As most people know, the next presidential election is November 3rd this year. A lot of people think only Donald Trump and Joe Biden are running, but there are actually two other important candidates to keep in mind: Jo Jorgenson and Howie Hawkins. 

There were also over 30 candidates who have dropped out: 13 Democrats in 2019, 15 Democrats in 2020, 1 Republican in 2019, and 3 Republicans in 2020. 

 As of right now, there are four main candidates who are still running. These include Joseph R. Biden, Donald J. Trump, Jo Jorgensen, and Howie Hawkins.

Under the Democratic column is Joseph Biden. He is 77 years old and is the former vice president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. He also is the former senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009. In the years 1988, 2008, and now 2020, Biden has run for president.

Biden wants to focus on America in its global stance. He also wants to add more of the public into the Affordable Care Act and wants to increase protections for low-income workers. Biden also supports raising the minimum wage, investing in green energy, criminal justice reform, grants for minority communities, universal preschools, expanding free college, and rejoining the Paris Climate Accord.

Running as a Republican is Donald Trump. Trump is 74 years old and is currently the President of the United States. In Trump’s four years of being president, one of his biggest accomplishments was a tax cut that helped mostly corporations and wealthy investors. He also was impeached by the House of Representatives. 

Trump wants to focus on lowering immigration rates and lessening international trade. He also claims he wants to bring attention to climate change. 

This year, there is also a woman running. Her name is Jo Jorgenson. She is the first woman to ever lead the Libertarian party in the United States. She is 63 years old and has many ideas for the US.

Jorgenson wants to strengthen the country’s self defense by staying armed and ready at all times. She also wants to keep America off of foreign battlefields in order to stay neutral and keep peace. She plans to lower the cost of healthcare and block borrowing and veto spending bills. 

She wants to replace coal and oil-burning power plants with nuclear ones. Jorgenson also wants to take care of costs of housing and healthcare and wants to slash federal spending. One more thing she wants to do is get rid of the department of education in order to give power back to the teachers and parents at a local level.

The last main candidate running is Howie Hawkins, who represents the Green party. Hawkins is 67 years old and an American trade unionist and environmental activist. He wants to enforce an “ecosocialist” Green New Deal, which will build a completely clean energy system by 2030. He also wants to work towards free medicare for all, and get stricter laws for community control of police. 

In Virginia, as of mid September, Biden leads with 53%, followed by Trump with 39%, leaving 8% to “other” in polls.

As a whole in the United States, Biden leads with 49%, Trump with 42%, “other” with 6%, Jorgenson with 2%, giving Hawkins the 1% left. 

It is very important to stay educated on politics, especially as high school students. We, as teenagers and young adults, are the future of America and need to make sure it is in the best hands as possible.

If you are eligible, remember to register to vote in November!