Ryan Fouts
Computer technology | Senior
Torch: Who are you voting for and why?
“Well, most aligned with my beliefs would be Hillary Clinton. However, I fall into the wide spectrum of people who aren’t satisfied with either. So I’m potentially not voting. It’s that whole ‘lesser of two evils’ dilemma which I’m currently struggling with. Is it better to vote for someone or no one? That’s where I’m at.”
Torch: Have you considered voting for a third party candidate?
“I don’t really like the third party candidate either. I don’t think [Gary Johnson] is a good third party candidate. I think his beliefs align more as Republican in many ways. I believe in about half of the things he believes in, but the other half I’m conflicted with.”
Torch: What issues are most important to you?
“I’m in favor of raising the minimum wage. I’m also in favor of equality for all. It’s arguable that the Republican platform isn’t as in favor of equality. It’s difficult to pull more issues off the top of my head because I’m not super involved in politics.”
Torch: What’s your personal opinion about participation in American democracy?
“Pretty much everything in this election I’m conflicted with. I do believe that you should vote and you should exercise that right. One of the things I’m currently looking into and studying, because I’m a philosophy minor and I like to think about things critically, is if it’s better to vote for someone who you don’t necessarily agree with if you’re still voting, or if it’s better to withhold your vote. Some people say ‘if you’re really interested in either platform, then it’s a wasted vote,’ but I know a lot of people would argue differently. I’m between trying to figure out where I should go, whether or not it’s with a wasted vote or if I should exercise my right. It’s said that if you don’t vote, then you have to be accepting of the circumstances. For example, if you dislike Donald Trump and you don’t vote then you can’t be upset with the outcome because you didn’t vote. I’m trying to better educate myself on whether a vote outside of those candidates is a wasted vote or not.”
Alex Gullickson
Actuarial Science | Senior
Torch: Who are you voting for and why?
“I’m not voting, because I don’t want to choose between two bad options. I feel like my vote doesn’t matter anyway. I’m from Illinois, so there’s a 90 percent chance Clinton will win the whole state anyway. So what’s one vote either way?”
Torch: Have you considered voting for a third party candidate?
“Yeah, I like both of the main third party options, Jill Stein and Gary Johnson. Realistically, even voting for them wouldn’t make that big of a difference. I’m kind of cynical and pessimistic about it.”
Torch: Who would be your ideal candidate?
“I think I like Gary Johnson the best. I’ve identified as a libertarian for a while. I think he’s a pretty cool guy, even though he doesn’t know where Aleppo is or anything like that. I like the personal freedoms and everything else he stands for. I’m also more fiscally conservative.”
Torch: What issues are most important to you?
“I’m not that educated on what his specific stances on the main issue are. I’m more aligned with libertarianism in general and he seems like he’s a reasonable person. He’s better than Hillary or Donald Trump.”
Torch: What’s your personal opinion about participating in American democracy?
“If there’s two good candidates, that’s one thing. I think people give up. Either way it’s going to be a bad choice, so why even bother? Hopefully it’s not like this in all of the future elections. Hopefully it returns back to normal.”
Hakeem Harshman
Mechanical Engineering
Technology | Alumni
Torch: Who are you voting for and why?
“I’ll write in John Kasich. I like his policies and what he believes in. I agree with most of things he says, so I’ll vote for him.”
Torch: What are some of the issues you’re standing on?
“Religion, his general demeanor and basically everything about him. It’s not Trump.”
Torch: What’s your personal opinion on participating in American democracy?
“I personally want to vote so I can have my say and say that I voted. I have the right to vote so why not? I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to vote. I think if you don’t care, just write in. I’m writing in because I don’t want to vote for either of the two who are most likely to get in. I write in my vote so I can do my part and exercise my right to vote.”
Torch: Have you looked at the third party candidate?
“I’ve looked at a couple. The couple I looked at I really didn’t like. I just didn’t agree with a lot of things they said, so I stick with my write-in. I’ve still been watching the third party candidates and the debates to see if any of them can change my mind, but as of now I’m going with Kasich.”
Jordan Brinker
Undeclared | Freshman
Torch: Who are you voting for and why?
“I’m voting for Hillary Clinton. Because I think she is fighting for a lot of things that have gone unfought human rights-wise. I believe she really wants to benefit our country and will help benefit the overall direction our country is heading, and I think she’ll be a lot better choice when it comes to foreign affairs. I also believe she’ll not want to take rights away from anyone, and she wants to make it a more liberal and more unified country.”
Torch: What’s your personal opinion about many people not voting and participating in American democracy?
“I think it’s stupid. It’s our choice as a nation. If we don’t make our choice as a nation, what’s going to happen to our country? The fact that no one is choosing to participate, how is it going to help us have a better chance as the next generation rising up to make choices for our country? That’s insane. I don’t like that no one is voting.”
Torch: What are some issues important to you?
“Women’s rights and the right of a woman to her body. Her body is her own body. The fact that Clinton recognizes that and Trump doesn’t. Last year, there was some debate about what she wants to do in Detroit and that she wants to bring money to Detroit and revitalize it. I think that’s huge. I think that it’s so cool she looks at people and looks at communities more as a community and not just statistics or numbers. She looks for the basic human right everywhere she wants to improve.”