Many of us in this election are under the impression that this is one of the worst presidential elections in U.S. history. In some ways this is true. Everything that has been held to criticism, however, can be seen in a positive light.
This election has increased millennial interest in voting and politics in general. Beginning with Bernie Sanders’ promise of “free college,” millennials are realizing how every vote counts. According to Pew Research Center study, millennials and Generation-Xers now–for the first in a presidential election–outnumber baby-boomers. NPR reported that there are 10 states in which millennials could easily sway the vote. Nearby North Carolina in particular was nearly swayed towards blue (Democrat) due primarily to younger voters in the 2012 election.
This election will quite possibly bring about one of the highest amounts of third-party voters. The 2000 election also had a large percentage of third-party votes. Third-party candidate Ralph Nader is said to have “stolen” the vote from Al Gore. With the continual polarization between candidates, voters are looking for someone with a fresh outlook. CNN has held town halls for both Dr. Jill Stein (the Green Party candidate) and Gary Johnson (the Libertarian Party candidate). This has given them more prominence than third-party candidates in previous elections. Speaking on the current political system Johnson said he’d like to see a new party rise to the top.
“This is the demise of the Republican Party,” Johnson said. “This is an opportunity, I think, for the Libertarian Party to become a major party.”
This election has caused more and more people to do their own research. With access to information with the swipe of a finger, voters are becoming more knowledgeable not only about their candidates but on the voting process as well. One must be careful, however, in where they obtain their information. Social media is plagued with unreliable sources. These factors have caused fact-checking to see an influx never before perceived. The Trump campaign even requested there not be any fact-checking during the first presidential debate, arguing it shouldn’t be the job of the news media to do the fact-checking. This election, however, the public is becoming informed on a more personal level.
No matter what views we may have, we should all try to embrace our differences and hope for a government that can work together under any circumstance.