Poll-a-Palooza: What The Record Voting Turnout Tells Us About Voting, Our Citizens and Our Government

By Sam Zaslow-Braverman, ‘23

    From Nov. 3 to Nov. 7, American families from all backgrounds sat in front of their televisions, computers and radios, keeping up with the presidential election with high levels of hope and fear as a record amount of American citizens cast their vote for president. 
    When the dust settled, it was announced to the world that former Vice President Joe Biden had won the presidency. Based on data from the New York Times, the country saw a record-breaking voter turnout of 145 million citizens, well over 20 million more than 2016’s presidential election.

    What do these astronomical numbers tell us about Americans’ new perspectives of voting and government? 
    31-year-old film publicist Jon Spurny had a concrete reason for voting this year. “I think it was really important this time because of the stark differences between the candidates, so I wanted to make sure the country was going the way I wanted it to go and that my voice was heard.”
    Spurny added to this statement by criticizing the thought processes of older politicians. 
“You’re all in your 60’s and 70’s, you’re voting for things that are going to happen 40 or 50 years down the road. [The younger generations] are going to be around, dealing with these things that you’re putting into place. I think it’s important for us to show up, and also for us to run.”
    On the younger end of the voter spectrum, senior Emma Burke voted for the first time with an eye towards civil liberties and Generation Z’s impact on the future.
    “[What pushed me to vote was] being a minority and using my voice to represent those who cannot vote. As a young voter, I believe that civil liberties go hand in hand with responsibility, and we are obligated to keep those fundamental rights aligned,” Burke said.
Elaborating further about the younger generation’s involvement in politics, Burke noted, “I think Gen Z is very passionate about different causes, such as climate control and gun control. I think we know how to use the media to our advantage and to help spread the message across. We can be very valuable in helping to make a change.”
    Conversely, 48-year-old Frank McGehee, Mayor of Maplewood, New Jersey, voted for two main reasons: out of respect for those who could not vote in the past and to make sure that people in his generation can live in a world of respect and equity.
    “For me, it’s being a person of color. I had relatives and ancestors who weren’t afforded the opportunity to vote. I feel like it has to do with my voice, but I feel obligated to follow through and to take part in my American-given right.
    “As we have more years behind us than in front of us, every decision we make has such a great impact on the amount of time we have left in our lives,” McGehee continued. “I think making sure that we have the right leadership on all levels in our public office is so critical to making sure that we can maintain balance, respect, and equity.”
    Although these three Americans are different in background, their seemingly different motives for voting outline an underlying truth, one that explains the 20 million voter increase from the previous election: Americans want to use their voices more than ever before, and are willing to exercise one of their foremost rights to do so. 
    Voting is what constitutes a healthy democracy, and to see such a large amount of the country strengthening this democracy is proof that change can still be made in government today.