Election 2016

Students Talk About Election

Jessica Jordan, Multi-media Editor

The looming 2016 election has caused controversy because the race is so close, and there are so many undecided voters. Many voters said they are undecided because they dislike and distrust the candidates, and they believe they are unfit to be president.

Many voters are planning to vote Independent or third parties because those candidates correspond more closely with their views. According to the Pew Research Center, more millennials identify as Independent than as Democrat and Republican combined.

This lack of support for either candidate comes with the particular overexposure of candidates personal lives and will play a major role in the election, according to The Huffington Post.

“I think that one of the big differences is that social media has played a huge part in getting information,” U.S. History teacher Melissa Wilt said.

The access to personal information through social media has given people the opportunity to form judgements about the candidates based on things that may not be related to the campaign. The candidates’ controversial behaviors have left many people undecided.

Both candidates have been involved in scandals, which have furthered America’s distrust with the debates. Trump has been accused of sexual assault as well as been filmed saying degrading things about women, while Clinton has been involved in an email scandal.

During the debates, the candidates have spent more of their time attacking one another rather than addressing the issues facing America, which has led to the debates as well as the candidates being viewed as a joke and turned into viral memes.

“To be honest, I’m a little disappointed in the American system of government, and the way we elect our leaders shouldn’t be a joke,” junior Jake Clark said.

Along with the scandals, there has been a heavy focus on the personal lives of the candidates. Clinton has remained under attack for being a female as for her husband’s actions as president. Trump has not only been under attack for his actions in today’s media, but also for his business and reality television background.

“Neither of them are really cut out for it,” Skyler said.

Teacher Bob Buck’s College Government class held a mock election during lunch on Nov. 1. Donald Trump won by 50 out of 396 votes over Hillary Clinton. This election gave students the opportunity to experience voting even if they aren’t old enough, as well as share their voice about the upcoming election.