Students, teachers and voters of all ages discuss the election

Eliana Johnson, Editor-in-Chief • November 25, 2024

On November 5th, 2024 millions of Americans used their voice and cast their ballots for the 2024 presidential election. Not only were presidential candidates on the ballot, but so were numerous senators, representatives, judges, and local politicians. However, the 2024 presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump was the most prominent of these voting decisions.

Out of a poll of 252 Stockbridge students, 199 said that they would vote for Trump, while only 53 said that they would vote for Harris. (Eliana Johnson)

The election caused a nationwide stir, and talk of the election permeated Stockbridge High School’s walls. Students and faculty alike discussed the impending election with both trepidation and excitement. Among these were a select group of first-time senior voters who would be utilizing their newfound power for the first time. Samantha Cowan, a senior first-time voter, was excited to vote and encourages others to do the same.
“I like knowing that my voice is heard,” Cowan said. “If you want to make a change, you should vote.”

Nick Graves, another senior voter, decided to educate himself on who to vote for with a mix of both his values and people close to him.
“Values influenced my decision and my girlfriend also helped me learn as well,” Graves said.
These sentiments were echoed by Math Interventions teacher, Mike DeMint, who has long had experience with voting, having voted in 15 presidential elections. DeMint urges everyone to vote, as he explains how it offers people a voice.
“It’s important to vote because by voting, you help put into office those people that you feel fit, “ DeMint said. Similarly, Freshman English teacher, Cathy Payne, also urges everyone to vote.
“It is our civic duty and right to vote,” Payne said. “Every citizen in this country has a voice, and that’s a really powerful thing.”
If the MAGA hats and the “let’s go Brandon” shirts weren’t enough evidence for any outsider to guess Stockbridge’s political views, numbers speak the truth. Out of a poll of 252 Stockbridge students, 199 said that they would vote for Donald J. Trump if they were eligible to vote, and 53 said they would vote for Kamala D. Harris.

While Michigan’s presidential election ballot results did not mimic the drastic landslide that students prophesied, President Trump did win with a narrow 49.7% of votes.
Helping secure his agenda, Michigan voters found his According to the Washington Post, Trump supports letting states decide whether or not to make abortion legal, believes that climate change is not making the weather worse, aims to have gun shops require background checks for consumers, lowered tax rates for wealthy corporations and Americans, does not believe in canceling student loan debt and believes in deporting undocumented immigrants.

Whether people voted for said policies or not, Payne believes that the most important civic duty any citizen can exercise is the right to vote.
“There are people who, centuries ago, they died for that right to be able to have a voice and choose who led us, whether it’s a representative or a representative at the state level, or a governor at the state level, or a senator or a President of the United States,” Payne said.

About the Contributors

Eliana Johnson, Editor-in-Chief

Eliana Johnson is a senior this year and is Uncaged’s Editor-in-Chief. Eliana is a four-year varsity cross-country runner and has been the captain of her team for the past few years. Eliana has also run track for the duration of her high school career. Eliana is FFA’s Vice President, as well as a Student Council Executive Officer and NHS member. Eliana is the recipient of two congressional recognitions and has an academic paper with her FFA research team published in Harvard’s academic database. Eliana loves spending time with friends and family, but most importantly, her dog, Toby. In her spare time (if she has any), Eliana enjoys thriller novels, indulging in the greatest movie of all time, “Mean Girls,” cheering on her Michigan Wolverines, and eating copious amounts of Mediterranean food and pasta. Eliana plans to attend community college and then transfer to Spring Arbor to major in psychology in hopes of becoming a lawyer or clinical psychologist. "I dwell in possibility" - Emily Dickinson

Tabby Ward, Reporter

Tabby joined Uncaged as a junior this year. She doesn’t know where she’s going for the year, but she’ll be rolling with it in stride. She loves to write, read, and draw when not doing schoolwork. Tabby doesn’t know what she’s going to do after high school either, but the plan for her is to keep rolling with it until she can get enough money to move to Sweden. She plans to make at least one piece of media in her lifetime, whether it be a novel, comic, show or series revolving around an alien world and cool creatures that reside within. She enjoys talking to her friends when bored and spending quality time with her lovely animals. Lastly of all, Tabby is a caring person that cherishes all of the friends and family she has.