Senior Anthony Miroff’s first ballot will not be cast at a typical voting booth. This year, along with many other voters, Miroff will be mailing in his vote for this presidential race.
“It’s both more convenient for me and can help in-person voting remain safe and quick for those who choose to do it,” Miroff said. “I don’t know if the process will be able to withstand the amount of mail-in voting of this year specifically, but I am certain that if ballots are sent in on time they will be counted.”
The threat of COVID-19 and the issues with the United States Postal Service make any form of voting especially overwhelming. Though Miroff is voting from home to prevent complications at the voting booths, he said he fears the real disorder that may start after all the votes are counted.
“I worry about the implications of anger [from election results],” Miroff said. “An intensification of existing violence exacerbated by overzealous police forces, further distrust in democracy, or perhaps, on a lighter note, continued desire for change.”
The political tension is palpable due to a rapid polarization between parties. For those voting for their first time, the decision can be nerve-wracking.
“People tend to believe that you either vote Democrat or you’re a horrible person,” senior Sarah Kwartin said. “There’s definitely a lot of pressure to vote for a candidate, but ultimately I’m just excited to be able to vote.”
The political chaos of 2020 has made voters like Miroff feel as though they are settling for their presidential candidates.
“I’d gladly take another set of candidates for the presidency in a better world, but you have to deal with what you have,” Miroff said. “Youth and visionary goals, although not intertwined, are not the forefront in this election, and while I am not thrilled, I still see importance in voting.”