JCHS Voices on the 2020 Election

Students Views on the 2020 Election:

How does this election affect the trust you have in our election system?

On a scale of 1 being less trust and 5 being more trust

Should 17 Year Olds be Allowed to Vote?

The 2020 election was a stressful time for all of us and because we can’t discuss politics around campus as we normally could, we sent a survey to ask JCHS students how they felt about the election. One question we asked was how this election affected the student’s trust in the system. Responses varied, with the majority saying it did change it, followed by a barely smaller group saying it actually increased it. When asked to elaborate, many explained that they didn’t believe the electoral college serves to improve our democracy, but they were happy that this time the candidate who won the popular vote would be taking office. A few others felt that they “can't trust that things were counted fairly.” Almost unanimously, respondents agreed that the results of the election will increase the political divide in the country, as one respondent wrote “there was so much passion and enthusiasm on both sides, and both sides believe the other side is an existential threat”. This leaves open concerns for the future as we all go out and try to enact change in the world while navigating that divide. Some students expressed hope for a future where “we’ll be able to vote for someone because of how much we love their ideas and policies, not because we just hate the other candidate more” which is something that we perhaps no longer have.