America is a unique country in many ways. We drive large cars. We derive entertainment from people like the Kardashians. We use our own method of counting. We also have perhaps the most convoluted and publically discussed presidential selection system in the world. Our presidential hopefuls start campaigning far over a year before the election, and their campaigns utilize all sorts of media, especially now in a time of social media and easy sharing. I was curious to see what our peers think of our options, as many seniors will be voting for the first time this year. As the campaigns start to really heat up, and candidates are pulling out their heaviest artillery to win voters’ hearts, here’s what a few Analy students are thinking about the political pandemonium.

I asked senior Gillian Halpin, as someone who will be able to vote in the next election, what she finds herself looking for the most in a presidential candidate. She answered “I think I look for the candidate who can give me tangible, realistic, and morally sound solutions to the problems that he/she is stressing during their cam-
paign. It’s one thing to introduce several different problems and acknowledge that they are in need of solutions; it’s another to address each problem with a solution.”

Senior Dylan McCallum had some choice words about the methods many candidates use for targeting young votes. “Targeting? Yes. Appropriately? No. Personally, I don’t like it when candidates try to do something they think is cool just to get votes. It insults my intelligence when Clinton thinks that hitting a dab makes her a more attractive candidate rather than just talking about the issues. That wasn’t necessarily a purposeful jab at Clinton. Just an example.”

Senior Lucille Bennett said she thinks most candidates aren’t addressing the is- sues of young people. “A lot of what I’m hearing from the candidates is why the opposing candidates would not be good in office. For instance Trump is taking up a huge amount of press and attention over whether or not Ted Cruz is even eli- gible to run for president, and I care about that a lot less than I care about what either of them do for the country. Bernie Sanders, however, is for the most part taking into consideration young people’s interests. I’m impressed with his proposition of having free college for instance.”

When asked the same thing, senior Natasha Kinmont had a different opinion. “Hillary and Bernie have been focusing a lot on young voters because our generation has started to speak up and connect to current social issues through social media. There are a number of very controversial topics that are finally being analyzed more publicly than in the past (gay rights, racism, sexism, abortion, and the list goes on) and I think our generation feels the need to speak up for what we believe in.”

Senior Hannah Dexter reminded me that the issue of the environment is one being taken up by our generation, and one the next president will need to address fully to get her vote. “As teenagers, I believe it is very important for us to look into the future. This being said I think that the environment is a crucial topic for presidential prospects to address. Bernie Sanders stands out from the rest of the candidates with his environmental policy which is one of the reasons he appeals to so many people our age.”

All these collected opinions have convinced me of one thing unequivocally. The young vote is one that should be taken seriously by both the presidential candidates and by us, the young voters, simultaneously. Voters aged 18-24 make up approximately 10% of the U.S. population. Sadly, an average of only about 15% of that demographic turn out for the polls every four years. This is an issue that deserves to be addressed, because the president we vote for today determines what our lives will look like when we’re all out in the world, paying for health insurance, paying taxes, hoping for equality under the law, and hoping for a safe environment to call home. The teenage vote is not a throwaway; it is one that should be taken seriously. It is our first opportunity to play a hand in our own political fates. Sure, not everyone has to be extremely interested in politics, but everyone should at least be aware of the decisions being made around them. We are the future leaders of our nation, so we should be aware and active in the selection of our present ones.