How does this year’s election feel different from previous elections?

STUDENTS

“I think this year’s election feels different because it really shows how polarized America is at this point. In contrast to the 2008 election between McCain and Obama, in which their relationship was cordial, […] the nominees for both [the] Republican and Democratic parties this year seem to [be] very distant and uncooperative with their own parties, working together. We also continuously see the divide between voters and what is most important in the election such as guns, abortion, and taxes.” —Lawrence Hicks, freshman 

“I think the idea of the so-called “culture war” is the most noticeable; I don’t really remember the 2020 election and certainly not the 2016 election, but I can definitely see that this time around there is something dangerous happening culturally, and that isn’t directed at any one party or candidate. The overall divide and manner that Americans are now treating those with different views is startling and, in my opinion, proposes a quite dark future if not dealt with soon.” —Anna Schaible, freshman 

“I feel like this is a sentiment I’ve heard a lot the past few elections, but this year’s election really does feel like some sort of tipping point to me. Things have become so increasingly polarized, and honestly, I am very worried if a certain candidate wins and what will happen to our nation after. But even the idea of them losing fills me with dread, because I can’t imagine how their supporters might react. And obviously, there’s the war in the Middle East that’s [weighing] on my, and a lot of people’s, minds this election, and I guess it’s hard to feel hope. This election’s going to decide how the start of my adult life is going to be, my college years, and maybe even more, so it feels like I have a lot to lose.” —Marzuk Rashid, senior

“Maybe this is just because I am more aware of current events now than I was in the last election, but the stakes feel so much higher. For several issues like climate change, four years is too long to have a president that won’t make the necessary steps to help. With so many problems in the world—two wars, just as a start—it is critical that we have a president who will make the right choices not for themself but for the world as a whole. But maybe what makes this election feel the most different is that people really care about both candidates—not many people were super excited about Joe Biden. Tons of people are excited about Kamala Harris.” —Ada Gordon, junior

“This year’s election feels different from previous elections in the respect that there have been remarkable shifts in political developments and fortunes throughout the race, and all of this is as we come of age into the political process. This creates the feeling of uniqueness from previous elections, which is amplified by heightened polarization and possibly significantly decreased polarization along racial lines. These changes in the political environment, including within Stuyvesant, also make the election feel different for many Stuyvesant students as well. As a result, there is a uniqueness to this election that does not necessarily make the election entirely resemble 2016 or 2020, even if there are many parallels.” —Muhib Muhib, senior

“There's a feeling of malaise in the air but I don’t think either candidate can fix it. Even though by many metrics the economy's doing well, things still don't feel great and ironically I feel that political polarization is even worse this particular election, which isn't great considering this is also probably going to be a very important one.” —Albert Chen, senior 

TEACHERS

“This election has been wilder than past elections, with many big developments such as the assassination attempt on Trump and Biden dropping out. I think the fact that there’s only been one debate between Trump and Harris and both candidates are instead relying on appearances at town halls and podcasts to spread their message reflects how Americans on different sides of politics are talking to each other less and talking to people within their own echo chamber, more.” —Fang Wang, Economics teacher