Will you vote and why? Campus weighs in on voting and issues ahead of Nov. 8 elections

Nov. 8 is Election Day. Students in COMM 384: Digital Media: The Aquinas asked people on campus whether they vote or plan to vote, as well as what they think is the most important issue facing voters.

Aidan Cagner, senior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I’m planning to vote.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: If they seem like a good guy, if they have good values, if their ethical framework involves freedom, as long as they don’t infringe on anyone else’s freedom.

Natanael Casiano, senior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I’ll be going home to cast my ballot.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I think right now the economy is one of the biggest issues people are definitely considering. It’s a whole inflation process and everything like that … most people are suffering. So I think for a lot of people money is tight right now and so it’s hard to focus on a lot of different issues if you’re struggling to put food on the table and that’s what a lot of people are feeling at the moment. So I think that’s the greatest thing people are gonna love to vote for.

Patrick Clark, professor in the theology department

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I plan to vote in person.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: It seems societally most people are concerned about stability; that’s kind of a catch-all term, but economic stability, legal stability in terms of the functionality of society. For me, I think what I’m looking for in light of that general idea of stability is competence and requisite knowledge about governing.

Howard Fisher, communication professor

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I am looking to vote on Election Day.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I’m looking for who is more likely to be supporting women’s rights … equality, who’s more likely to be pushing for greater inclusiveness in elections, and I see that happening more with Democrats.

Peyton Golowski, senior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: Yes.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I feel that the most important issues facing voters today is making sure basic human rights, such as health care, civil rights, environmental justice and many more facets are protected at all costs. These issues need to be in the forefront of peoples’ minds as they vote because you are voting for the future generations as well as your own.

Faith Kessell, senior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: Yes.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I believe the most important issue facing voters right now is abortion rights. It is an issue that has struck the attention of many with views often leaning towards two extreme sides. Another demanding issue is inflation. People are afraid that if prices keep skyrocketing, they will not be able to afford commodities as simple as groceries.

Julie Kilmer, senior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: Yeah,I am going to be sending in a mail-in one.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I think abortion’s probably one of the biggest issues with that, especially since Roe v. Wade was overturned this summer. A lot of people didn’t really know what their own opinion was, but because it’s all over social media, a lot of politicians are voicing what their opinions are on the abortion issue. For myself, I always look to whomever’s pro-life. And so I think a lot of people are actually taking them to account, whereas I think in the past elections that wasn’t really something that really crossed people’s minds … but now it’s kind of the No. 1 reason why people vote.


Samantha Kramer, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I have not voted, and I do not plan on voting.

Q: Why won’t you vote?

A: I am not a very political person and I choose not to pay attention to it. I feel like politics breaks people up. I know people who have lost relationships due to politics. So, because of that I choose not to partake. People who are in politics preach a lot about certain issues, yet rarely deliver. I agree with both parties on some issues, so I don’t have a side I particularly belong to. I don’t have a political family, so I didn’t grow up exposed to politics.

Emmet Mitchell, class of 2026

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: No and no.

Q: Why won’t you vote?

A: I’m not registered to vote.

Jenn Moreau, sophomore

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: Yes, I turned in the mail-in ballot.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: Definitely the biggest issue … definitely abortion with how everything is playing out state by state. We definitely want to see which candidate will hold our concerns more upright rather than taking away rights just because of their personal beliefs. They want to see how this will affect the many.

Shannon Parker, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: Yes.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I want to make a difference in the community and I think that women’s rights is very important.

Cooper Robinson, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I have already voted for this election, yes.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I would say gender inequality and health care. Both come down to COVID. I think people are fighting to get more money out of employers and government to be able to make a living and when you have to pay for expensive surgeries or medicine it’s hard for some people. I think that gender is becoming a more prominent issue too and people are fighting to make a living and the wage gap makes it difficult and a little unfair too.

Mollie Veres, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I did a mail in ballot because I live an hour away and I didn’t want to transfer districts or go home for the day.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: Abortion was my main issue. … I think that the Fetterman/Oz advertisements were reminiscent of the 2016 election with Hillary Clinton and (Donald) Trump. I thought they were interesting because they were super extreme, attacking each other. … I think it’s important to watch those ads and at the same time do your own research, because a lot of them are overexaggerated and if you don’t know what’s going on and you just listen to those advertisements … you can definitely have a skewed perception.

Jonny Wells, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I have not voted, and I do not plan to.

Q: Why won’t you vote?

A: I didn’t vote because my parents still partially fund me financially. Most of the political decisions that are made revolve around money, and these decisions only really affect people who make and manage their own money to live their lives. Regarding social issues, I don’t believe many political candidates have strongly advocated for social issues in recent years, so I haven’t really followed recent politics because no candidate has really stuck out to me as seeming to really commit to making social changes.

Kerigan Wilson, sophomore

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I filled out a mail-in ballot.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: Honestly, it’s the concern of Roe v. Wade and abortion and what I fear about what is coming for Pennsylvania, especially with people like Doug Mastriano who is very far-right. And I, even though I know Josh Shapiro isn’t the most liberal person, I still like him. These are the issues that concern me, and I want to protect not only my rights but the rights of other women or people who have uteruses.

Amanda Yanul, junior

Q: Have you voted or do you plan to vote in the election on Nov. 8?

A: I actually haven’t voted for this upcoming election, but I am definitely planning on it because I think it’s extremely important. Voting is such a small thing, but it makes a huge difference, and why have a voice if you’re not going to use it.

Q: What is the most important issue facing voters in the upcoming election?

A: I think that peer pressure is a huge thing, especially now, and it’s easy to get caught up in what other people are saying. I think the best thing is to do research and make sure that you’re voting for the person with everyone’s best interest at heart and best views. I think a lot of the political campaigns this year are aimed at belittling the other person, instead of proving what the individual will do, so it’s extremely important to learn more about the candidates and what they’re hoping to achieve.

Staff writers Isabella Barberio, Leandria Hercules, Kyra Krzywicki, Alexander Nunez and Phillip Schoch contributed to this report.