On November 9th, the United States was a mix of emotions. Millions waited in long lines the day prior, for hours even, to cast their vote in a historical election. I personally didn't get to vote until later on in the day, as results began to roll in from various states. But I voted. I stood my ground as a first time millennial voter, held my opinions high and cast in that ballot. But afterwards all I could do was wait. Wait and watch. And when I woke up the next morning I was confused. I understood of things like the electoral college worked but something just didn't seem right. So I did some research. And here is what I learned about the election, after the election.
How write in ballots work
Not every state offers write in ballots, in fact, only 43 of them do. And of those 43, in 32 states you have to officially file as a write in candidate, or else a vote with your name will be counted as other. And to be mindful, when you are casting your vote you are casting a vote to the electoral college who then casts their vote towards the presidency. The electoral college is made up of members of Congress plus 3 more members representing DC. So for everyone who wanted to give Bernie a second chance or the ignorant imbeciles that wrote in the name of an infamous dead gorilla, you have unfortunately wasted your vote. Now don’t get me wrong, there is the potential to give the write in ballot a better name, but you must gather a hefty amount of supporters to write down the same name as you in order to be recognized by the electoral college.
Every vote actually counts.
Despite what I just said, every vote does really count. So, to all of you that refused to vote because the “electoral college” won’t be swayed, not so much. Yes, it is difficult to alter their opinions through a write in ballot but when vote for the main parties on the ballot you clearly can make a difference. Poll studies have shown that the majority of people who voted for Trump were white men and women. Minorities of every gender across the board overwhelming voted democratically. Well those that voted. (Whites are still the majority guys!) Let’s get something clear here, I am not saying that all republicans are the same and I am definitely not saying all whites are the same. That would get us virtually nowhere. But what I am saying is that if we stopped assuming things would turn out the way they always would and made the effort to vote, things could have been different. The electoral college is not set in stone. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. Congress will meet again on December 19th to discuss the votes they cast once again so if you are unhappy with the election results; call email and write to the Federal Office of the Registrar. States like Pennsylvania, Florida and New Hampshire can still be swayed if we all try our hardest and swamp them with our voices. We have the power to make a change.
Trump is not the one I’m afraid of.
Like I said already, all Republicans are not the same. In fact, a lot of republicans do not agree with Trump’s extremist views and extremely impulsive. But Trump is one man, one man who is in charge of our country starting January 2017 and the following four years. It’s the Republican House and the Republican Senate and the 1-3 Supreme Court judges that will be nominated in his name. It’s his supporters, some of which in positions of power, who have threatened to harm others simply for who they were born into this world as. I am afraid because the very essence of my being, a female, minority is seen as less than, inferior, a threat. I work in a legal center that services kids ages 12-21 and the amount of people I had to console and talk down from hysteria left me feeling helpless and sick inside. How can one human being invoke so much fear into these children? I urged them to not be afraid for Trump is not someone to fear when you have "done everything right" and they are so close to gaining their citizenship. They were afraid of going to school because their extremist republican peers may lash out on them. Girls afraid to wear hijabs because they might be seen as a threat. I am afraid, but not of Trump anymore. I am afraid of the people who support him and believe an impassive, misogynistic, xenophobic, Islamophobic, racist is fit to run this country for four years. America has done a lot to disenfranchise me as a minority but this has caused me to feel a new low and become ashamed of the country I was born and raised in.
Millennials will be blamed regardless.
First of all, if you didn’t vote but were eligible to, I don’t wanna hear it. 6 million people less voted in this election season that 2012. But for those of us who did, I am sorry. I woke up on November 9th crippled with feelings of insecurity and doubt as if that stress of being a college student was not enough. Yes, I’m aware of how the government works. Yes I know Trump is not president yet but I do know that history has already been rewritten and things are going to change. And they will change very soon. And regardless of how the election turned out, millennials will be blamed. We didn’t vote, or we were all talk or we just distracted people from the real problems. Maybe we didn’t take things seriously or had the stupidity of enforcing the third party.
But what’s done is done. We must be strong and we must press on. Just like all things, this will not last forever. Whether you believe it or not, our country is changing. And to recognize and further that change we must all get involved. And if you don't think you will feel safe somewhere, please don't go alone. We must stand together now more than ever. So for now, we can mourn, and we can be somber. But then we will plan. And in 2018 we will retake Congress. And in 2020, we will vote and we will finally understand what it is like to make a difference.
