*Due to the content of the article, all individuals will remain anonymous.
Harris, Trump, a third-party candidate, or not to vote at all. This is the question that is circulating in the minds of people registered to vote in this upcoming election. Villanova students are faced with the same dilemma, and time is running out to decide before the presidential election on Nov. 5.
While it may seem like everyone is leaning either left or right, there is a significantly large pool of Villanovans that is deciding not to vote at all, in addition to those deciding to vote for a third party. Villanova students registered to vote spoke to The Villanovan about their plans for Election Day, and to inform their fellow Villanovans on why they are voting for certain candidates in just six days.
“As of now I most likely will not be voting,” a junior communication student said. “This may change as we get closer to Election Day but probably will not. My main reason for this is that I am not pleased with any of the candidates. I know there is no perfect candidate, but with Harris and Trump, I don’t fully agree with either of the policies and plans, especially looking at past and present policies supported and implemented by both candidates. I also don’t believe that I should vote for one candidate just to vote against another. I don’t find that productive.”
A freshman exploratory arts major, planning on majoring in criminology, is planning on voting for Chase Oliver, the candidate for the Libertarian party.
“I believe in less government control,” the student said. “I also believe that Oliver’s plan for criminal justice reform is wonderful, as someone who is an advocate for peace. He plans on pardoning everyone imprisoned for victimless crimes. As someone who’s family has been affected by imprisonment of victimless crimes, this makes me hopeful for a reformed future under the leadership of individuals who are working for the betterment of the United States citizens. In addition to his great ideas on prison reforms, I also really like his stance on immigration. He believes that it should be easier for individuals who want to come to America to start a better life for themselves to do so, and I agree. By providing health and criminal checks to those trying to come into the nation, we will ensure that it does not take people years to come to America, but instead only days.”
“While I normally would have no problem voting for a third party or independent candidates I haven’t done enough research on them and what I do know I’m again not too confident in,” the junior communication student said. “With third parties and independents, we all unfortunately know they don’t have a big enough backing. Hopefully that changes in our future and we have more candidates for presidential elections – to actually win the election. However, I’m aware that they could make an impact on swing states, which is mainly why I’m still considering voting, even though this chance is small.”
Yet, there is still a majority of individuals on campus planning on voting for either Harris or Trump in just a few days.
“I will be voting for Harris in this upcoming election,” a senior biology student said. “As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I believe her policies and political platform will benefit me and my community more than Trump’s will. I am fearful of living in a nation being run by a president who does not believe in equal rights for all, and that is why I am voting for Harris-Walz this November.”
“I will be voting for Harris-Walz this upcoming election,” a sophomore psychology student said. “As a woman, I can not stand to vote for a candidate who has spoken so poorly about women in the past, and is standing to take away reproductive rights from us. As a child born through IVF, as well, I think it is inhumane for the Republican Party to be backing a man who wants to take these options and decisions of different ways to start a family away from the parents, and to make the decisions for them. I am forever grateful for the amazing life my parents have given me through IVF, and could never stand behind a man and his supporters wanting to rip that away from parents in the future who are struggling with natural conception.”
On the contrary, a sophomore business student supports Trump in the election.
“I am voting for Trump in this upcoming election,” the student said. “I believe his plans for the economy are better than Harris’, and that is the issue I believe is the most important for me, as whoever is elected now will be president when I join the workforce. When looking at the economy, it is without a doubt that it was stronger under Trump than it currently is under Biden, and that is concerning to me. I also believe that Trump’s stance on gun-control is more aligned with the Second Amendment rights within the Constitution.”
A senior economics student agreed.
“I am graduating this year with a job lined up in a good company,” the student said. “I do not trust the Democrats to withhold a strong enough economy while I enter the workforce. We saw what happened under Democratic control in the 2008 recession, and I cannot afford for the same to happen while I balance moving to a new city, starting a new job, and while paying off student loans, this is why I plan on voting for Trump this upcoming election.”
The election is just a few short days away, yet there is still time to research the candidates running for all office positions. To find who will be on your ballot on Nov. 5, visit https://ballotpedia.org/Sample_Ballot_Lookup.
