First-time Iowa voters eager for say in election

The chance to have a voice in who gets to be president, fighting for what is right, seeing a new generation make a difference and watching as states change to red or blue — all reasons young people say are reasons they intend to be first-time voters next month.

'I'm most excited to be able to express my choices and have a say in who leads our country,' said one of these new voters, Elena Foster, 21, an Iowa State University senior from Solon.

'I think my generation has an immense power to change the world that our children will grow up in through acceptance and love. It (the earth) is changing so rapidly, and diversity is so prevalent in these modern times. The issues in this election are extremely relevant to young people today.'

And those young people seem ready for action. IowaWatch interviewed more than two dozen incoming voters to discover what people in this generation are passionate about, what they believe it means to be able to vote and the importance of voting.

VOICING OPINIONS, MAKING DECISIONS

According to Henry J. Aaron, a senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, this presidential election is one of the most important events in American history.

Many voters are on edge, believing that choosing between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton sets a long-term fate for the United States, and many young voters IowaWatch interviewed were conflicted over deciding what the right choice is for them.

Nickolas Malone, 18, a freshman at the University of Illinois-Chicago who is from Riverside, Ill., said he's split on which decision coincides with his beliefs.

'I have strong liberal political leanings, but I'm incredibly disappointed by my real options going into the election,' Malone said. 'I'm torn on whether I should vote for Clinton, likely another four to eight years of stagnation under a woman I'm not entirely sure we can trust; or Trump, four to eight years of absolute chaos; or if I should throw the vote on principle.'

As questions about trust spiral through Malone's mind, fear also is fresh in the thoughts of these first-time voters.

'My views on the election are that this election is scary. We have a possible racist candidate and a criminal as the other,' said Aaron Carter, 18, a freshman at the University of Missouri who is from Iowa City, stating accusations the campaigns have made about their opponent.

'I don't understand how the primaries didn't select the best candidates for the job, but it makes me very concerned about our political process in the United States. I am voting for (Libertarian candidate) Gary Johnson even though I am a Republican because I am completely disgusted with both candidates.'

Nate Disterhoft, 18, a senior at Iowa City West High School, said he views both Clinton and Trump as unsuited.

'I am a moderate and tend to sway a little bit toward the right. I'm usually a very moderate Republican but if one candidate is clearly better than the other I can sway to the other side,' Disterhoft said. 'I'm a little upset that this is the first year I can vote and the candidates in my opinion are of such low quality and resort to more mud slinging than actual politics.'

Emma Christison, 18, a freshman at University of Tampa in Florida, said that despite her unease about the candidates, she has decided who gets her vote. It will be Clinton.

'I am a liberal, and I think Donald Trump is pretty exhausting to listen to,' Christison said. 'She would be the first female president. The fact that she is willing to help families and women makes a huge contrast to Donald Trump who has some really disrespectful views toward women through tweets and actions.'

But Micah Smith, 18, an Iowa City West High senior, said that after long thought, has decided to go for Trump.

'I know what my political views are and a lot of that comes from my parents and my family and what they believe, and it also coincides with my religious beliefs,' Smith said.

The biggest factor in this election for Smith is who gets to appoint U.S. Supreme Court justices, he said. 'Hillary is obviously going to appoint people who are pro-choice and pro-gay rights and looking at that I would probably vote against Hillary. So I am voting for Trump for that reason because that, in my mind, is the biggest lasting effect that would affect my life and the life of my children, and that is a big deal to me.'

WHAT IT MEANS TO VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME

Being granted the right to vote is a privilege gained after turning 18 and an important part of adulthood, those who were interviewed said.

Luz Brule, 18, a senior at West Irondequoit in Rochester, N.Y., was looking forward to it.

'Now that I can vote, I can choose a president that I believe is better, and I can have a voice,' Brule said. 'By voting it gives me more to say and I am able to express my opinion.'

Blake Florian, 18, of Las Vegas West Career and Technical Academy in Nevada, said voting means being responsible and independent.

'Being an adult means a lot of different things. I feel that if you are able to do everything on your own, you're an adult,' he said. 'So being able to vote for the first time, and on my own, makes me more of an adult.'

Florian said he sees his vote as an extension of his First Amendment right to free speech. 'We should be proud and lucky to live in a country where we are able to practice such things,' he said.

Iowa City West High senior Molly Howes, 18, said responsibility comes with the right.

'Now that I can finally vote, I think it's more important for me to be educated in my decision making because it is not just a vote,' Howes said. 'My say can determine what my state says, and then my state can determine who wins the presidency. So it is a pretty big responsibility, and you worry about making the right choice and all the people who it is going to effect.'

Cole Piercy, 18, a senior at Iowa City West High, said voting ensures that others will listen to what he has to say.

'Now that I can vote, it means that I am now more important to society than I was before,' Piercy said. 'Just the fact that you are an adult means that people are now willing to listen to what I have to say about certain topics, instead of just completely turning me down because I wasn't an adult.'

IOWA'S POTENTIAL FOR YOUNG VOTER INFLUENCE

The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement gives Iowa the highest 'Youth Electoral Significance Index' score among the 50 states. This score is obtained by researching youth voting patterns and trends, as well as analyzing the youth influence on 2012 and 2014 statewide races.

Autumn Moen, 18, a University of Iowa freshman from Iowa City, said no one should take the right to vote as an Iowan youth for granted.

'This is a super weird election in which a lot of people don't want to vote, but I think the only reason for not voting is if someone really doesn't care at all,' Moen said. 'I think people don't want to vote for either candidate but voting for the lesser of two evils is still better than not voting. Everyone should be voting.'

Grace Young, 18, a freshman at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., said there is no excuse not to join this group of incoming voters in November.

'Registering to vote is easier than watching Beyoncé's Formation music video online, unless you have the page bookmarked maybe. So many websites have links to the voter reg sites, there are people on your doorstep, on your phone, all over,' Young, from Kalona, said.

'You probably wouldn't even have to write, just tell them your info and shazam. There really is no excuse to not be registered.'

Fenna Semken is a junior at Iowa City West High School where she writes and edits for the West Side Story school paper. This article was produced by Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism-IowaWatch.org, a non-profit, online news website that collaborates with Iowa news organizations to produce explanatory and investigative reporting.