WAKING UP TO THE ELECTION
By PIP SWINGER AND JOSH TORRES | Staff Reporters
While many are torn between political disillusionment and a sense of responsibility to make their votes count, WSU Vancouver students are increasingly engaged by the speedy 2024 presidential election.
Students unleashed a torrent of issue-specific concerns amid some apathy in a series of on-the-spot interviews conducted in recent weeks by VanCougar staff reporters. Some students expressed a strong sense of civic duty and concern over immigration, women’s rights, and financial aid. Others felt disconnected from the political process and with candidates, saying the election outcome would not significantly affect their lives. Yet other students, particularly those with a personal or familial stake in the issues, are motivated to vote to protect their interests.
It’s a difficult season to decipher. Swirling information, disjointed headlines, endless memes. An attempted assassination upon candidate Donald Trump. A late-inthe-game replacement of President Joe Biden by Vice President Kamala Harris as Trump’s opponent. Arguments on both sides about the end of American democracy
Yet Election Day is Nov. 5, just weeks away and arguably the most significant of our lifetime. At stake are not just government policies but, in the eyes of many, the very nature of America’s governance and quality of life.
The VanCougar approached WSU Vancouver students without notice and asked just two questions, the same for everyone:
1. Does the outcome of the presidential election carry any consequence to you?
2. Will you vote?
Here are the verbatim answers, in the 1-2 sequence as above:
Charisma Moore Harris (second year):
1. “Yes [the election carries consequences to me], I’m not pro-Trump. He is sexist, I don’t know how a felon can run but a felon can vote. He removed certain rights and is not trustworthy.”
2. “Will [vote], specifically for Kamala, anything but Trump.
Chance Willhelm (junior):
1. “Yeah, it’s my president, it sets a lot of policies, no way it wouldn’t affect me.”
2. “Voting, no chance I’m not concerned, people should vote.”
Jessica Newmann (senior):
1. “A little but not really, mainly because I don’t care for either candidate.”
2. “Yes, [I’ll vote] If my ballots are not lost in the mail.”
Wendy Valencia (first year):
1. “Personally yeah, my parents are from Mexico, and it has a very big impact on me. It scares me that Trump is running again.”
2. “I will [vote], it’s going to impact my future, all our votes matter
Kevin Davey (senior):
1. “For students [the election] does [carry consequences], their policies affect financial aid, but I don’t care for candidates. I want one that values the policies Americans want, one that sees both issues and addresses everything, but I remain neutral.”
2. “Don’t want to [vote] but because of candidate influence I have to. You ever hear of the phrase: “Don’t beat a dead horse?” I get told to vote by everything, so I want to remain unbiased.”
Anthony Steele (junior):
1. “Haven’t looked that far into it, so no [the election does not carry consequences to me].”
2. “Definitely [will vote], it’s my right.”
Ishparsh Upriety (senior):
1. “I haven’t looked into the policies, but it involves all the students, all the students are [impacted] somewhat. As an international student [I can’t vote], I’ll leave it to the city students.”
2. “If I was a city student, I don’t want my vote to get wasted, but it’s every student’s duty [to vote].”
Camryn Goldsmith (first year):
1. “Yes, I am part of the community so I’m worried if Trump gets elected.”
2. “I will [vote] I think it’s important too even though there’s stuff I don’t like it’s still important.”
Gavin Fowell (first year):
1. “Not particularly, I feel like in recent years no matter who’s in charge it stays the same.”
2. “Will [vote] even though it doesn’t make much of a difference it’s still my duty.”
Normado Quinones (senior):
1. “As of right now not concerningly but it could change in the future.”
2. “I’ll vote but due to the seriousness of the election, I feel many people will be affected but I will first do research before voting.”
Kiera Catan:
1. “Yes, [the outcome of the election] can affect many people’s rights to exist.”
2. “Of course [I’ll vote], every vote matters even if it feels like it doesn’t matter.”
Levi Nickelson (junior):
1. “I don’t think so, not yet right now, I’m cool.”
2. “I won’t [vote], I don’t really like either one.”
Briana Vargas (second year):
1. “Not really, it hasn’t hit my generation yet and we don’t know what’s going on.”
2. “I am [voting], because it impacts my future.”
Adil Shafique (first year):
1. “No, not sure, I’m new here to the U.S., I am illegitimate to vote.”
2. “If I could [vote], I would.”
Adisyn Sellers (junior):
1. “Not really, luckily enough it doesn’t really affect me that much.”
2. “Yes [I’ll vote], I don’t know, it’s a decent thing to do.”
Griffen Agnello:
1. “Absolutely [the outcome of the election carries consequences to me].”
2. “I will [vote] because to not vote is to not care about the future
Mika Westehal (2nd year):
1. “Yes [the election does carry consequences to me], I know there’s a lot of laws dependent on who wins. Especially for female autonomy.”
2. “Yes [I’ll vote], it’s important to keep my rights.”
