Students have always been an important population of young voters. According to The Wisco Project, students historically have had a large impact on elections. They state that students had the largest impact on the 2023 state Supreme Court election over any other demographic. 

This year, students, especially in Wisconsin, have the chance to make another huge impact. 

Henry Doncavage, an organizer with the Human Rights Campaign, is currently working with the College Democrats Chapter at UW-Eau Claire.

“Wisconsin is one of the most crucial states … we’re getting visits from these campaigns because they know it’s important,” Doncavage said. 

Voters are feeling the importance that Eau Claire’s impact will have on all parties in the election. 

“I would even go further in saying Eau Claire is very crucial in the election, looking at the state of Wisconsin, the major cities that impact the election or Eau Claire, Madison and Milwaukee,” said Tatiana Boborwicz, president of UW-Eau Claire College Republicans.  

Bobrowicz said Eau Claire is very split on most issues, and the campus tends to lean blue but there are red pockets in the rural parts of Eau Claire.

“You just need a couple hundred votes to change it between red and blue, and so Madison is usually pretty solid blue and same with Milwaukee, but Eau Claire changes a little, so I think it is one of the most vital cities in the country,” Bobrowicz said. 

Researchers at Statistica analyzed U.S. Census data to estimate that Gen Z and millennials will make up around 48.5% of eligible voters in the 2024 Presidential Election. According to the study, Gen Z and Millennial voters are estimated to make up the majority of eligible voters in the U.S. by 2028.

Doncavage said Eau Claire not only holds power in the presidential election but in more local elections that will have a heavy impact on student life. 

“A lot of power is running through Eau Claire right now … all of Eau Claire and the surrounding areas are super key in not only the presidential race because it’s going to be a tight one,” Doncavage said. “But also super high impacts on the senate race, the congressional race and the assembly district, giving Eau Claire and UW-Eau Claire students the power to gain representation.”  

According to Doncavage, students in Wisconsin, especially Eau Claire, have the responsibility to vote for their futures. 

According to Tufts Circle, more than 8 million Gen Z citizens have reached the age of 18 since the 2022 midterms. 

“There is a lot of hope coming,” Dancavage said. “People are voting based on the hope that we will be able to create a more unified group of young people and a more unified country.” 

Doncavage said students who are scared of the outcome of this election should go to the polls and do something about it. 

“There is a lot of fear for students … there are a lot of threats to our friends, our neighbors, our peers, our classmates,” Doncavage said. 

According to Bobrowicz, no matter what party you are in, there is a lot of fear for this election. 

“I think there is a lot of fear for the outcome of the election, and I think that fear motivates students to take action,” Bobrowicz said. 

According to Bobrowicz, students need to get involved in the political process. She emphasized how much students’ votes matter because they are U.S. citizens and it’s their right. 

Bobrowicz also stated how young people are going to be the most impacted by this election. 

“Not only are we affected by it now but we are going to be affected by it in the future,” Bobrowicz said. 

Tufts Circle authors stated that this generation of electors is the most diverse in history. “The diversity of this age group presents both challenges and opportunities to expand the electorate and build a more representative democracy.” 

Doncavage emphasized how students will be the ones to face the aftermath of this election, he said it is vital for young people to vote and get involved in politics because voting is power. 

“It’s our future we’re talking about, whether it be climate change, LGBTQ rights, labor rights, women’s rights, reproductive rights,” Doncavage said. “It’s our future, and young people are going to be impacted the longest out of any voting generation. We can’t just give up that power and not vote.”  

Freeman can be reached at [email protected].