Thousands of newly-minted voters at WashU will cast their ballots in one of their first major elections in November. With presidential candidates who are nearly neck-and-neck according to recent polls and contentious state issues such as abortion and sports gambling on Missouri’s ballot, how are WashU’s newest voters feeling about the upcoming 2024 election?

Sophomore Lauren Ferrari, originally from Oklahoma and voting for the first time in November, said this election is a momentous occasion for the nation but also for herself.

“It’s a token of adulthood,” Ferrari said.

First-year and first-time voter, Hayden Jingst, while excited to vote, was worried about registering to vote for the first time.

“It was kind of nerve-wracking because I didn’t want to mess anything up,” Jingst said. 

With registration out of the way, first-year Kelly Quick is excited to have her voice heard despite not feeling set on one candidate.

“I feel like there’s not really an option where I’m like 100%, but I think that’s just the nature of how things are,” Quick said. “If I didn’t participate, then I think that would be a lot worse.”

To sophomore Josef Westberg, who is originally from Missouri and previously voted in Missouri’s 1st District Democratic primary, voting is a direct way to impact our governments.

“Part of what makes this country profound is that we influence what it is,” Westberg said. “The ability to directly influence the way in which your life is governed is something that’s not taken seriously, and it ought to be.”

Quick said her vote in this upcoming election will allow her and many new voters on campus to make an impact on issues that they care about.

“You spend so much time in high school and just like in your personal life researching these issues and coming up with your own stance, and now you can finally have a little bit of an impact on the world,” Quick said.