By Alyssa Poteat
With the 2024 election coming up, many Gen Z voters are heading to the polls to cast their vote. The power and influence of social media and politicians’ online presence have attracted millions of Gen Z; this has influenced them to go to the polls and cast their votes.
According to an informal survey of William Peace University Students, out of the 72 that responded, 72% stated that they were going to vote this year in the election. 25% voted no, that they were not going to vote this year in the election, and 2% of people responded that they were not eligible to vote in this year’s election. As with every year, this election is crucial to the direction of America. More and more people have become eligible to vote this year meaning the outcome of this election is unknown.
According to CIRCLE, “41 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote in 2024,” CIRCLE notes that this is an eight million increase from 2020, which will significantly impact the polls. “I am voting in this election because I want to feel heard and I want to be part of a better change for our country,” said Ryan Laraway, a Resident Assistant for the First-Year Communities. “I vote because I’m proud to be a citizen of the greatest country in the world and I want to elect leaders that can make my country even better.”
The results of the survey noted that eighteen people marked that they simply were just not interested in politics, and therefore were not voting. Nine people noted that the candidates for this year’s election did not interest them. One person noted that they “do not feel safe voting,”
But those who are interested in having their voices heard, will be heading to the polls on November 5. Cora Rebert, the Financial Administrative Officer for WPU’s Student Government and Programming Association, is one of those people. Voting is crucial for getting your voice and your opinion out into the world, Mia Rumachik who has a Political Science minor agreed.
“Voting is important, It’s your right, and it’s part of democracy,” Rumachik said.
“It is your opinion, and it is what the Founding Fathers fought for. One should always vote when they can,” said Rumachik.
Eli Thomas, Marketing Coordinator for WPU’s Black Student Union noted that voting had a deeper meaning for him. “For me, voting is giving honor to those who came before, those who fought tooth and nail for my rights,” he said. “To me it would be almost disrespectful not to exercise the right to vote.”
The last day to register to vote is by 5 PM EST on Friday, October 11. To register to vote in North Carolina, please visit, https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register
Contributors: Isaiah Grady