By Alexa Cheaney
A heavy wave of familiarity has settled over campus as Joe Biden and Donald Trump secure their presumptive presidential nominations, setting us up for an electoral rematch this November.
In order for someone to be named the presumptive nominee for their party, they have to gain a certain amount of delegates through winning primary elections.
The Democratic nominee has to have 1,968 delegates, and their Republican counterpart must gather 1,215. Both Biden and Trump passed these thresholds on Tuesday, March 12.
However, despite the fact that both candidates have been performing well in the polls, many Grand Rapids Community College students are less than thrilled with the idea of a 2020 rematch.
“It’s a little tiring that it’s the same as the last election, I feel like there does need to be a change,” said 23-year-old Ionia native Payton Stanci.
Stancil is not alone in her discontentment. Marin Bunner, 24, shared similar feelings with The Collegiate.
“I am discouraged that the candidates are just the same as the last dumpster fire election,” she said.
Bunner then went on to vocalize a concern widely held by Generation Z voters: the ages of the two oldest nominees the nation has ever seen.
“I don’t know how accepted this would be but I am very interested in age limits, like if there’s an age minimum, there should be an age limit on when you could run,” the Traverse City native said. “Because if you (have) the ability to make things into law and into society you should be alive long enough to able to see what happens because of the things you put in place.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the average life expectancy for the American male is 75.3 years old, a number that Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, both passed years ago.
Twenty-two year old Jessica Diaz would also like to see younger candidates.
“I’m pretty sure if we vote Biden, he’s gonna die in office,” said Diaz. “We need to get younger candidates. This is ridiculous”.
Bunner pointed out that the younger generation experiences a deeper sense of relatability to someone who is closer to their age than to that of their grandparents.
“I feel that not only do I think they can relate to things I’m experiencing, for instance, AOC, she was a waitress and a bartender, it wasn’t that long ago either,” said Bunner. “People who are younger actually remember what it’s like to actively be in the common working class”
The current divide between constituent and candidate has discouraged some students from voting altogether.
“I don’t really plan on voting just because I haven’t been keeping up a lot with the elections and it’s just the same thing,” said Diaz. “There are no good options.”
Samantha Lee shared that she is disengaged with the current election, as well.
“Most of the people that I hang out with are like me, they don’t really care,” she said.
Grand Rapids resident Brendan Cranmer reports feeling “not good” about his options but says that he does plan to vote.
“I’m going to vote for who I think is best,” said Cranmer.
Art Major and Grand Rapids native Mason Andrus is also disappointed to see a rerun, but plans to cast his vote anyway.
“I wish it wasn’t candidates that were already elected in the first place, I kinda wish there would be some fresh blood, or at least someone younger,” said Andrus. “I’m not particularly excited, but might as well make my vote count.”
Collegiate Reporters Vanessa Hewitt, Kyree Walker, Tommy Vo and Jamra Harper contributed to this story.
