By: Kristine Pascual, Nov. 5, 2024
With polls continuing to close this evening, Associated Press predicted former President Donald Trump to secure Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia while Vice President Kamala Harris won Vermont.
Inside Ursa Minor at Cal Poly Pomona’s Bronco Student Center, students researched information on propositions and chat among each other as they waited to cast their votes. Students shared their thoughts about being first-time voters in a major election and what it was like to be politically outcasted from their families.
English student Jasmine Edalatie came from a family of far-right Trump supporters. She wasn’t always into politics, but this election season in particular pushed her to do research on issues and policies to counter her family’s arguments.
“I’m voting for Kamala because I really stand with her and all her views,” Edalatie said. “I very much do not like Trump because he’s a terrible person who shouldn’t even be allowed to run for president because he’s a felon, and the fact that you can’t even vote when you’re a felon but you can run for president is insane.”
Christine Vicuna, a psychology student, said she is the lone liberal in a family of far-right conservatives.
“The reason I’m going for Kamala is because she is going to protect our abortion rights, LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights outside of reproductive rights,” Vicuna said. “I don’t like Trump’s tariff policy that he wants to implement, it would make things more expensive and ten times worse.”
Criminology student Mia Williams brought up that there are issues between both candidates, but she voted for Harris.
“Both candidates definitely have some flaws, but right now the main thing I’m concerned about is the ongoing conflict in Gaza,” Williams said. “Both candidates aren’t doing what they need to be doing in the situation. I’m kind of worried.”
Coming from a working-class family, Williams focused on research, defending the rights of people who are unable to vote. However, Williams said she does not have high hopes for Harris winning the presidency.
“Old people are old as hell and still stuck on the fact that she’s a woman and a woman of color,” Williams said. “We need to go and vote with an open mind, a lot of people are voting for Trump, specifically because they are afraid of a woman as the president.”
One thing everyone agreed on is that voting matters regardless of the candidate you support.
“Get your a– in line and read some propositions, because that’s what’s going to affect you more heavily than the presidency,” Williams said.
Feature image courtesy of Bryan Doan