There is no doubt that challenges and unsatisfied results will arise for some after the election.
Polarization within the American public has shown that we are cleanly divided, but it does not mean the parties sit on two sides from each other.
Political Science Department Chair Mike Welsh stated, “There is a clear line between Republicans and Democrats, the extremists sit far from the middle end but most people tend to be very close to it, listening and hearing each other out on their beliefs, there is hope.”
Elections now are very different than they were decades ago, said Welsh.
Welsh said, “Most people tend to live in non extremist places. They can abide by their side not winning, which seems most people are moderate on the topic.”
Not to say that there is no potential fringe on either side, such as ballot boxes setting afire or legal challenges going on, according to an October 28 BBC News Article. Although these examples are not the majority, Welsh said, “I tend to believe it will work out in a reasonable way.”
Nick Germana, a history professor who is also a state house representative and advises KSC Democrats, stated he believes the aftermath of the 2024 election will be a lot like 2020.
“Trump campaign has started filing lawsuits in Pennsylvania that have been rejected, about voting systems rigging the election … These accusations are to be proved false. His campaign seems to be already doing some of the things that happened in 2020. If Trump wins, which is a possibility, or he loses and he pushes the country in a very dangerous direction to overturn the results,” stated Germana.
In the aftermath of the election, if the voting does not go in his favor, Germana said the question will be, “Does Trump keep remaining to fight this as a legal battle or does he get to the point of something like January 6?”
Some Democrats hope that there will be a significant number of Republicans who are voting for Kamala Harris, according to a November 2 article in The New York Times.
First-year Brey Dubeau stated, “Either way I believe there will be a big uproar, and I am very nervous, and although there are lots of celebrations, what that looks like entirely depends on who wins.” When speaking about politics with opposite viewers, Dubeau stated, “If they accept my lived experience as my lived experience, I am not opposed to discussion. But if they are illogical it becomes a different situation.”
First-year Brad Herlihy mentioned that the “media has a very opinionated view of politics and there isn’t much of a centrist thought in the media anymore. [It’s] very one side or other, tribalism is deep in our political system.”
Herlihy said he is “open to conversation if the other is as well. If you are stuck in your own views you are not ready to have adult conversations, and some reevaluation needs to take place.”
Katie Aguilar can be contacted at
kaguilar@kscequinox.com
