The presidential election of 2020 is right around the corner and has high hopes for voter turnout. 

With Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, this election will be an extremely important one for the United States. 

According to BBC News, Biden is ahead of Trump in the national presidential polls, with Biden at 51% and Trump with 42%.

For the 2016 Presidential election, 130 million Americans voted, this year’s turnout is expected to be much higher. 

In many states, early voting has already commenced, and the turnout has been exciting.

According to the US Election Project, over 75 million Americans have already voted in the general election.

Florida, a swing state, has had approximately four million people who have voted. 

On the first day of early voting in Texas, approximately 19,069 people voted in El Paso according to the El Paso County Elections Department. 

By the second day, 1,654 mail-in ballots were returned. 

This year more than ever voting by mail will be extremely important. 

In the middle of a pandemic many voters will not want to go out to vote with numerous people, they’d rather vote in the comfort of their homes. 

In addition President Trump has announced that he opposes giving more money to the postal service. 

With this putting the postal service in a possible crisis, even more voters are voting by mail. 

Kristin Seaver, the Postal Service’s chief retail and delivery officer, said, “…taking the steps necessary to devote extra resources to advancing ballot mail…this will remain our No.1 priosity through the election.”

With Trump’s presidency, many Americans were either amazed by him or disgusted by him, making this election very leveled. 

The social climate that has hovered the United States has divided the nation. 

White Americans have recurrently voted more than minorities in the United States.  

However in this particular election, the number of minorities in America to vote is higher than in previous years. 

Minorities in America are now more than ever in need of voting. 

Their vote will change the face of the elections. 

In the past two presidential debates topics about COVID-19, racial issues, economy, and the supreme court have been talked about. 

Many of these topics have been turning points for voters on who to vote for. 

Biden and Trump have very different ways of dealing with some of these issues. 

For example, Biden’s plan for Covid-19 is to speed the testing capacity and enforcing masks and Trump’s is focused on economic relief. 

However both find a common ground with agreeing that a vaccine at this point is the savior. 

Loretto senior Natalia Gallardo is one of the few seniors who is eligible to vote for these 2020 elections. 

Gallardo said, “I’m upset with this year’s election because it always comes down to choosing between the lesser evil caused by the dominance of the two-party system, and this year it is very obvious. 

“However, I am excited to vote because I turned 18 this year and I will not have to wait until another presidential election like some do.

“I will be voting in person.”

By now everyone should know the importance of voting; our ancestors fought for this right and by voting we are practicing democracy.  

People vote to have a voice in this country. 

Still, the presidential elections are not the only way the voices of Americans are heard.

A more direct way is to vote on every single election held, locally and nationally. 

Participate in the Gubernatorial Elections, vote for Senators and  Representatives. 

At the end of the day the president is only one branch out of the other three.

Voting is the best way to practice democracy.