PORTLAND, Maine — What are the specific issues driving younger voters to the polls?
One day out from the 2024 presidential election, NEWS CENTER Maine asked five students at the University of Southern Maine what's fueling them this Election Day.
All but one mentioned reproductive rights as a big factor.
"I've had a couple of friends who have needed life-saving abortions and if they hadn't gotten that, who knows where they might be," Aydan Rudolph said.
For many of them, the issues they care about are based on personal connection, which brings us to the leading topic: the cost of living. Every single student mentioned either that or the economy as one of their biggest concerns.
Madison Strout said the only reason she's not homeless right now is because she gets free housing on campus in return for working as an RA, or resident assistant.
"I am legally homeless. Not being able to go anywhere after this because of the housing prices is scary," Strout said.
"I think everyone just wants to see it go way down," Don Goff added.
The cost of living has not just been part of the campaign for this year's presidential candidates, but for many local candidates as well. Although, some students say that's not where their focus lies.
"I just haven't had the time to read too much into that – I just look at the bigger picture," Goff said.
Rudolph plans to vote on the state referendum but will be leaving the Portland section blank.
"I'm not from this city, so I don't know enough about local government to vote on it," she said.
On the other hand, two of the student voters are prioritizing the bottom of the ballot.
"That's really where change happens," Julian Parker said.
Parker said he might consider the local elections some of the most important. Trevor Cook agreed, especially when it comes to addressing the cost of living.
"There's a lot more that the Portland City Council can do about the current economic issues in Portland itself than the president of the United States ever could," Cook said.
It's clear no matter what angle the students are taking toward achieving what they hope for, one thing they can all agree on is that voting is the best way to have a say.
"It's one of the only ways that people outside of office and outside of politics can have any amount of influence," Strout said.