Election Day 2024 is almost upon us, a fact that’s almost impossible to escape as the nonstop wave of political advertising proliferates all media.
It’s no secret that many horse-race-obsessed news outlets focus coverage on the candidates themselves or the rush of swing state polls. But what about the issues that motivate voters, especially the youngest ones? This, after all, is the demographic that’ll have to live with '24 electoral outcomes the longest—for better or worse. Racket spoke with five 20-something voters from Minnesota, hoping to get a sense of what issues—not candidate personality traits or soundbites—matter the most to them.
Here’s what they had to say.
Kate Larson
29, from Jefferson, Iowa, resides in Minneapolis as a social worker
On voting in Iowa, where she grew up and attended college, vs. voting in Minnesota…
In Iowa, I voted to survive, and in Minnesota, I’m voting to thrive. I feel like living in this state, I perpetually am apologizing for Iowa and specifically [Republican Iowa Gov.] Kim Reynolds's mistakes. I feel like in our state I am able to better discuss concerns that I have about my life, my job, and my career as well as issues that I feel are personal to me and other people I am working with.”
On Minneapolis School Board elections…
Through schools, I’ve been looking a lot and making sure that I’m electing someone who isn’t restricting what kids can and cannot learn in schools. I want to make sure that where kids go if I ever choose to have kids and they go to school, they can read whatever books they want to read.
On abortion…
People have the right to be seen and have the right to their own autonomy to have a good environment, a good place to live. Nobody should be scared that they’re going to die that day because whatever else is happening and I think that making sure women’s health care is important in the United States.
On Israel-Palestine…
There hasn’t been good, comprehensive conversation on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Israel occupying Palestine, and just how unjust it is. To me, there hasn’t been good dialogue with some of our elected leaders on what we should be doing. Why aren’t we holding Israel accountable? Why aren’t we having more honest conversations about what’s happening? Why aren’t we educating the public about what’s happening?
Martin Santiago Ojeda
21, from White Bear Lake, resides in Minneapolis as a U of M student studying Cinema & Media Culture and Communications
On University of Minnesota student/administration relations regarding university funds going to Israel…
It’s just really important because it shows where the university stands and the lack of commitment they are making to reduce funds or cut any ties relating to funding the genocide. It looks bad on the U of M, and I feel like I don’t personally like that I am in a system that is funding a genocide either directly or indirectly. I think hopefully with enough petitions and enough pressure from the student body that divestment will happen sooner than later.
On immigration laws and treatment of immigrants…
I come from a family of immigrants, so just seeing how one party is trying to revitalize a lot of the anti-immigration reform and xenophobic bills... It’s hurtful and it sucks because it’s not what America was built on. America was built on immigrants and slave labor and I feel like one candidate is pushing away from the good immigrants bring. It’s just creating a hostile environment in America, and I feel like the other party, with Kamala Harris, she has these visions to bring reform and progress to the immigration system. Because it still isn’t perfect and it takes time to put in the policies she’s mentioned which are hopefully for the betterment of immigration reform, but only time will tell.
On semiconductor investments…
[Democratic Minnesota Sen.] Amy Klobuchar, she’s trying to heavily invest in semiconductors and trying to build a more technologically focused industry, like a hub. And I think that would be very beneficial for the medical sector, and other sectors in Minneapolis. So I think her push for diversifying the economy is very valuable for Minnesotans.
Michael Michelizzi
26, from and resides in Hermantown as an educator
On the Hermantown School Board…
One of the outgoing members of the school board is the board chair… we’re coming into [union] negotiations again here in the spring. There’s just a lot of focus because, especially for me as an educator, those are my employers essentially, those are the people we report to. That’s what I’m paying attention to the most locally and making sure that the candidates who end up there are the ones who are going to be best for educators.
On the economy…
Wages are not going up, at least where you’re feeling a real impact at the grocery store or at the gas station. The biggest issue at the forefront, for me, is that no matter who’s in the White House or taking control of the House or Senate, the biggest issue is how are we actually making sure that the average American can afford to live in this country.
On the preservation of democracy…
The most important issue for me this election at the national level is preserving democracy. Whatever that looks like, we need to be electing candidates that are willing to concede defeat. But also candidates who are willing to commit to putting interest at will to preserve and protect democracy moving forward.
Cedric Banzeba
22, from St. Michael, resides in Minneapolis as a U of M student studying IT infrastructure
On race relations in St. Michael-Albertville…
It’s more diverse than it was five or six years ago, but I believe there’s still a stigma that they don’t want people of color there. It’s a thing that’s really awful, that people don’t really speak up against it or do anything about it. They just let it happen because they’re afraid of being ridiculed and being hated for what they believe in. It’s more or less like you had to tip-toe around to get by.
On race relations throughout greater Minnesota…
It’s usually small towns where if you go there and look different, it seems like they don’t even see you as human in a way. I feel like going to these towns and teaching and telling them about different cultures, something like that to make it more welcoming in a way. I want a plan where there’s something that someone or a community can do that makes these towns not have that stigma where they don’t want you there.
On the economy for new college grads…
When it comes to what’s tied to what I specifically want, it’s more on the finances of being able to find a way to pay through college, then finding a way to buy a house or get a car. With everything so expensive right now, it’s really difficult to live comfortably in our time. If there was a way, on the national level, to ease that or find a way to get by. Because you can have two jobs and still not find ways to make due.
Mary Ducaji
26, from Springfield, Illinois, resides in Rochester as a health care professional
On the economy…
The economy and inflation, cost of living… it’s insane, it’s crazy. I’ve always been someone who has wanted to start a family and have lots of kids. And right now, looking at that with the future, I am kind of thinking how am I going to be able to afford having multiple children with the current state that the economy is in? I mean, going to get gas and having the gas be three, four dollars, or eggs are four dollars. The little things are adding up. Just going to the grocery store and getting a week's worth, or not even a week's worth of groceries, and having the bill come close to a hundred dollars is a little soul-crushing.
On the homelessness in Rochester…
I definitely think there are better ways to address homelessness [than a ban on camping on public property within Rochester]. I don’t see a problem, necessarily, that people have to camp out at various places. I definitely think there are better ways that they could solve it.
On political division in America…
They are just a couple of things that I’m seeing and doing research on, who the best candidate will be for that. Who’s going to lead us in a good direction as a nation and who’s going to unite the people of America again? Because I feel like we’re all so divided more with each new election, and everyone just keeps getting more divided on issues and not living up to our name as the United States of America.
