With Election Day upon us, voter sentiments show generational differences
MIAMI - With early voting complete, CBS News Miami hit the streets of South Florida to gauge the mood of voters heading into Election Day.
From college students to retirees, voters shared mixed emotions about this election season.
"I'm very happy, and I'm going to do my part, and whatever will be, will be," one senior voter told us, echoing a sense of calm and resignation that was common among older voters.
For some younger voters, though, the energy feels quite different. Michelle O'Connell, voting for only the second time, described her complex feelings: "I guess I'm just really curious to see who's going to win. Anxious, excited, nervous a little bit of everything."
The gap between generations is stark. At the Fred Lippman Community Center in Hollywood, where a group of seniors gathered for a jewelry-making session, most of them had already cast their ballots. For many in this age group, democracy is something to be cherished and upheld.
"Democracy is you express your opinion and the majority wins, and you have to abide with that decision," shared Evelio Corzo, who voted two weeks ago.
Despite differing political opinions, senior voters expressed a deep appreciation for the right to vote. "The whole idea of voting, it's a-it's a gift," said Ava, highlighting the reverence many in her generation feel for the electoral process.
In contrast, the college students we spoke to planned to vote on Election Day itself.
Diarra Roundtree, another second-time voter, voiced her frustrations with the whirlwind of opinions and information swirling around.
"There's a lot of commotion on social media and with friends and family about what we should vote for when it comes to the different amendments," she explained.
First-time voter Bryan Cardenas echoed her sentiments, describing how tensions have risen within families.
"You can't even share your opinion at home. You got that one uncle that's yelling, 'You gotta vote this.' You got the other uncle, 'You gotta vote that.' You just kind of keep to yourself at this point," he said.
As Election Day approaches, both younger and older voters are ready to make their voices heard though the generations appear to be experiencing this election cycle in very different ways.