On Tuesday, November 5, the United States held the presidential election. Former President Donald Trump was the Republican nominee, and Vice President Kamala Harris was the Democratic nominee. Trump won with 312 electoral votes.
At Columbus High School, only around 13% of students voted. 75% of students could not vote, but most of the students said that they would know who they would vote for if they could. 72.2% of students said that the election caused discussion at home. Over half of the students are happy with the results.
One student who is happy with the results said, “I’m happy with the outcome but understand not everyone is. I think it’s important to respect each other despite how it went.” A different student stated, “I feel like the process of choosing who to vote for has become much more difficult. News platforms often misconstrue the facts to fit their narrative on both the left and the right. I did my own personal research through non-biased sources, watching interviews, and looking at past data and I believe Trump to be the best candidate between the two based on his policies. Of course, we live in a free country and I believe you should vote for whichever candidate you want as long as your decision is based on clear, logical facts.”
One student unhappy with the results said, “People also don’t understand that who you vote and what you vote is a reflection of your own personal beliefs and ideas that can ruin a relationship between another individual.” Another student said, “I can only hope the checks and balances in place hold.” Another student said, “I think it went pretty rough.”
Students who are indifferent to the outcome also shared some opinions. One said, “Unfortunately, due to this media bias, the right and the left have become very separated over the past decade or so. Basic policies such as abortion, immigration, war funding, and so on have split this country into two. People become angry and refuse to listen to other viewpoints, making it difficult to have civil conversations. I look forward to a time when debate can be done peacefully and respectfully. I pray for the safety and prosperity of this country.”
One student even posited a conspiracy theory: “Ever since Trump was elected, it’s been getting dark at 4 p.m.”