The 2020 presidential election has the entire nation torn apart and on edge, so much so that law enforcement is preparing for violence following election day. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its government response has greatly affected voter opinion. The Black Lives Matter protests that broke out across the nation have also instigated tension and social unrest. The Presidential candidates  Democrat and former Vice President Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump are battling each other for the soul of this nation. Supporters on both sides are hardset on their beliefs, but a large group of voters remain undecided. Many voters are strong on their opinions and what policies they want to see pushed through, but are unsure if these two candidates are sufficient. 

Some say this election is the most important election since the Great Depression with global issues such as climate change bound to be inherited by young Americans driving them to vote. With the vast depletion of environmental regulation and the withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord under the Trump administration, young people are worried about the future of the planet and President Trump has made no signals that his administration will make investments in green energy infrastructure in his second term. 

On the other hand, former Vice President Joe Biden’s campaign has yet to commit to bold plans such as the Green New Deal to combat climate change. And though Biden announced a plan to put $1.7 trillion into clean energy over the next decade — an average of $170 billion per fiscal year (a number that may seem gargantuan) — it  would not be enough to fully address the decline of the environment. Former Vice President Biden supporters would want more from his administration were he to win. 

When the first presidential debate concluded, a majority of the American people were disappointed, enraged, and embarrassed. Neither candidate focused on what a presidential debate is in essence: proving oneself to the American people. Instead, both candidates disregarded the respect the debates have had and let down the nation. Since then, the debates have continued to leave voters wanting more clarity and a plan of action including young people.

 President Donald Trump is the candidate who has been the vaguest on sharing his plans for the next four years of presidency, if reelected. However, he has had much media attention for various reasons, including his deflection of debate questions and his COVID-19 disregard and diagnosis. 

At his first rally following his recovery, President Trump stated he felt good enough to give everyone in the audience a kiss. As a result, people became concerned with his downplaying of the virus that has killed more than one million people worldwide. Thus, one of his greatest obstacles is the public’s reaction to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Following his diagnosis, the President refused to participate in a virtual debate. When former Vice President Joe Biden scheduled a town hall meeting on the ABC network, the President countered with an NBC town hall meeting on the same date, at the same time. These town hall meetings stem from the U.S. centuries-old tradition of citizens gathering to discuss issues in their respective communities. Similarly, the Biden and Trump campaigns used town hall meetings to answer voter questions. However, these meetings were drastically different in tone, and voters had to pick which one to view live. These town halls may have provided some more insight, but many voters remained undecided.  

Young voters must prepare for the possibility that more damage will be done to the planet. According to RealClearPolitcs polling averages, former Vice President Biden leads in ten out of twelve battleground states, such as Pennsylviania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Iowa. While this may seem promising for Democrats, the Trump campaign must not be underestimated. 

Another cause for concern for young voters who support former Vice President Biden’s policies on the environment is ballots. In the last election 500,000 mail ballots were rejected, a number which could make all the difference in the swing states. Biden supporters have been voting early by mail, while a majority of Trump supporters plan to vote in-person. This means that it is likely that a significant portion of Biden votes could be rejected ballots. And this means that on November 3, 2020, it’s possible that American citizens will not know the result of this election for weeks due to court battles over mail ballots. 

It’s evident that the 2020 election on November 3, 2020, will be no simple win or lose. The country remains divided on their commander-in-chief pick. But no matter what, it is voting that matters!