By Violet Davis, Norah Lubeck, Tula Winton
Artwork by Tula Winton
This summer kicked off what is perhaps the most intense presidential election of the twenty-first century, influencing millions of voters and engaging younger audiences.
From an attempted assassination to impromptu musical performances, this election has been packed with unpredictable circumstances that have kept Americans at the edge of their seats. Here is the timeline:
- June 27: The debate between former President Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden raised concerns about the ages of both candidates, especially Biden. The candidates disagreed over multiple topics.
Biden stumbled over his arguments and at times lost track of where his statements were headed. The President’s performance left many democratic voters alarmed and doubtful if he had the competence for a second term.
The debate turned into more personal attacks rather than a focus on the political issues at hand. “You have the morals of an alleycat,” Biden told Trump.
- July 13: Thomas Matthew Crooks fired 8 shots at Trump during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shots narrowly missed Trump’s head, nicking his ear, and cascaded into the audience behind him, resulting in one casualty and two people injured, with a famous photo captured of him pumping his fist into the air after the injury before being escorted off stage.
- July 15-18: The Republican National Convention was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Trump spoke about the recent assassination attempt, immigration issues, and his tax plans for the nation. The Convention also featured several star guests, including former wrestler Hulk Rogan and singer Kid Rock.
- July 21: Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race following pressure to step aside after his debate with Trump. Biden immediately endorsed vice president Kamala Harris to replace him as democratic candidate. Harris secured enough delegates to earn the official nomination on August 5.
- August 19-22: The Democratic National Convention was held in the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. During her speech, Harris discussed reproductive rights, the economy, and the war between Israel and Palestine, matters that she has based much of her campaign around.
Key speakers at the convention included former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton as well as North Carolina governor Roy Cooper and Durham mayor Leonardo Williams. There were also musical performances by P!NK and Stevie Wonder.
- September 10: The recent, and potentially most significant election event, was the Presidential Debate. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump engaged in a fast-paced exchange of fierce statements that ultimately ended in a boost of support for Kamala.
The debate covered topics such as immigration, reproductive rights, crime, and international conflicts. Harris described her plans for the American people, emphasizing the importance of moving forward as a country, and quoting her new slogan, “We are not going back.” Meanwhile, Trump spoke more about his past presidency, arguing that issues such as inflation, jobs, immigration, and crime, had improved under his 2016 term.
Several times, the moderator of the debate stepped in to correct Trump, debunking his false claims that immigrants had been eating people’s pets in Ohio, and that Minnesota governor Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, was in favor of a post-birth abortion policy. Harris was also fact-checked later, revealing she had falsely stated that unemployment rates after Trump’s term were the highest since the Great Depression.
- September 15: A second assassination attempt on Donald Trump took place while he was at his golf club in Florida. 58 year old Ryan Wesly Routh was hiding in nearby woods when he was sighted with a rifle by the Secret Service, who opened fire before detaining him. He had been waiting there for the past 12 hours, but never fired a shot. Routh has been charged for illegal ownership of the gun, due to his criminal record, and additional charges are expected soon.
What to watch for in the final 50 days:
- How will young voters impact the election final? Younger audiences are more immersed in the election after Biden chose to drop out of the race. Kamala Harris has gained traction with younger voters through social media. A poll of Riverside students, staff, alumni, and others showed that 67 % of people of the legal voting age plan to vote in this election. Another poll, focusing on the younger audience of Riverside who are not yet 18 showed that 77 % of people plan to vote in future elections. As shown in the polls, the race will be close and the younger population has a significant impact on the election, especially in determining the direction of swing states that are crucial to the candidates success.
- Can Harris maintain the momentum the Democrats have built following Biden’s decision to exit the race? Biden’s drop out of the race resulted in significant changes in the polls of swing states, such as Georgia, where Trump previously had a 4% lead, to just 0.3%. North Carolina had an even greater change following Kamala’s nomination, switching Trump leading by 4.9%, to Kamala inching ahead, now leading by 0.1%. Although Kamala has had a significant boost in voters, both candidates are fighting fiercely for the toss-up states, and it cannot be said for certain who will prevail until November.
- Which candidate will win North Carolina? A democratic candidate has won NC just twice in the past 50 years (Obama in 2008 and Jimmy Carter in 1976). Despite the history of republican candidates winning NC, this election appears to be leaning in favor of the democrats, possibly resulting in NC voting blue for the first time since 2012.
Are you registered to vote? If not, here’s how:
From NC State Board of Elections
- Online or in person at the DMV:
- Existing N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) customers may submit an Learn more: Complete Your Registration Online Through the DMV.
- By mail:
- Fill out the appropriate form below and submit it by mail:
