This year’s 2020 presidential election will be one of the most memorable ones we’ve seen in history. One critical aspect that makes this election so historic is that it will be the first U.S. election to ever take place during a global pandemic. This pandemic has greatly influenced the electoral process and as a result, could greatly influence the outcome as well. The tremendous impact that the coronavirus has had on our country has led the majority to stray away from in-person voting, as a means of reducing their exposure to the virus. The decrease in the amount of in-person voting has allowed voter suppression and voter fraud to become very prominent issues in this year’s election, even more so than in the past. Over the course of the last few months, President Trump has threatened to dismantle the United States Postal Service in attempts to prohibit certain individuals from casting their vote, states have denied access to USPS mailboxes by either removing them or obstructing the mail slots, drop-in boxes have been tampered with, individuals have requested ballots for deceased relatives, Texas closed thousands of polling sites to prevent minorities from voting, and the list goes on. Every single action I just mentioned is an act of deviance and an attempt to regain social control among our society.
As we all know, the #BlackLivesMatter movement has gained serious momentum and support this past year as people are retaliating against racial injustice and police brutality. President Trump has done nothing in response to these injustices that have affected black Americans across the country. Even so, he cannot go as far as to articulate any words of respect or honor for the individuals involved in the tragedies. This should come to no surprise, though, as it has been made apparent to the people that President Trump "thrives on racial division". That being said, enforcing voting restrictions such as voter ID laws and voter registration restrictions, which primarily affect black Americans, is pivotal for his success in the upcoming election. It is evident that our current administration and authority officials will go to great lengths to not only have the outcome of the election end in their favor, but to make certain that the change many of us want to see, does not happen and that we stay compliant with their current and future policies and legislation.
The current state of our country is chaotic and disorderly, but because people have rightfully challenged the social order. There has been a longing need for change in our current systems and administration that needed to be acted on. While I believe both candidates are far from a perfect fit for president, I certainly think that one has proven to be better suited than the other. The bottom line is this: Whatever the outcome may be in this year’s election, the success of either candidate will result in public upheaval. A new administration would be the first step in beginning to solve the much larger societal issues in our country, but it would be a good start. Even though the election is nearing less than two weeks away, the fight for change is far from being over.
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