November 5th, 2024 is election day in the United States for the 2024 presidential election. Presidential primaries are currently going on, with Trump taking Iowa and New Hampshire. The primary election was created to wean down one candidate from each political party. With the withdrawal of Republican candidate, Ron Desantis, the candidates from the 2020 election are likely going to stay the same. These political candidates include current president, Joe Biden, and former president Donald Trump.
However, due to the insurrection on January 6th, 2021, Colorado has challenged Trump’s eligibility on the ballot. Colorado’s argument is Trump’s failure to uphold the 14th Amendment. Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states: “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.”
This trial is still being debated, however many news sources believe Trump will win.
Wheeling Park High School teacher, Mr. Ryan Stanton has been keeping his CP and AP Civics students updated on the current election.
“The election is everything. While this year the primary isn’t as exciting as past years it’s important for students to understand how political parties and primary elections work. I feel a lot of students and people may be turned off because of the lack of candidates… but I will be focusing on local elections too because hey those are important,” said Stanton.
West Virginia’s primary will be held on May 14th, 2024. Residents must be 18 years or older to vote. However, you can register to vote at 17 if you will be 18 by the election. To register to vote you could go to a local DMV if you prefer a physical interaction. However, the majority of people register online. For WV residents, go to https://ovr.sos.wv.gov/Register/Landing?ref=voteusa_en (GoVoteWV.com) to register online.
Even though Park puts large amounts of effort into educating students about the election and voting, many students don’t understand the election process. According to the New York Times, fewer than half of Americans 18 to 29 voted in the 2016 presidential election.
“No, I’m not registered to vote, I should probably get on that,” said senior Chance Funari.
“I am registered but I don’t pay much attention to politics because it makes me mad,” said senior Taylor Broadwater.
Nevertheless, Gen Z is proven to not only be more involved with politics but more inquisitive too. According to a study done by NPR, one-third of Gen Z voters wished they had known more about the candidates and their positions in the last election.
“Yes, I am registered to vote, and I keep up with the election,” said senior Kathryn Prather.
Although West Virginia has only four electoral college votes towards the presidential election, every vote counts. So remember to register today to make sure your voice is heard!
