I Asked 17 Americans How 2020 Affected Their Votes, And The Responses Are As Split As The Country
Less than a month until the presidential election, what current events of this year have acted as dealbreakers or dealmakers for voters?
I am not the first person, (nor will I be the last individual), who has pegged 2020 as the butt of all of my apathetic jokes.
Qualitatively, 2020 has contained a myriad of surreal current events that made national news feel irrevocably intertwined with personal life.
But, quantitatively, how do the stirring movements and standstill moments shape up? Starting with a small scope of participants, can we measure if 2020 and all of its tumultuousness shifted folks' beliefs and behaviors?
That inquiry is what I set out to answer with a survey. I asked people from all over the country, between the ages of 19 to 60, to reflect on how wider society affected their individual democratic decisions.
Domestic Litigation:
The question posed: has the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on January 16, 2020 changed how you will vote in November?
Foreign Affairs:
The question posed: has the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in January changed how you will vote in November?
Public Health:
The question posed: has the COVID-19 pandemic changed how you will vote in November?
Economic Matters:
The question posed: has the economic recession since March changed how you will vote in November?
Information Sourcing Through Social Media:
The question posed: has your consumption of social media (Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, etc.) changed how you will vote in November?
Racial Equity & Criminal Justice Systems:
The question posed: has the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in June of 2020 changed how you will vote in November?