Three things are certain in life: death, taxes and Taipei American School (TAS) being fully immersed in the United States (U.S.) presidential election. As students watched the live election results in the library in excitement, wonder and distress, others realized for the first time in their lives that they had an opportunity to be more than bystanders in a decision that would influence the entire world for the next four years. According to RocktheVote.org, early estimates indicate that approximately 42% of young voters aged 18 to 29 participated in the election.This year, many TAS seniors submitted ballots for who they thought should be the next U.S. president, while others ultimately decided not to.

“Having the right to choose our leaders is a privilege we should all value,” said Keon L. (‘25). However, he ended up deciding not to submit a ballot. Being a California native, he recognized that the Democratic Party has been consistently winning in the state by wide margins for many decades, making his vote feel insignificant. The focus on swing states this year was tight, making residents of other states feel content not voting as they felt it wasn’t worth the hassle to reinforce a sure-fire decision.“My vote doesn’t really matter,” said Mia L. (‘25), another Californian. “[California’s] always gonna be blue.”

For many seniors who were eligible, it seemed as if the seniors who had slightly more power than the rest didn’t have enough. Though many seniors chose not to enter a ballot for the election, that doesn’t mean they didn’t face their fair share of external pressures to submit a ballot. “I did face some pressure from a couple of my teachers to register and vote,” noted Keon. “I would [face pressures to vote] from my peers and parents, since they would give their own political opinion,” said Kyra S. (‘25).

In the end, the 2024 U.S. presidential election highlighted a mix of excitement, reflection, and frustration among TAS seniors. While some embraced their newfound ability to participate in shaping the future, others wrestled with feelings of insignificance due to the electoral system’s disproportionate influence on non-swing states. Nevertheless, these challenges underscore the importance of civic engagement and the collective hope for a more equitable and inclusive democratic process in the years to come.