More TCC students said they intend to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election, according to a districtwide poll conducted by The Collegian.
Of the 103 students surveyed across all six campuses, 49% said they plan to vote for Harris. Former President Donald Trump followed with 24%, and 4% said they would vote for third-party candidates. The remaining 23% of students said they were undecided.
However, almost all students said they felt challenged when trying to decide which candidate to support.
“There is a lot at stake, and I want to make sure my voice counts,” said TR student Katelyn Shankle, a first-time voter, like many others surveyed. “It feels like I’m finally a part of something important.”
While many feel enthusiastic about voting, students are concerned about the impact their decision will have on their future. TR student John Mullen said he thought this election was nothing more than a choice between two evils.
“I don’t feel like I trust any of them enough,” Mullen said.
Mullen said he does not feel seen or heard by either candidate, which was a common response among students. The main reason why students reported not feeling seen was due to them not feeling important to the decisions being made.
“I’m just a college student who hasn’t really accomplished something big that they would notice,” said NE student Bethany Weaver.
For NW student Lauren Desir, this election is personal. She’s a second generation Haitian immigrant, and she has seen reports of Trump and his running mate JD Vance making false claims about the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio.
“I’m neither Republican nor Democrat, but I do know recently that Trump was saying things about Haitians eating pets and stuff,” Desir said. “That level of stupidity is just beyond me. I’m Haitian, and I can speak from experience when I say that we’re not eating dogs.”
NE student Chriss Aguirre, though, said Harris’ campaign strategy to appeal to the younger generation through pop culture isn’t effective. Aguirre said Harris seems more concerned with the celebrity vote.
“It’s important for people to know more about the policies of each candidate, rather than the parties themselves,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre is still unsure of who to vote for. Project 2025, a blueprint for a conservative adminis tra tion tha t has been under fire from Democrats, at first led Aguirre to decide to vote Democratic, but now a distrust in Harris is causing Aguirre to reevaluate.
“[This election] impacts me and my partner’s ability to be happy in the future,” Aguirre said.
Aguirre’s main concern is accessible and affordable health care for everyone, but the student said this can’t be obtainable without a decrease in the cost of living.
Inflation is a crucial factor for students, but there is a divide between which candidate they feel has a better solution for the issue. South student Emma Moore voted for Trump in the 2020 election and will again this year.
“Harris says she wants to fix the economy, as if she hasn’t been in office the past four years,” Moore said.
Moore does not support Trump’s beliefs, but she thinks he is the better option. Similar to Aguirre, Moore said she does not trust Harris.
“When Harris is asked about her plan, she has to mention she grew up middle class,” Moore said. “She doesn’t know how to answer questions. It’s concerning to be honest.”
Students voting for Harris argued she values the growth of middle-class families due to her experience growing up in one.
“I like her policies on tax breaks for the middle class,” said Layla Garcia, a NE student.
Garcia, a young Hispanic woman, said Harris could change a lot of lives among minority groups for the better, but she critiqued the Biden-Harris administration’s involvement in Israel’s attacks on Gaza.
“I’m opposed to genocide,” Garcia said.
Students unanimously agreed that aid spent on other countries should be used for the American people.
Riley Osborn is a South student who will vote for Trump because she believes “he cares a lot for America.”
“There ’s so many people recovering from [hurricane Helene], and Harris hasn’t done a thing about it,” Osborn said.
Osborn is a Christian, and she said Harris’ stance on abortion is another reason she will vote for Trump.
However , many students’ stance on abortion and LGBTQ IA+ rights were the determining factor of their decision. “I instantly think that if the other candidate won, that it would be a life-or-death situation for many people who are in my life,” said NE student Madison Mayberry.
Mayberry said she is focused on the impact Trump’s presidency could have on minority communities such as people of color, disabled individuals and young women. Harris is the only candidate Mayberry said will protect these groups.
And most students agreed that Harris’ campaign does make them believe she will fight for their rights, but they are proceeding with caution and plan to research more before voting.
Although, some people like SE student Jonathon Mendoza have no confidence in either candidate or the two-party system.
“I feel like each candidate picks a type of person and they stand up for those people, but not all people,” Mendoza said. “And that’s been a thing forever.”
Similarly, NE student Bryan Popp said he is choosing not to vote due to the nature of politics.
“I’m done relying on political figures to take control,” Popp said. “There’s a lot of division that’s currently in this country right now and, for me, I’m not buying into it anymore.”
At a mock voting event Oct. 9 on South Campus, Joshua Torres cast his ballot in the student hub. When asked who he voted for, Torres laughed.
“I just voted for my favorite superhero,” he said.
Everyone did. To get first-time voters comfortable with real voting machines, workers from the Tarrant County Elections office held a mock election asking everyone to vote for a superhero.
Torres said he appreciated the practice, but as a 17-year-old, he can’t vote yet. It is a strange feeling for the students who can’t vote, according to Torres. He said their lives are going to be impacted by the votes of other students they are in classes with daily.
“I wish I was able to vote right now,” Torres said.
Vanessa Cruz, a third-time voter at the event, said she participated for the rubber duckies handed out afterward.
She will vote in this election and said she feels it’s important for her to exercise her right for herself and her community.
“Even though I’m one singular person, I feel like my vote still counts. I can still make a change with other voters out there,” Cruz said. “[And] if someone can’t vote, then I’m there for them.”
Students from three media writing classes contributed to the reporting of this story: Kylee Bacon, Jenna Blair, Jack Buch, Abdiel Castro, Diego Collazo, Jayme Dery, Rossy Fermin, Richie Iruegas, Ashley Lehman, Fred Nguyen, Troy Meyer, Nicholas Marasco, Annabelle Hull-Russell, Emilie Rezendes, Henrik Santiago, Cheyenne Shawn, Dominique Walker and Cameron Wilcox.
