwhelmingly prefer the Democratic candidates.
More than 9 in 10 students who participated in the Midway’s mock election, 91.4%, selected Democrats Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. The nonscientific survey used a random sample of 163 students, approximately 25% of the U-
High population. Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance received 6.1% of the total vote with third-party candidates receiving 1.2% each.
Reproductive rights was the top issue in the Midway’s survey with more than three-fourths, 77%, saying it is important and one in five students saying it is their top issue. Gun policy (76%), health care (74%), climate change (72%), and equality and discrimination (70%) also came up as important issues in this election.
As students absorb information regarding both candidates through news sources, family members and social media, they grapple with figuring out for themselves who is best for the country.
Satya Dominguez, a junior, voted for Ms. Harris in the mock election but doesn’t agree with her on every position, specifically with Israel and Gaza. Satya has apprehensive support for Ms. Harris’ candidacy.
“I guess it’s lowkey reluctant because I’m not a super fan of her, like, policy with Palestine and all that, you know, supporting Israel,” Satya said, “but I think there’s two options, and you gotta choose one, and she’s a lesser two evils.”
Even with her hesitation on some policies, Satya appreciates Ms. Harris’ campaign strategies.
“I really actually like Kamala’s campaign because it’s focused on happiness and joy, and less on the bad,” Satya said.
Libertarian Party candidate Chase Oliver is on the ballot in Indiana but not Illinois. Senior Oliver Wilson chose to vote for Mr. Oliver, although he is not an Indiana resident, because of Mr. Oliver’s free market economic policies compared to the other two candidates. Oliver also wanted to have an effect on the nation’s democracy.
“I think that Kamala will win in this election in Illinois no matter what,” Oliver said. “I think by voting for a third-party candidate like Chase Oliver, I can at least inspire in a small way a movement toward a third party rather than just submitting a vote for a candidate who’s either going to lose or who I don’t like very much who’s definitely going to win in Illinois.”
For some people, a candidate’s character is the determining factor. Even though she cannot vote in this election, sophomore Hailey Purcell’s parents have taught her to research each candidate and make her own, educated decisions about which candidate to support.
In her own research, Hailey said the most important issue for her was equality and discrimination because it applies to a lot of other issues in the election. Because of its breadth, Hailey found that it is an accurate radar for finding a candidate whose beliefs and character she aligns with.
“There are so many ways to be discriminative but also so many ways to still be fair,” Hailey said. “How people word things is really important to me. So when Trump says ‘illegal aliens,’ it’s more discriminative.”
While U-High’s mock election showed a clear winner, national polls show a race that is neck and neck with no changes expected by Election Day, Nov. 5.
