Voting in Person During a Pandemic
Natalie Zabrodsky and Joshua Daniel are friends and first-time voters for a presidential election. They made the decision to vote in person at the rec center instead of by mail because it was most convenient for them. The coronavirus was not a deterrent because they were able to keep their distance when casting their ballots.
Many people are voting in the 2020 election because there are large-scale issues in America, Daniel said.
“I just feel like it’s because there’s more problems that are more prevalent,” Daniel said. “So like in 2016, like the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t around and like there’s a lot of racial injustice. So like more things need to be changed and more people want things to be changed. So that’s why more people are voting like that’s how I see it.”
Gen Z plays an important role in the voter turnout, Zabrodsky said. The younger generation has different views from baby boomers which pushes them to go out and vote.
Zabrodsky and Daniel agreed that the approach to the coronavirus pandemic and racial injustice were issues they wanted to see change for after the election.
“Well, just for like my health, I feel like the coronavirus should be handled like a lot differently. I just think there’s more we can do,” Zabrodsky said. “And then we just need to realize that Black Lives Matter and you have to do everything to like help that.”
Amber Biggs is a resident of the city of Kent who voted in person at the Kent American Legion. She chose to vote in person instead of by mail because it was easier for her and she had more faith this method of voting.
“I didn’t really trust the whole mail in process entirely, because my mail gets lost all the time around my street,” Biggs said.
Voting during a pandemic was a risk worth taking because of how much is at stake for this election, she said.
“I mean, honestly, it feels like our rights are being infringed upon, and people are trying to take our rights away,” Biggs said. “And I want to make sure that I do everything that I can as an American to change that.”
She hopes change can occur after the election for the people who need it most.
“[I want] equal rights [and] fair, ethical laws being put into place to help lower income communities and people of all biases,” Biggs said.
She feels thankful that the city of Kent has been calm so far for the election.
“There’s other cities right now who are not having as much peace right now,” Biggs said.
