With one day to go until the US Presidential election, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican rival Donald Trump are neck and neck. New numbers show they are both polling around 45%. Clinton’s email scandal and Trump’s accusations that the elections are rigged have left voters uncertain and divided. More than 8 out of 10 voters are repulsed rather than excited for the ultimate results.
The millennial vote, comprising roughly 24% of the electorate, will make all the difference in the election tomorrow. With 75 million making up this demographic, here’s what they think of this historic race.
Morgan Hewett, 23. New York, NY
“Both candidates are simply reflections of our time: Part of America is sad that in 2016, mass incarceration of black men still exists and that women still make 78 cents for every dollar that men make. They want liberal progress and, as a result, support Clinton. The other part of America feels disenfranchised. They were once the ruling class and want to go back to a time where employment was guaranteed, when towns were small, and when their neighbors looked like them instead of like immigrants. These people will vote for Trump.
This election is polarising. I care less about the winner and more about our ability to heal afterwards. The beauty of democracy is that any citizen, theoretically, can become the president of the United States. I hope that this election inspires us to authentically work on the racial, class, and gender strife that currently divides us. I personally support Hillary Clinton and think she has a good chance of winning. That being said, my greatest loyalty is to our democracy. If Trump wins, I will respect him as my new President.”
Koroush Arasteh, 19. Champaign, Illinois
“I don’t think it does the nation any good to leave out issues like Climate Change and the Migrant Crisis in favor of mudslinging efforts, it prevents meaningful dialogue in homes, schools, and presidential debates that could potentially help solve these problems. It's difficult to see conferences like One Young World cover issues ranging from countering violent extremism to inspiring young women in STEM to encouraging corporate social responsibility and not have any of those priorities of the youth addressed by the potential leaders of such an influential country on the world stage.”
LaTrenda Leonard Sherrill, 29. Pittsburgh, PA
“The general dislike of Trump and Clinton puts into question how effective our two party system is. I think Americans just want more choices. In the age of fast food, Uber and Snapchat, everything is customisable and represents what a person truly wants and needs. Unfortunately, our candidates don't represent enough of the interests of the people. Both candidates have a history of being part of a "system" that many cannot reach or aspire to. We need a more relevant system to represent more relevant interests.”
Raghu Appasani, 26. Boston, MA
“When does the media truly help politics? It all comes down to viewership for them. At the end of the day, it’s a source of entertainment—or at least that is what it has become. When Saturday Night Live barely has to change their content and can mock the political debates so easily, we have to be nothing short of terrified. On the other hand, it is refreshing to see so many news sources such as the New York Times, Boston Globe, and the Dallas Morning News take strong stances and support specific candidates. We no longer need neutral sources tip-toeing around. Strong journalism taking a stance is what the country has been missing for years.”
Ajarat Bada, 31. Los Angeles, CA
“If Trump is elected, I think many people will protest and a lot of anti-Trump movements will emerge. If Clinton wins, I suspect Trump and his supporters will try to scandalise her victory. The possibilities are endless. I am waiting to see how it unfolds.”
Saba Nafees, 24. Lubbock, TX
“Trump has become a major marketing tool; he has been across all media since the beginning of the elections. This means important issues that affect America are not taking the stage and receiving the attention they need. Police aggression, immigration and foreign policy are some of the issues that could use more airtime than Trump.”
Meron Semedar, 30. San Francisco, CA
“I think this election will have more surprises in store than it already has. New stories continue to be released every day, and this will certainly have an impact on voters. For example, the new FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s emails has been announced so close to the election that it will likely affect the way people vote. I don’t think there will be as strong of a young voter turnout as there was in 2008 and 2012; young people are so put off by both candidates that the easier option is to abstain from voting. The media plays a major role in shaping voter perceptions.”
Lauren Wittig, 25. Minneapolis, MN
“It is very unfortunate that opinion polls show Trump and Clinton are the two most disliked Presidential Nominees in decades- you would hope that people in the US and around the world would be excited about America’s new leader. I would have hoped for more focus on positive solutions and ideas as opposed to the negative tone which pervades all media coverage. Whichever the outcome of the election, there will most definitely be a strong reaction.”
Liz Rebecca Alarcón, 27. Miami FL
"I think there will be a strong turnout as we’ve already seen record breaking numbers of people voting early in Florida so far. I think the Latino vote will have a huge impact in Florida. Over 1 million Latino voters have cast their ballots early, double that of the 2012 midterm elections."
What do you have to say about the US election? Join the conversation @OneYoungWorld.