The upcoming presidential election is pivotal for all Americans, as there are emerging concerns regarding the leadership of the two candidates, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
Some citizens believe the result of the Nov. 5 election could be life or death for the future of the United States. To understand how some Bay Area residents feel about the election, and the issues they believe to be vital for the country’s future, the Contra Costa Youth Journalism (CCYJ) program surveyed 159 people throughout Contra Costa County leading up to Tuesday’s election.
In the survey, 95% of participants identify as Generation Z, meaning they were born between 1997 and 2012. In general, about 50% of those surveyed are not very engaged in national politics, while even more (74.8%) don’t pay much attention to local or statewide politics.
Since most participants are Gen Z and many are not yet 18, it’s not surprising that 90.6% of those surveyed are not registered to vote. But when asked who they would vote for if registered, 64.7% indicated support for the Democratic ticket of Harris and Tim Walz, while only 15.8% noted they would vote for the Republican ticket of Trump and JD Vance. The remaining people surveyed (19.5%) indicated they would vote for a third party candidate.
CCYJ writing coach Michelle Fitzhugh-Craig, who helped develop the seven-question survey with program coordinator Bruce Koon, considered it extremely important to gauge county residents’ interest and involvement in the upcoming election because of the unprecedented events that have made it so unique.
Some voters express mixed feelings about the two major party candidates, especially with social media’s presence with misinformation regarding the election.
“I feel right now that there have been a lot of distractions during what I call a challenging, divisive, and volatile time,” Fitzhugh-Craig said about the misinformation being spread through social media.
In the survey, participants were able to vote on the three issues most important to them this election. The economy clearly came out on top with 75.5% of the voters, followed by health care (49.1%), environment (45.3%), education (40.9%), gun policy (37.7%), abortion (34%), immigration (28.3%), and social justice and equality (25.8%).
For Kim Watkins, a 49-year-old Antioch resident, health care is of utmost importance for her and her family. Medicare, Medi-Cal, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) are needed for her to afford medication for her sickle cell disease. The economy also deeply concerns Watkins since many necessary expenses, such as food, gas and housing, are becoming harder to afford.
Watkins said she will be voting for Harris, emphasizing that she just wants a president who will fight for all Americans.
“I don’t care if it’s Democrat. I don’t care if it’s Republican,” Watkins said. “If you’re trying to just make America cool to where everybody can live like in the ’90s and stuff like that early 2000s, I’d rather have that type of world back. It doesn’t matter as long as you’re trying to take care of both parties.”
Antioch resident Khai Andrews, 16, expressed similar concerns. While Andrews can’t vote, they would vote for Harris if they could because of growing concerns about the cost of living and Social Security cuts proposed by Trump. Though there is uncertainty if Trump will cut Social Security, Andrews said they believe some of Trump’s policies will impact them negatively. Andrews said they also have a growing concern about Trump being a convicted felon and the possibility of him becoming president again.
Mansi Swaminathan, a 15-year-old San Ramon resident, disagrees. Swaminathan said she isn’t a big fan of either candidate because she feels neither of them aligns with her morals. But if she had to vote, Swaminathan said she would vote for Trump because she said he is clearer about his policies and she agrees with his agenda.
“The problem is that neither candidate lines up with my moral beliefs,” Swaminathan said. “That’s why I vote on who [I] think will run the country the best.”
Of the issues she’d like to see addressed, Swaminathan mentioned a few in the field of health care, including funding for neurodevelopmental disorders and resources for disabled people. This issue personally affects her as her elder sister is on the autism spectrum. She also believes the cost of living should be addressed because current prices are making it difficult for families to afford basic needs.
Antioch resident Simione Bikai, 15, agrees. Even though he believes there are better candidates, given the two options he would vote for Trump because he thinks he will make better decisions than Harris. But he wouldn’t mind either candidate taking office as long as they make good decisions, especially when it comes to addressing the cost of living to lower costs of basic goods.
lse Krick, a 77-year-old Clayton resident, said she is voting for Harris.
“Kamala Harris’s consideration of the middle class and her proposal for Medicare to cover home care for the elderly, that’s a big one for me,” Krick said. “A president should be ethical, have integrity, and embrace every citizen in this country, whether they voted for them.”
Krick said she has a history of political engagement by writing letters to people encouraging them to vote regardless of party affiliation. Though she believes her community engagement in politics now is moderate, much like many survey respondents indicated, Krick said it is still highly important to her to stay engaged and have civil conversations with one another regardless of party affiliation and disagreements.
“It’s not just one party but remembering that it’s our right and privilege to vote,” Krick said.
Emma Mayta Canales is an 11th grader at Deer Valley High School in Antioch.
