“The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place as it has for almost two centuries and few of us stop to think how unique we really are.  In the eyes of many in the world, this every-four-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.”

-Ronald Reagan, 1981

Every four years in America, the people vote. Last November, 81 million people voted for change. They voted for a new leader to guide them, Joe Biden. Since the Civil War, a peaceful transfer of power was a huge accomplishment for the United States of America. However, on January 6th, a mob of domestic terrorists stormed the capital, violently interrupting the electoral vote counting. A mob incited by the president. For the first time since the Civil War, there wasn’t a peaceful transfer of power. The question still stands: How will this election affect the future elections of the US? Will the Constitution be put on the back burner? The future remains unknown and only time can l tell. Aniyah Barnett ’22, had an optimistic outlook for the future. She commented, “I see the future elections being more professional. The laws will hold more weight in the coming years.” However, some are not as hopeful for the future. Another student says, “It’s hard to tell what is going to happen, but all I know is that these domestic terrorists have seen the impact they can have. That is a powerful mindset. That is a scary mindset.” One conclusion that the nation can come to is that they have been tested and they have passed. But while they have passed this time, what about the next time the country is faced with an assault on the Constitution? Can the United States remain united enough to survive that? Elections have now become a very fragile pillar of our American democracy, which must be recognized as the country moves forward. Corey Silberglied ’22 says, “I think that elections in the future are going to continue to be very partisan and move further to the left or the right instead of finding bipartisan candidates.” Silberglied emphasized the current divide and the divide that will remain clear in the coming elections. The people of the United States deserve more than these lies of fraudulent elections, they deserve real facts. The lack of truth has made the division in our country stronger than ever, which will play a role in our future elections. This attack on our democracy may change the process of elections forever. There is a silent fear that may hover over the United States for the coming years. Violence is unacceptable in any form, and still it gave this mob power. Coming elections will rest greatly on the shoulders of common citizens. The current president, Joe Biden, is now responsible for repairing a damaged nation. Alan Takeall, former Global Peace & Justice, says, “It depends, of course, on Biden’s actions in office. The hope is that they are opening the door for less radical, and more effective Republican candidates.” This year has put the US through trial, and the citizens remain unsure if this country is capable of rebounding. Now it is the duty of the people to separate facts from opinions, truth from lies. Future generations, and those who have quietly observed these past years, will dictate how future elections will go, and if they will be fair, free, and accepted. Elections are not just about the candidates, but the voters, and that has never been clearer.