WASHINGTON— Many first-time voters are heading to the ballots to participate in their first presidential election.
The majority of first-time voters are Gen Z, born between 1995 and 2012. Some first-time voters decided to have their voices heard during this historical election, in which Vice President Kamala Harris could become the first Black Asian American woman president.
Brianna McGhee, a sophomore at Christopher Newport University, explains how excited she is about making a change.
“It is a really tight race, and putting in my vote could help make a change. We need to make a change in this country[,] and [I want to contribute] to that,” she said.
According to the Associated Press (AP), presidential candidates have been targeting first-time voters during their campaigns with surprise visits and performances at rallies. The Harris campaign has been enlisting celebrity appearances from artists such as Beyonce, Cardi B, and Megan Thee Stallion to engage with potential voters.
In contrast, former president Donald Trump’s rallies have featured celebrities such as Hulk Hogan and Waka Floca Flame as supporting figures.
Many Howard University (HU) undergraduate students are voting for the first time. Some students voted in their home states or via mail-in ballots and ballot complications have made voting difficult for some students.
Howard students Amaira Bailey and Madison Colley said they had to use their renter’s insurance as proof of residency in D.C. to vote.
Madison Colley, a freshman psychology major from California, says she was registered to vote in her home state, but her ballot did not come in time and she had to vote in D.C.
“There were a few people in [line to vote], struggling, trying…to prove that they live there. I was on the phone with my dad in line trying to figure out how to pull up my [renter’s] insurance,” she said.
Based on social media posts, organizations such as sororities, fraternities and clubs promoted election day through events, which were primarily held at the campus’s Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel.
HU has encouraged students to participate in Election Day by posting information on its main social media pages and emailing the students, faculty and staff community. Students say the promotion of this election has encouraged them to encourage friends and family to vote.
Howard students described voting as a mix of emotions for the first time. Some students describe the election as empowering for Black women across the country.
Serenity Rodgers, a senior political science major, said Kamala Harris is breaking down the racial barriers Black women face.
“If Kamala becomes president …those barriers [against black women] will start to crumble, because she would be a symbol of the highest power in our country, and …she’d have the ability, not only as a symbol but…in practical ways, to diminish those barriers that black women face when they’re trying to climb the ladder,” she said.
Many students say that Kamala Harris running in the presidential election has influenced them to feel a sense of pride. They proudly say they walked the same ground as Kamala Harris, but some described feeling immense pressure.
Ikram Mohamed, a junior criminology major, explains the importance of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) impact on society.
“Knowing that she went to Howard University… shows you how much HBCUs pour into their students…a lot of times HBCUs are under-appreciated[,] but…they just give us so much,” she said.
Christion Billy 