Marist Students and Faculty Take On the 2024 Presidential Election

President Joe Biden speaking at IBM in Poughkeepsie in October 2022. Credit: Emily Stellakis '24

Ahead of the November general presidential election, the 2024 primary season is in full swing, and for many Marist students, it will be their first time being eligible to vote. For this young generation, it is an uncertain time to be alive – politically, at least.

A recent poll from the Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School found that most young voters are not looking forward to a potential rematch between the current front runners, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. 

“I want to see more young people in the office,” said Sabrina Morizio ‘26. With her passion for environmental issues, she has been hoping to see more discussion of these matters and also expressed her concern for the representation of third-party candidates.

Electoral campaigns can make or break an election, and for third-party voters, it is more difficult to get press coverage, especially when up against such well-known competitors. Professor of Italian Alessia Mingrone feels dissatisfied with the probability of a third party winning.

“I don't think in this election, but I would love to see that in the future and see the other options,” said Mingrone. 

On the other hand, Michael O’Sullivan, professor of history and director of the global studies program, mentioned how third-party candidates have had success in elections before, referencing the 2016 election when libertarian candidate Gary Johnson at points polled at about 15%, according to The Washington Post. Indeed, with a good campaign, a third-party candidate can sustain relevance in an election.

For O’Sullivan, the decline in lesser-known candidates is a greater concern than the current campaigning third-party candidates. “We lose traction of down-ballot candidates; they would be covered more intensely,” he said. 

Due to a decline in local news sources, the public has to dig through national news outlets to gain information on less high-profile candidates. In an election where the media plays a big role in who civilians decide to vote for, it can be overwhelming to keep up to date on all the information presented. 

Marist alumnus and journalist Greta Stuckey ‘23 recommends reading up on all the candidates and taking the time to do your research as a well-educated voter. “As a journalist, I look to find the candidate's background, their politics, what they voted for in the past,” said Stuckey.