Unless you’ve been completely disconnected from current events over the past several months, it’s clear that the 2016 Presidential primary election has generated unprecedented controversy and captured national attention like no campaign before it.
Several factors explain this phenomenon, most notably the candidacies of billionaire businessman Donald Trump representing Republicans and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders on the Democrats side. Both candidates have articulated positions that diverge significantly from mainstream thought within their respective parties, and both have mobilized voter demographics that historically have shown low participation rates in elections.
The anger that fuels both Trump and Sanders reflects frustrations felt across a broad swath of Americans dissatisfied with the nation’s current direction. Despite occupying opposite positions on the political spectrum, these two candidates have made evident in unmistakable fashion that the consensus among Middle America—the force that has anchored our nation for four generations—has fractured, with voters gravitating toward both the far left and the far right.
Across all age groups and educational backgrounds, Americans outside the wealthiest circles have experienced stagnant or declining living standards for decades. Both Trump and Sanders have pledged to revive the American Dream, though their proposed methods differ dramatically.
Additionally, both candidates are capitalizing on the broader polarization affecting political discourse, a phenomenon that presents both opportunities and challenges for all candidates in both parties.
This election also marks the first time in eight years that no incumbent President is seeking another term, a circumstance that has heightened engagement on both sides of the political spectrum.
We encourage all residents to participate in Tuesday’s voting and support the candidate they prefer. Massachusetts voters will find their ballots particularly consequential this year in determining delegates for both the Democrats and Republicans.
Voters who remain unenrolled—the Massachusetts designation for independents—may participate in Tuesday’s election. At their polling location’s check-in table, unenrolled voters may declare a party affiliation and receive that party’s ballot. Following the election, unenrolled voters automatically return to unenrolled status for subsequent elections.
Given what is at stake in this Presidential election, we urge every citizen to exercise their voting rights and cast a ballot for their preferred candidate.