By Olivia Turner | Arts & Life Editor
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Behind a metal barrier in front of the U.S. Capitol building on the National Mall congregated a crowd of both Trump devotees and detractors on Monday morning. This jumble of red hats, Trump t-shirts and occasional hints of blue contained people of all ages awaiting the moment president-elect Donald Trump would be sworn in, from children sitting on the shoulders of siblings and parents to get a better view to seniors leaning on canes. Rare, but indeed present, were youth voters witnessing a moment in history in which they had a say in for the first time in their lives.
The passion to support the nearly-inaugurated president-elect was enough to bring first-time voters like 21-year-old Carsten Hicks out in the freezing temperatures.
“Everyone knows the name ‘Trump,’” Hicks said. “It’s a pretty historic thing that’s gonna be laid down into the history books.”
Hailing from Richville, Wash., and a student at Marymount University, Hicks said his motivations for voting red involved concern for the future of the U.S. economy, a distaste for the lack of action in office by President Joe Biden and the upholding of his Christian values.
Similar to Hicks, 19-year-old Olivia McClain from San Bernardino, Calif., said she chose to vote for Trump – a choice she felt best aligned with her Christian faith. Despite the relocation of the swearing-in ceremony to the inside of the Capitol, McClain said she viewed her presence on the National Mall as “an opportunity.”
“I voted for this,” McClain said. “I was a part of this even though I’m one in a million voters.”
Even rarer among the Monday morning crowd were Democratic youth voters, such as 18-year-old Olivia Mikelson from Chicago. Amid the energy and excitement surrounding her, she described her take on the tone of the event as “solemn.”
As a first-time voter who rooted for Vice President Kamala Harris in the election, Mikelson said she hopes that despite the tension between parties, policy will be prioritized by President Trump.
“I hope that he protects the rights of marginalized people, of women, and that it goes smoothly,” she said.
Mikelson said she believes that this time around first-time voters helped to shape much of the political atmosphere surrounding the election, and that they will continue to do so throughout the next four years by bringing issues to light via media platforms and protests.
For 19-year-old August from Edwards, Colo., who declined to give his full name, the polarization between parties has become unavoidably obvious, especially when comparing the ideology of many of the youths in the crowd to that of his fellow students at American University.
“None of my friends wanted to come out because it is kind of sad in its own way, but I still think it’s important to witness something like this,” August said.
Even though he didn’t vote for Trump, August said his role as an army cadet has led him to hope for the president to bring peace and unity to the country.
“I’m just really worried in general,” he said. “I’m praying the worst doesn’t come because [Trump] has switched back on some of these previous policies. I have no idea what he’s gonna do… my hope is just that he does the right thing and doesn’t use his force for anything that would be unnecessary.”
Despite the differences in political parties and ideologies of these first-time voters, each of them emphasized one commonality: unity.
McClain said her hopes and expectations for the next four years involve international peace, for Trump to not let America be a “laughingstock” and for Americans to remain kind and accepting, even with opposing views.
Likewise, Hicks said he is upset by the political division and arguments. Hicks hopes instead that more understanding conversations can be had between people of differing ideas and that youth voters can help take the reins on these kind of mending behaviors, he said.
“I’m hoping for people to become united again,” Hicks said. “I want to see people thrive.”
