The upcoming election will be one of the most important in recent history of the United States. Voting occupies people’s minds across the country, regardless of party. Millennials and Gen Z make up a large portion of college students today and are a large demographic in the electorate. The Good Five-Cent Cigar is here to give you a political breakdown of each candidate on their top-six policies that most affect college students. We hope this helps you decide how to vote on Nov. 3.
- COLLEGE: Republican nominee President Donald Trump does not believe in making public colleges tuition-free and has referred to this as a socialist agenda. Democrat nominee, former-Vice President Joe Biden, supports making public colleges tuition-free for families that make less than $125,000 per year.
- MARIJUANA: Biden does not support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana, but supports decriminalizing it and will erase prior marijuana-based convictions. Trump does not support the federal legalization of recreational marijuana.
- GUN CONTROL: Trump does not support a federal ban on assault weapons. Biden supports renewing the U.S.’s assault weapon ban and wants to create a program to buy back the weapons once banned.
- LGBTQ RIGHTS: Biden has introduced a plan to achieve LGBTQ equality. His plan will extend civil rights to support transgender and gay people. Throughout his presidency, Trump has doubled-down on repealing protections for LGBTQ people. He supports the ban he made during his presidency that doesn’t allow openly transgender people to serve in the military.
- CORONAVIRUS: Trump continues to oppose a nationwide mask mandate, and instead gave governors and other state representatives the ability to enact mask legislation for their individual states. He has supported schools fully reopening during the pandemic. Biden supports a nationwide mask mandate. He supports schools reopening during the pandemic if the location is safe enough to do so.
- RACIAL INJUSTICE: Biden does not support defunding the police. Rather, he has advocated for adding another $300 million a year to focus on developing community policing and other reforms throughout the U.S. Biden has publicly supported the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump does not support defunding the police and believes that the majority of law enforcement is doing well as they are. He has publicly referred to the Black Lives Matter movement as “weak” and “a symbol of hate.”
The deadline to request Rhode Island absentee ballots is Oct. 13. Early, in-person voting in Rhode Island will take place from Oct. 14 to Nov. 2. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. throughout Rhode Island on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Check in with your local or state government to make sure you’re registered to vote, request your mail ballot or find your polling location.