Jay Doherty, Staff Writer
At Latin, there are many politically interested students who have a variety of different motives when it comes to discussion around public affairs. While many freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are politically informed, few of them actually have the opportunity to exert direct influence over the polls in a national election. 
This year, though, many current juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to vote in the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election. This year’s 2020 race presents a bevy of candidates, many of whom share different opinions on how to resolve the world’s most pressing issues. 
There is lots to choose from in the Presidential race this election season. Americans are faced with a wide array of issues to resolve, and these candidates present unique solutions to tackle all of them. In a world of misleading headlines, subjective articles, and human nature’s inherent desire to confirm their own bias,  it is crucial for young voters to inform themselves about the candidate they vote for before filling out their ballot.
Sophomore Naomi Altman feels it is best to consume a variety of sources in order to achieve the greatest level of fairness. She always makes sure to “check a few sources; a few conservative, a few liberal, just to get both sides’ opinions.” She goes on to say, “I will think about which candidates I would vote for. I think the strategy of getting lots of different viewpoints on a common issue, will really help me when I am able to vote.”
Junior Brendan Meyers, a HUSH student interested in politics, believes “it is a moral responsibility to vote.” He says, “The whole point of Democracy is to get your vote into it, so if you are not doing it, you are not making Democracy work.”
Will Benford, a conservative sophomore, feels similarly about the moral duty to vote. He says, “in this country, in order to have a just, fair election, everyone must vote so that we can ensure the President elected is truly representative of the people.”
Will also thinks that “before an election year, we should have assemblies where we bring in speakers to debate or give presentations. This way, kids will really start to understand what is going on in our country because most Latin students make claims without reading the news. Also, people would be interested in these assemblies. It also shows how Latin is willing to let their students hear other opinions which would be a first.”
The issue of politics and direct political interaction is divisive at Latin. All Americans should aspire to freely and openly perceive the facts, connect them to their values, and then vote as this is the only way Democracy is able to succeed. If a student is able to look at the facts objectively and then  acutely connect those facts to their pre-existing values and then use their education to link those values to a presidential candidate, voting will prove to be a painless task.