Voting is a hallmark of adulthood, and an exciting and new experience for many seniors and juniors on campus. 2020 marks a momentous year for the presidential elections, as the political divide in our country  has grown throughout the tumultuous presidency of President Donald Trump. In 2020, there is only one candidate running  against Trump in the Republican primaries, William Weld, who (as of  February 18, 2020) only has one delegate vote as compared to Trump’s 61. In comparison, there are currently eight Democrats running in the primaries. This coming year, there is a strong push for younger generations to vote. In order to inform the Dana students who will be able to vote next November, I have compiled a rundown of candidates and the FAQs of voting. 

First off, who is eligible to vote in the 2020 presidential elections?

 You can pre-register to vote in Massachusetts if you are a citizen of the United States, 16 or 17 years old, and not currently incarcerated for a felony. Once you turn 18, you will be removed from the pre-register, and can officially vote. You must register to vote 20 days before the date of the election! There are differences in rules between states, so be sure to check if you are a domestic border.

How can you pre-register? 

In Massachusetts, you can register online, by mail, or in person (at an election office, RMV, and other public assistance agencies).

When the day comes to vote, where do I go? 

This depends on where you live. You can locate your state polling place here.

What is the difference between primaries and presidential election? 

The winner of each party’s primary is chosen, and becomes the one candidate that will be voted upon in the general elections. There are 3 types of primaries depending on the state that you’re in: closed, open, and semi-closed. A closed primary is where people are restricted to vote within their party, and independents aren’t allowed to vote. An open primary is where people are able to vote, outside of their political party. A semi-closed primary, the election system in Massachusetts, you must vote for your registered party, though independents are allowed to vote as well. 

Below is a list of the candidates and a summarizing quotation, as determined by the New York Times, and a rundown of their key issues, as reported by the Washington Post, which will hopefully help you get a sense of who you would or will vote for in November! 

Republicans:

Donald Trump

As the incumbent, Trump is running on the platform of the past four years. “Considering that we have done more than any administration in the first two years, this should be easy. More great things now in the works!”

Willam Weld 

“I hope to see the Republican Party assume once again the mantle of being the party of Lincoln.” A fiscal (financial) conservative and social liberal. Would like to undercut spending and rebuild relationships with U.S. allies. Supports gay  marriage, abortion rights, and marijuana legalization. Would have the U.S. rejoin the Paris Climate Accord.

Democrats: 

Joe Biden

“If we give Donald Trump eight years in the White House, he will forever and fundamentally alter the character of this nation, who we are, and I cannot stand by and watch that happen.” Doesn’t support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana and would allow states to decide. Supports a federal ban on assault weapons with a voluntary buyback. Doesn’t support a tax on the assets held by the wealthiest Americans, but would adjust taxes on capital gains. Would set a hard date for withdrawal of U.S. military forces by the end of his first term, but did not rule out residual forces. Wants to alleviate student debt burdens in other ways. Supports the Green New Deal resolution. Unclear if he supports extending the physical barriers on the U.S.-Mexican border. Prefers a public option of health-care. Doesn’t support eliminating the electoral college in favor of popular vote.

Michael Bloomberg

“Defeating Donald Trump — and rebuilding America — is the most urgent and important fight of our lives. And I’m going all in.” Doesn’t support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana and allow states to decide. Supports a federal ban on assault weapons with a voluntary buyback. Doesn’t support a tax on the assets held by the wealthiest Americans, but would adjust taxes on capital gains. Would set a hard date for withdrawal of U.S. military forces by the end of his first term, but did not rule out residual forces. Wants to cancel existing student debt based on income. Supports the Green New Deal resolution. Unclear if he supports extending the physical barriers on the U.S.-Mexican border. Prefers a public option of health-care. Doesn’t support eliminating the electoral college in favor of popular vote. 

Tulsi Gabbard 

“There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I’m concerned about and that I want to help solve.” Supports the federal legalization of marijuana. Supports a federal ban on assault weapons, stance on voluntary buyback is unclear. Has an unclear response on whether or not she supports a tax on the assets held by the wealthiest Americans. Would set a hard date for withdrawal of U.S. military forces by the end of her first year, but did not rule out residual forces. She wants to alleviate student debt burdens in other ways. Supports the Green New Deal resolution. Only supports extending the physical barriers on the U.S.-Mexican border if experts recommend it. Unclear if she supports Medicare-for-all. Doesn’t support eliminating the electoral college in favor of popular vote, but does think it should be reformed. 

Bernie Sanders

“The only way we will win this election and create a government and economy that work for all is with a grassroots movement — the likes of which has never been seen in American history.” Supports the federal legalization of marijuana. Supports a federal ban on assault weapons with a voluntary buyback. Supports a tax on the assets held by the wealthiest Americans. Would set a hard date for withdrawal of U.S. military forces by the end of his first term, but did not rule out residual forces. Wants to cancel all existing student debt. Doesn’t support extending the physical barriers on the U.S.-Mexican border. Supports some version of Medicare-for-all. Supports eliminating the electoral college in favor of popular vote. 

Elizabeth Warren 

“It’s time for women to go to Washington and fix our broken government, and that includes a woman at the top.” Supports the federal legalization of marijuana. Supports a federal ban on assault weapons with a voluntary buyback. Supports a tax on the assets held by the wealthiest Americans. Would set a hard date for withdrawal of U.S. military forces by the end of her first term, but did not rule out residual forces. Wants to cancel existing student debt based on income. Supports the Green New Deal resolution. Doesn’t support extending the physical barriers on the U.S.-Mexican border. Supports some version of Medicare-for-all. Supports eliminating the electoral college in favor of popular vote. 

Photo: The third Democratic debate, September 12, 2019. Photo credit: ABC News.