If you somehow missed every news report, campaign commercial or twitter feud due to living under a rock or overseas — then boy do we have some news for you! On Tuesday, November 8th, the American people will vote to elect the 44th President to lead for the next four years. For many high school students like myself, this is the first election we have been old enough to follow closely. High schoolers today are in a tricky position as they consider the hypotheticals of the Voter Card that is just out of reach. Elections have a funny way of forcing people into jumping to the left or to the right, because whether they agree completely or not, they are thrust into a box. The distinct parties, each carrying their own stigma of followers and beliefs, have assisted and challenged many people in a self-search toward how they feel about many issues and then how willing they are to stand up for what they believe in.  Election season may have brought you clarity as to who your neighbors really are, by which campaign signs they dare to post in their yards or by how passionate your technologically challenged family member feels about a particular candidate’s actions based on their explicit Facebook posts.

People more seasoned than I have said that this election is “one for the books,” although I am not sure whether that is a positive or negative thing. The future of our country is about to be decided and will be drastically shaped by the events of the this week. Watching a country grow and experiencing the future rushing in is equal parts exciting and disheartening. Simply put by our own Coach McCullough, “You would think that in a country of our size, we could find better options for candidates.” Coach then went on to detail his own personal aspirations of a presidential campaign in the next election. While simultaneously following all the ridiculous scandal and drama between the candidates, and the high school scandal and drama, I have tragically noticed there are many parallels. The presidential debates sound much too similar to my bickering friends at lunchtime.

It can be frustrating for most of the high schoolers who cannot vote, and therefore have no say in the treatment of the country they will inherit. For those few who are old enough to vote, it can be disappointing looking at the choices you are forced to choose between on your first ballot. The Journalism department here on campus has developed a plan to both educate the students who do have the responsibility of voting on the process in which their vote will be counted, and to give the students who are underage a taste of thinking for themselves in hopes of improving the nation.

On Tuesday, students and teachers will get the opportunity to thoughtfully place a vote for a candidate. Each grade will represent a state and will have an appropriate number of “electoral college” votes, whose number will be based on population of the class and who will be represented by the class leaders. The teachers will be an equal state with the administration making up their electoral college. The voting will be done anonymously and electronically to ensure fairness with no rigging…from either party. Votes will be tallied and a winner will be announced. The school election is predicted to not be as close of a race as the national one seems to be, but they do say that the polls are always unreliable. The public will have to be wait and be surprised on Tuesday when the votes are in and the next person given the honor of leading the free world is announced. Until then, become informed best you can and prepare to cast your vote for all it is worth!