Truc Do:
1. “Yes [the election does carry consequences to me], for the same reasons as Mika.”
2. “I would [vote], for the same reasons, for the safety as well for abortion and healthcare.”
Timur Ismagilov (junior):
1. “[The election] directly affects everybody; many younger people don’t pay attention. It matters for your future, it’s something everybody should be educated on.”
2. “Will [vote], for reasons listed above. Also, civic duty.”
Avenir Ismagilov (Junior):
1. “Nope [the election does not carry consequences to me], too fed up with politics. Whoever does get voted will influence the future but I’m just finishing classes.”
2. “I don’t want to [vote], not fond of any of the candidates.”
Kiarah Edge (first year):
1. “No [the election does not carry consequences to me], not really.”
2. “Sure [I’ll vote], why not.”
Autumn Sterk (senior):
1. “Probably not, as I grow up I feel like I don’t experience what consequences the election brings.”
2. “Will, I vote in every election. It’s important that young people vote.”
Jesus Morfin-Hernadez (third year):
1. “I don’t really think [the outcome of the election carries any consequence to me], parties are so divided. Otherwise, 2-4 years of gridlock might be good for some things.”
2. “I will [vote], probably not for two major parties, probably libertarian, more of an act of protest at this point
Isela Bonilla (junior):
1. “Yes, the rhetoric of immigration and policies of it will affect my personal life as well as financial aid, in general I will not have confirmation afterwards of the consequences.”
2. “Yes, my first-time voting. In a macro level, numbers do matter. On a micro level, it gives me a patriotic duty as an American
Lyndsey R. Simon (senior):
1. “Yes, well if Trump is in office, it will be horrible considering his 2024 plan.”
2. “Absolutely [will] vote, might as well vote for someone even if it’s not that included, I’ll still be a drop in the lake.”
Melvin Garcia (junior):
1. “Potentially, [the outcome of the election may carry consequences to me] depending on policies, especially immigration because my family is immigrants.”
2. “I will vote because even if I am just one person, I want to influence the change that will happen.”
Eric Fernandez:
1. “Nah [the election does not carry consequences to me], not really.”
2. “Yeah, probably [will vote]. The election will not really affect me, but it might have consequences for others”
Nick Vaught:
1. “Long term? Probably [does carry consequences to me]. Short term? Day to day? Probably not.”
2. “Yeah [I’ll vote].”
Sandra Martinez:
1. “No [the election does not carry any consequence to me].”
2. “Yes [I’ll vote].”
Derrick Ruggles:
1. “Nope [the election does not carry any consequence to me].”
2. “No [will not vote].”
Trevor Phan:
1. “Nope [the election does not carry any consequence to me].”
2. “No [will not vote].”
Jordan Hoppe:
1. “Oh yeah [the election does carry consequences to me], very.”
2. “Yes [I’ll vote].”
Isabel Gonz:
1. “Yeah I’d say so.”
2. “Yeah [I’ll vote].”
Caleb Selzler:
1. “I would say so.”
2. “I do [vote].”
Nathan Proctor:
1. “Yeah [the election does carry consequences to me].”
2. “Yeah [I’ll vote].”
Brissa Campos:
1. “No [the election does not carry any consequence to me].” 2. “No [will not vote].”
Locke Wilson:
1. “Student debt relief would be good for students, but I don’t know about all that. But personally, [the election will] probably not [carry consequences to me]. I don’t know much about the new policies, since the recent democratic party switch up. I still need to learn about the new ones.”
2. “Yes [I’ll vote], yeah absolutely.”
Jaden Atchley:
1. “No [the election does not carry any consequence to me].”
2. “Yeah [I’ll vote].”
Maxwell Malcolm:
1. “Oh yeah, with finances [the election] definitely [does carry consequences to me]. If gas prices go up another 2 bucks it’ll be harder to get to school.”
2. “I do [vote].”
Courtney Boswell (junior):
1. “Yes, I care [about the election] because the outcome affects the overall public, not just me, even though I don’t like politics.”
2. “Not gonna vote, haven’t before so I’d like to keep the streak going.”
Katie Hernandez:
1. “One way it can impact me is if project 2025 happens, it would impact me.”
2. “I plan to vote if I get the chance, sometimes I miss the ballot.”
Aaron Hayes (junior):
1. “[The election] does [carry consequences to me], there would be a lot of people that would be affected one way or another.”
2. “Going to [vote], I live here, might as well as a citizen.”
Angus Moir:
1. “Um, I feel like I’m not particularly happy either way.”
2. “I do [vote], I’m not sure who I’m voting for yet, it seems like a lose-lose.”
Jacob Storm (first year):
1. “No [the election does not carry consequence to me], the U.S. government is bigger than the president who is then limited by the outcomes, so it has a limited impact on those outcomes.”
2. “No [won’t vote], not bothered by ebbs and flows of the average perspective of society, under most circumstances people generally agree on most things.”