Voter Fatigue Is Sweeping Across Grounds – How Can We Leave It Behind?

It’s no secret that the 2024 presidential election has Americans on the edge of their seats. With my first month at UVA coming to an end, I’ve become keenly aware of the apprehension in the air. From voter registration drives to presidential debate watch parties to the constant barrage of polling updates on social media, the urgency of the upcoming election is palpable.

Political discourse has become tiring in the past four years, with a worldwide pandemic contributing to partisan gridlock and divisions deeper than ever. On Grounds, there are conflicting opinions on whether President Ryan must take a solid stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and whether university tour guides are too free in their speech about the University’s past. The silence among students has become almost intolerable; it’s as if the right to disagree has become too much to bear in the current political climate. 

This fall marks a significant milestone for many students–the first presidential election we get to participate in. The added excitement of having a younger female candidate makes it all the more momentous. It’s a refreshing change from the traditional candidates and speeches we’re used to. However, we’ve allowed politics to become a weapon of ridicule and humiliation rather than a tool for policy implementation. We’re overwhelmed by a deluge of information, exhausting ourselves to the point of disillusionment and retreating into our echo chambers, rarely venturing into the world of the opposing party. 

Understanding the political atmosphere should make us feel informed and empowered. So, why are young voters already fatigued? Isn’t exercising one’s right to vote for the first time exhilarating? Shouldn’t a new candidate bring in a breath of fresh air? My time on Grounds has shown me that first-time voters are feeling quite the opposite. 

Young voters feel so disillusioned by the partisan gridlock that they find it hard to see a clear-cut path forward. Our candidates offer few solutions to Gen Z’s most prominent problems and instead focus on the other party’s shortcomings. 

Americans are tired of the onslaught of politics, and our apathy to voting grows stronger by the minute due to the swaths of information thrown at us. Yet politics informs every aspect of our lives. The prospect of exercising one of our inalienable rights as citizens of the United States feels like an insurmountable task, and we’re left to once again choose the lesser of two evils on the ballot.

However, as the accomplished student body of UVA, we must be active participants in implementing the change we want to see. We must vote. How can we seize control and bring about the change we desire, both on Grounds and in the political sphere? We must grapple with this question to overcome the obstacles imposed by the current political climate. It’s tempting to believe that we can voice our opinions and impose substantial change in the political arena. However, we have much to learn to become informed political participants.

I am inspired by the number of outlets for political discourse on Grounds, whether through Politics Corners in residential colleges, political party clubs, or the Center for Politics. These opportunities offer a haven for students to connect across partisan divides and informal settings for peer discussions, equipping students with tools to understand and shape political discourse. These outlets help us navigate this troubled world merely by conversing with our peers. There’s more hope for the future than what meets the eye. We must leave our fatigue behind to move forward, and student organizations offer a clear pathway to active participation. Collaboration and, in some instances, commiseration can inspire us to fulfill our duty to vote and choose who represents our nation. From Grounds to the national stage, we must not lose sight of our objective: vote to implement the change we want to see. 

How do we not take the right to vote for granted–the one our Revolutionary, Civil Rights, and Suffragette predecessors fought tirelessly for? The right and responsibility to vote are not known for being historically accessible. How can we find a path forward? In Mr. Jefferson’s words, “The influence over government must be shared among all the people.” This is the political climate we’re to inherit. Apathetic attitudes and the making of history are not synonymous, meaning we must be vigilant and resolute in implementing the change we want, as we always have. We must focus on creating foundations for discussion without drowning the other side out, and not fall prey to exhaustion and pessimism. Voter fatigue cannot win.