With voting finished in the U.S, new voting records are being set in states all across the country, a big part of that is from young voters. A CNN poll showed that 51 percent of registered voters, ages 18 to 29, say they are extremely enthusiastic about voting in 2020, that same number was just 30 percent in 2016.

Among the millions of first time-voters in 2020 are SM North seniors, who figured out voting through the complications of Covid-19.

“I’ve kinda experienced the voting process through mock elections,” senior Matthew Cunningham said. “Maybe it was just this year, but I expected there to be a massive line when I got there. In reality it only took me about five minutes.”

Senior Evan Whitaker’s voting experience was a little more on par with what he expected.

“It was pretty much what I expected, the machines were kind of complicated and didn’t state the candidates name clearly in some cases,” Whitaker said. “I figured that would be the case, because typically high security systems have really bad visual design.”

Senior Jake Reiter had a special election day, as it was also his birthday.

“It was definitely a cool experience to make it by the last day,” Reiter said. “[It was] a weird birthday present.”

However, that didn’t stop him from getting out and making his voice heard.

“[I voted] because it’s important for our country and a lot of people don’t think that their single vote makes a difference but it truly does,” senior Jake Reiter said.

Whitaker also thinks that voting is important and can make a big difference.

“I voted because it’s really the first chance I got to make a difference in something bigger than myself,” Whitaker said, “I see a lot of people around me fighting for change, but voting is the only real way to make that change.”

Whether voting to make their voice heard or to get the poll works to clap, for students at North, voting is a big deal.

“I voted because I think it’s super important that the people in office are actually a representation of the population,” Cunningham said. “We’re seeing so many changes in our country and I just think that it’s important we pick the right candidate.”