The past few months have led up to one night, Tuesday, November 5th, and had most of us eagerly seeking an answer to one question: Who will lead our country for the next four years? Well, the majority of American citizens have decided that Donald Trump will be the 47th President, defeating Kamala Harris by electoral college (312 vs. 226, and counting) and the popular vote. However, in New York State and four out of five of the NYC counties, Kamala Harris won the popular vote, securing New York’s 28 electoral votes. Every vote mattered in the U.S. election, and the same applied to Léman’s mock presidential election that took place on Tuesday, November fifth. This has been considered one of the most crucial elections in recent history, and while most of Léman’s students cannot vote due to age or citizenship restrictions, it is important to voice one's opinions on something that will still greatly affect one's life. So, who did the Léman students vote for: Republican Donald Trump, or Democrat Kamala Harris?
The winner of Léman Manhattan Preparatory Upper School’s mock election is… Kamala Harris! Unlike the rest of the United States, 75.9% of the Léman voters selected Democrat Kamala Harris, while only 12% of Léman voters selected Republican Donald Trump, shown in a pie chart of the results below:
The remaining ~12% of votes went to write-in candidates, many of whom were public figures, like rapper Kanye West, soccer player Cole Palmer (not a U.S. citizen), and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeu (not a U.S. citizen). Green Party candidate Jill Stein took third place with 2.8% of the votes. Senior Max Haskell astutely commented on the importance of voting saying, “This is a way for all voices to be heard, seen, and understood and it is something that we should not take for granted but rather take advantage of.”
It is also important to note that out of the hundreds of students in Grades 6-12 at Léman’s upper school, only 108 voted.
In the poll, many students left statements showing their support for Harris. One anonymous student wrote, “I truly believe voting Kamala will give the US the best chance of developing into a better country for everyone living there going forward.” Other students explained how they can relate to Kamala and feel like she can represent a larger demographic. Senior Caelyn Osbern wrote, “Think of your sisters, daughters, girlfriends, LGBTQ+ friends, people of color, and anybody who has ever faced any kind of animosity,” suggesting Harris will support these people more than Trump.
There were no statements provided explaining support for Donald Trump or other candidates.
In regards to the actual election, Trump spoke to a group of his supporters early at around 2:30 AM Wednesday morning after the projected win saying, “I will not rest until we deliver the strong, safe and prosperous America that our children deserve and that you deserve.” Kamala Harris also spoke on the loss Wednesday afternoon, saying “The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for, but hear me when I say…the light of America’s promise will always burn bright.”
Donald Trump will be inaugurated into office on January 20th, 2025, where he will begin his second four-year term, and until then President Biden will continue his presidential duties.
Although the election is over, it is incredibly important to continue to stay informed about what is happening in our government. It greatly affects us, and as the new generation, we have the ability to decide our future. You can stay informed by reading news articles here on Léman’s very own The Bullhorn, or on the New York Times website, which is free for Léman Students when on Léman wifi. If you are 16 or 17, you can pre-register to vote in the next election, and if you are 18, hopefully you voted in this election or register to vote in the next election as well!! Click here to register in NY, and here for NJ.