There are a lot of races on the ballot for the November election — and a lot of issues that may impact the way people vote. This week, KUER has brought you profiles of voters from across Utah to see what’s on their mind as they look toward the election.
Note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
| Name: | Age: | Race: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Haley Peacock | 24 | White | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Lives in: | Occupation: | Registered Party: | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Clinton | Bank teller | Unaffiliated |
How do you describe your political identity?
Liberal, left leaning.
What issues are important to you?
Climate change and general human rights. Making sure everyone has the ability to live as they want to live and get the medical care that they want.
I think a lot of us [young voters] are looking for kind of an end to our money crisis. Like there's a lot of high rent issues and lower paying jobs, and we also want to be able to have health care. [My friends and I] have pretty much agreed never to call an ambulance and we'll just drive each other to the hospital if we have to, because it's so expensive.
What has it been like talking to other people about this election?
I have two younger brothers that are now voting age, and I've been trying to convince them that [they] should not vote for [President Donald] Trump and vote for [former Vice President Joe] Biden. And they’re like, well, we don't like Biden, but I’m like, but we want to live. They're definitely not quite as left leaning as I am.
They've grown up similar to [the way] I did. But they've been able to live with a certain amount of privilege. So, sometimes you just forget to look down when you're comfortable with where you are.
Are you feeling optimistic or pessimistic about the future of the country?
To be honest, I'm a little pessimistic. I'm kind of scared. There's a small amount of [hope that] everyone can pull it together. But I'm a little bit afraid of what four more years of Trump could do to our country.
I guess it's kind of silly, but I just want to [tell people to] do the right thing for everyone and not just what's right for your specific needs. It's kind of bigger than us, this election.
