An annual marking of our authority and choices over our government, the United States elections are back in full swing this year. Politics can both be exciting and insightful; we help our country with big decisions and exercise our freedom of speech by choosing who we vote for.
Ideal policies should align with who you vote for every election, but the presidential elections are the most significant regarding our social policies and our own government. It’s a way to have someone’s voice heard out of millions of people, coming to a consensus as the voting information reflects what the people want.
Many other countries cannot exercise this right, either because they live under a dictatorship country or discriminatory actions that forbade minorities to vote, which makes it all the more important to uphold our democracy ideology and uphold our right and privilege to vote.
However, many citizens are met with a dilemma on who to vote. A plethora of people have aligned views with either Democratic or Republican views, but a small minority of voters haven’t quite decided on which candidate they’d like to vote for.
For those who still need more convincing about either running candidates, the information below may guide you to either choosing to vote this quarter or at least get you more informed about who’s running.
Democratic Candidate: Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris, currently under Joe Biden’s wing as co-president, has decided to run after Biden had chosen to drop out of the race in late July. If elected, she would be our first woman president, which has grown support from several celebrities and voters alike. She is the highest-ranking female official in U.S. history, which is a large feat for women alike, as majority men largely have achieved the highest ranks possible.
She has previously been involved in politics; from 2017-2021 she represented the state of California as a Senator, previously also working as an Attorney General. Outside of politics, she is interested in book writing, vinyl collecting, and cooking.
Regarding her campaign, she has several issues and goals she wants to address if elected, including:
- Cutting Taxes for Middle-Class families
- Grow small businesses, invest in rising entrepreneurs
- Strengthen, bring down the cost of Health Care
- Lower Energy costs, Tackle the Climate Crisis
If you are interested in Kamala’s campaign and further plans for the future of the United States, check out her campaign page here.
Republican Candidate: Donald Trump
Donald Trump was the 45th president and now rerunning candidate, serving his time in 2017-2021. He has chosen to run again, hoping to serve 4 more years in office and “Make America Great Again”. Before becoming president, he was most well-known for the show “The Apprentice”, which jumpstarted his stardom well before ever getting into politics.
Unlike Kamala, however, he is the only president without any previous military or government experience. The reason he engaged in the political scene was because he saw the potential in America, which allowed for him to win his first ever run. Outside of politics, he is engaged with his businesses, golfing, and spending time with close relatives.
Regarding Trump’s campaign, he wants to achieve big ambitions and address great issues in his second run. This includes:
- Rebuild the Greatest Economy in History
- Unleash Energy Dominance
- Care for Veterans
- End Censorship, Reclaim Free Speech
If you are further interested in Trump’s campaign and his plans for the future of the United States, check out his campaign page here.
How to Register to Vote
For those that are of age to license – which is 18 in Washington state – you can register either online on in person. (You can also apply for Future Voter if you’re 16 or 17)
Online, you can register using this online voter portal. It has you fill in your personal information and other details, so be sure to have that handy.
In person, you can use a county elections department online to help find the closest one. They’ll help you request your ballot or other voting materials.
If you have any other questions regarding registering to vote, this Guide may help to further your understanding.
