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Democracy and reproductive health were top concerns for Onondaga County voters casting their ballots in the 2024 United States general elections, several voters told The Daily Orange Tuesday.

Polls in New York state were open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, which marked the first time several Syracuse University students voted in a general election. Many polls projected this race to yield a historically close result. Both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s campaigns viewed first-time voters as essential to victory.

The D.O. spoke with voters outside of polling places on SU’s campus and throughout the city of Syracuse on Election Day. Most cited reproductive freedom as the main factor driving their choice of candidate.

Aaliyah Baynart, an SU sophomore, said she was voting for the right to her own bodily autonomy. She also said racial inequality was an important factor in her decision for president and she hopes the next person to hold the office will prioritize women’s rights.

Deborah Dohne, a professor in SU’s School of Art, and Erika Burghardt, a Syracuse local, also said they voted to protect women’s reproductive rights.

Anna O’Halloran, a sophomore at SUNY ESF, echoed Dohne and Burghardt’s points, and added that environmental issues also influenced her decision.

“Definitely abortion rights, as a young woman, that was pretty much my biggest one,” O’Halloran said. “Also as an environmental student, I looked at some of the environmental issues we’re facing right now and which candidates would better suit fixing those problems.”

Harrison Vogt, a first-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in sustainability at SU, said environmental policy was the most important issue on the ballot for him as a young adult preparing for a career in environmental protection.

One SU senior, who requested to be unnamed, said that she was unsatisfied with both candidates’ response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. She said neither Harris nor Trump have agreeable plans for ending the conflict or defending Palestinian rights. The student said she decided to vote for Harris because she views Trump as “dangerous.”

Other voters shared similar sentiments and said they voted based on the candidates’ characters. Hussein, an SU sophomore who chose not to share his last name, said he was voting against Trump.

Roger Redmond, a 63-year-old Syracuse resident, said he voted to protect the U.S. Constitution.

“I’m concerned with the last election,” Redmond said. “January 6 was incited by one individual … to be able to have someone again on the ballot that opposed the Constitution, to me, is totally un-American.”

Monica Shworles, a voter from the Outer Comstock neighborhood, said she cast her ballot in hopes of pushing back on “government overstep.” She expressed concern about how much time politicians spend in Washington, D.C., and said she wants to see her government representatives spend more time in the communities they serve.

“We were founded as a country where elected officials were supposed to have a full-time job, and they would go to Washington D.C. once a year,” Shworles said. “It’s gotten to the point where this is their full-time job … we need to roll it back to community first.”

One voter, who described herself as the only Republican on the board of Central Current, said she was voting for Trump because she felt that Harris had been ineffective during her four years as vice president.

Another voter said she was voting for Trump because she wanted to protect free speech and uphold family values. She also said she was concerned with Harris’ pro-choice stance on abortion.

Kiran Hubbard, an SU junior majoring in biology, said that she voted based on issues surrounding healthcare. Hubbard also said she came to the polls because she believes it’s important for students to exercise their right to vote as soon as they’re eligible.

“We all have kind of a duty to exercise that right once we turn 18 because that’s the way that we can be the most representative, especially in local elections,” Hubbard said. “People should have their voice heard and make sure that the people that are getting elected to government are actually reflecting what the people want.”

Many college students casting their ballots for the first time said they recognized the importance of this election and felt stressed for the future of the U.S.

Published on November 6, 2024 at 12:14 am

Contact Henry: hdaley@syr.edu