There aren’t any feelings quite as strange as becoming a resident of a swing state in the midst of the most important election of our time. Coming from a New Jersey town not far from New York City, presidential elections have, in my lifetime, always been very clear. States like New Jersey are called “safe states” and tend to consistently vote the same way each election. In my memories from watching election coverage in the past, New Jersey was never a toss-up. While we had Republican Governor Chris Christie for eight years, the state never wavered and has been consistently blue since 1992.
With the Harris-Walz campaign outspending former President and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump in Penn’s zip code and Wharton School alumni campaigning together in recent days, it feels like we are at the center of this election as Penn students. While it isn’t necessarily true that both parties are directly fighting for our votes, what makes this Penn-centered is perception. With Wharton being brought up at both the presidential and vice presidential debates and Trump and 1997 College and Wharton graduate Elon Musk campaigning together, on top of the increasing number of voting agencies present on campus, it can truly feel like we are heavily involved in this election.
When I first arrived on Penn’s campus, I wasn’t shocked by the amount of political campaigning I saw because it’s a college campus in a major city — of course, this was the case. Yet, as I spent my weeks here, the level of political campaigning I saw became a consistent part of my day-to-day life. From being asked if I was registered to vote at nearly every intersection to campaign ads when I watch YouTube to Penn Dems’ daily tabling outside ARCH, it was inescapable. While this didn’t annoy me much, it seems to be an increasing point of interest and annoyance for other students I’ve spoken to. On a daily basis, Sidechat is flooded with posts from students, irritated about the constant reminder and push of the election. And, in many conversations with students, I’ve found that, while generally, they understand the sentiment, it continues to be an annoyance.
For Atlanta native and College first-year Emma Katz, being asked to register in Pennsylvania has been a source of irritation. Not because she doesn’t see the value in the question being asked, but because she is repeatedly asked to switch her registration from Georgia to Pennsylvania. While Katz is registered to vote here, she plans to cast her ballot in Georgia this election. When asked why, she said, “I would like to vote in local elections, and my family still lives there. In my mind, I just go to school in Pennsylvania, I don’t live here.” Katz raises an interesting and valid question, although Pennsylvania is one of the most important states in this election, and holds 19 electoral votes to Georgia's 16, her vote is still important, especially with Trump leading by a slim margin in the state.
In an opinion column by Jesse Zhang titled “Voting is a Privilege,” Zhang articulates an incredibly important perspective that is often overlooked or missing in today's campus dialogue. Zhang, having grown up in China, recounts the political system there, writing “In China, I had not voted in a single election in my whole life. Elections in China take place at the local level and in a hierarchical system in which the lower level governing body elects the one directly above it. In addition, the ballot is tightly controlled by the governing party. So, while I technically could vote for certain smaller local offices, the vast majority of citizens do not vote directly to elect the leader of the country.” This perspective is one that we American citizens don’t often hear, though we should, and points out what we take for granted.
In many countries across the world, there is no 15th Amendment, which guarantees inalienable rights upheld by a central constitution. For us, while the uncertainty is daunting, it is still a privilege to not know who our next president will be. So, while it is incredibly valid to be irritated or annoyed by the persistence of those asking us to register to vote, at least we are being asked.
For students from consistently red or blue states, coming to this purple one at the height of election season has been a culture shock of some sort, especially for first-time voters. For many of us, this is the first time we will have a say in what the next four years will look like, and to an even higher degree in a state like Pennsylvania. However, while it is eye-opening, it is just as overwhelming. We are being told the weight our vote holds, and a lot of pressure is placed on us, young voters, to carry the election. And while it is still important to vote in a non-swing state like New Jersey, the feeling and the day-to-day experience is much less jarring. While it is important to consider that Penn is a campus and that campuses tend to be heavily targeted with political material, in Philadelphia, it isn’t just on college campuses — it is across the city.
As the entire country becomes more divided and heavily politicized, it is no surprise that we are exposed to politics at every turn. Even in my own New Jersey town, I never saw Trump signs or flags until recently, and as we become more divided, we have also begun to express our support more openly. Over the summer, seeing more and more Trump flags in my town was a telltale sign that this election was incredibly important. Not because of the visible support of Trump, but rather because folks who were not expressing their support so openly before, now were. Neighbors have opposing signage and flags in their yards, and it is truly a sight to see. While people of opposing political views have always been neighbors or existed in proximity to one another, it is in this election that these folks present an interesting visual — one that also allows you to interpret the state of the community and country. In this election, people are becoming more and more politically active and expressive, even in the bluest of states.
The process of coming to a swing state during an incredibly important election is like no other, and it truly gives you a new perspective on voting and the power of your voice.
So, with the election coming up in less than a week, really think about the “why.” Think about Zhang and the perspectives of international students coming from countries with fewer voting rights and freedoms. Think about the privilege it is to be inundated with political campaigns and media, no matter how annoying or inconvenient. And don’t take your rights as American citizens for granted; act on them.
MARIE DILLARD is a College first year from Englewood, NJ studying history and urban studies. Her email is mdilla@sas.upenn.edu.
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