Originally published in Issue 7, Volume 53 of the print version of The Talon, November 1, 2024
On November 5, 2024, the process of choosing a president will officially begin. Some states, Washington included, allow ballots from early voters to be counted before Election Day. However, the rules vary across the nation. Two key swing states, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, don’t start counting votes until Election Day. That could slow down the election process. In 2020, the election took four days, with the total votes from Pennsylvania being announced on the 7th of November.
We don’t know how long the 2024 election will take, but we do know that we’ll have a new president next year. Right now the two candidates are roughly even in the polls. So what do THS students think about the election? Read on for a sample of student perspectives.
Questions for Students:
~ How do you feel with Election Day coming up?
~ Do you have any hopes for the election?
~ Do you have any predictions?
Jaime Hass, Senior
“I think there’s a lot of problems in this country, and whoever is elected, I hope they bring positive change. I don’t know what, but I hope they help the country. It’s a toss-up right now. I can’t guess [who will win].”
Anonymous Sophomore
“I’m feeling confident. I think Trump is gonna win. I like his policies – I think he’s a strong candidate. America was a better place when he was president. I’m excited. I hope inflation goes down because I’ll be starting driving soon and I don’t want to pay for all that gas.”
Anonymous Senior
“I feel good. I’m 18 and I can vote. I have voted. It felt good. I feel important, like I can use my voice and say how I feel about the future of the country. I hope everybody votes. If you think a state’s gonna be one way or the other, still vote. Every vote counts. I can’t predict it. It’s gonna be close. It could go either way.”
Anonymous Senior
“I’m excited, but I’m also nervous. It’s going to be a real tight race. I wish people would come to their senses and realize how ridiculous both parties can sound.
I want Kamala to win, but the Democrats have problems too. I don’t have any predictions. I think previously it was easier to predict, but this year is different. . .There’s one
very loved candidate, very loved by like half the country, and one new candidate. She’s a woman, and a person of color, and I think the bias will play a role. People might b
e like, well, at least he’s a man.”
Ben Frye, Senior
“I feel kind of excited for change, and excited for someone different. Biden wasn’t doing much as president.
I think Trump will win. I’d like it to be Kamala, but Trump is more likely. Especially since he got shot in the ear. That’s one of the best things for a candidate. I was hoping for RFK [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.], but since he dropped out I want Kamala. I think a rich billionaire is not what I want for the country – he would just make it better for the rich.”
Who Will Win?
Multiple students predicted that Trump will win. Of course that’s possible. Currently, Trump and Harris are tied in polls, with neither candidate leading by more than 51% in any swing state (Dorn). We’ll find out on election day.
Fact Check!
We respect all opinions, and predictions for the future are free. That said, it’s important to check whether objective facts are accurate, and provide context for speculation. Here’s some context for the facts that students talked about.
Gas prices: One sophomore suggested that gas prices will go down if Donald Trump is elected.
Assassination attempt:Ben Frye mentioned Donald Trump getting shot in the ear. Trump’s ear was struck by a bullet in an assassination attempt on July 13, 2024. One bystander was killed and two were injured.
Voter turnout:One senior used hyperbole when he said he hopes everyone will vote. Last presidential election, voter turnout in the U.S. was at 62.8%, the highest it had been in 60 years (the American Presidency Project).
That’s absolutely possible. However, gas prices aren’t dependent solely on the president: other factors like extraction techniques, supply, and international relations come into play as well. In fact, the dip in gas prices that we saw during Trump’s term started near the end of Obama’s term, and continued for several months into Biden’s (Rapier). It cannot necessarily be attributed to a single president. See the sources in bold for a few articles that help explain this.
Works Cited
Durkee, Alison. “These Key Swing States Don’t Count Mail Ballots in Advance—Results May Take Days.” Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/10/23/these-key-swing-states-dont-count-mail-ballots-in-advance-results-may-take-days.
Rapier, Robert. “How Much of the Gasoline Price Surge Is President Biden’s Fault?” Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2022/03/13/how-much-of-the-gasoline-price-surge-is-president-bidens-fault.
Rapier, Robert. “Average Gasoline Prices Under the Past Four Presidents.” Forbes, 8 Mar. 2023, www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2023/03/08/average-gasoline-prices-under-the-past-four-presidents.
Domonoske, Camila. “Whether Gas Prices Are Up or Down, Don’t Blame or Thank the President.” NPR, 27 Oct. 2022, www.npr.org/2022/10/27/1131675651/gas-prices-oil-fuel-rising-president.
Dorn, Sara. “Election 2024 Swing State Polls: Trump Leads Sun Belt, Harris Leads up North—And Pennsylvania’s a Tossup (Updated).” Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024, www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2024/10/30/election-2024-swing-state-polls-trump-leads-sun-belt-harris-leads-up-north-and-pennsylvanias-a-tossup-updated.
“2024 Presidential Election Polls: Harris Vs. Trump – 270toWin.” 270toWin.com, www.270towin.com/2024-presidential-election-polls.
Goldin, Melissa. “Photo Said to Show Trump’s Ear With No Damage After Shooting Is Actually From 2022 | AP News.” AP News, 16 July 2024, apnews.com/article/fact-check-trump-shooting-ear-damage-photo-470220313611.
Colvin, Jill, et al. “FBI Confirms Donald Trump Was Struck by Bullet During July 13 Assassination Attempt | AP News.” AP News, 27 July 2024, apnews.com/article/trump-bullet-shrapnel-ronny-jackson-christopher-wray-cb780b9d1a078f0be4191682e75101cf.
Armstrong, Kathryn. Who Are the Pennsylvania Trump Rally Victims? 15 July 2024, www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce586kxjvnyo.
Voter Turnout in Presidential Elections | the American Presidency Project. www.presidency.ucsb.edu/statistics/data/voter-turnout-in-presidential-elections.