On Nov. 5, voters will head to the polls and cast their votes in the highly anticipated presidential election with candidates Donald Trump running for the Republican party and Kamala Harris for the Democratic party.

This election has high stakes for the country and is personal for citizens. Issues such as the economy, health care and Supreme Court appointments are the most important to voters, according to the Pew Research Center.

First-time voters can vote either in person on Nov. 5, through early voting, or by using a mail-in ballot. “I plan on voting in the upcoming election because I think every vote counts. I believe if given the opportunity, you should take advantage of [that] privilege,” senior Joy Nadda said.

Both teachers and students are focused on certain issues in this election that may be the deciding factor in who they vote for. “For me women’s reproductive rights, issues on the border and inflation are probably my three big [issues],” government teacher Keith Yanity said.

Voter turnout in the United States has been historically low, yet in 2020 it rose to unprecedented levels. In 2020 66.8% of the voting-age population voted in the presidential election, which is the highest turnout since 1992, according to USA Facts. “It’s so incredibly important to vote because no matter what, there is a president and vice president voted into office. No matter what, one of the candidates will be elected into office and will have power over so many things that [will] influence our daily lives for the next four years,” senior Max Hammerman said.

This election is different from previous elections due to the race being close as well as the extreme differences between the candidates. While Trump wants to “carry out the largest deportation operation in American history,” Harris wants to have “comprehensive reform that includes strong border security and an earned pathway to citizenship,” according to the candidates’ platforms. “This is a impactful election because for the first time, a Black woman has a chance to become president,” Nadda said.

Undecided voters have a mix of thoughts. While some believe that both of the candidates are equally as bad, others do not have a strong opinion toward either of them. “Even if you are indifferent towards both of the candidates, it’s so important to vote for the person that you have maybe the slightest inclination to see in office,” Hammerman said.

There are also local elections on the ballot this November. There is an open seat on the Senate in Maryland with former governor Larry Hogan from the Republican party and Angela Alsobrooks, county executive of Prince George’s County, from the Democratic party competing for the spot. Also, all the House of Representative seats are up for reelection in November. “It’s important who the president is and it’s important who’s in Congress. But locally speaking, there’s a lot of important elections there too that maybe people aren’t as educated about as they should be,” Yanity said.

Voters will see a ballot referendum titled Question 1 on their ballots this November, which would amend the Declaration of Rights in the Maryland Constitution to add a new section that would guarantee a right to reproductive freedom. According to Ballotpedia, this is defined as “the ability to make and effectuate decisions to prevent, continue or end one’s own pregnancy.”