The Paw Print

By Alexa Gola, Associate News & Features Editor

With the Nov. 5 presidential election just weeks away, civic engagement among youth is more important than ever. Over the past few years, Paw Print staff have written on Payton’s political engagement in the 2023 mayoral election, juniors and seniors serving as high school election judges and the importance of young voices in modern elections, each time highlighting the role young people play in shaping the future of our city, country and world. Still, only around 50% of youth aged 18-29 voted in the 2020 national election, suggesting that our generation’s political voice remains largely unspoken.

Issues including gun safety, climate change and the potential pursuit of Project 2025 are inherently tied to the outcome of this election, all of which greatly affect high school students. School shootings continue to become a terrifying reality at high schools around the country, wildfires persist in devastating communities throughout the west coast and the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals are explicitly threatened by proposals championed by the Project 2025 agenda. The elected officials who overturn or maintain seats in the House and Senate in November will dictate what legislature fights its way through Congress in the coming years, shaping the futures of countless students. Additionally, US foreign policy, including support (or a lack thereof) for Ukraine and efforts to ensure peace in the Middle East will also be impacted by which presidential candidate sits in the Oval Office, come January.

So how can you make your voice heard? If you are eligible, you can vote anytime between Sept. 26 and Election Day. Dates and deadlines vary for early, mail-in, and Election Day voting, but nonpartisan nonprofit organizations like When We All Vote are here to help.