This year’s campaign for president, a contentious battle between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, has left many first-time voters dissatisfied with the choices available, according to interviews with nearly four dozen young New Yorkers.
The interviews, conducted in late September, found a majority of those interviewed planned to vote for Clinton, but with little enthusiasm. These new voters said improved race relations and fair wages were among the issues they cared about most.
Here is a representative sample of their responses:
The Economy
Bakhodir Alimov, 20, Brooklyn, Uber driver
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Khojinur Usmonov)
Mabel Valerio, 18, Bronx, student at Baruch College
Voting: Trump
(Interview by Katrina Ruggiero)
Sung Yoon, 22, Queens, student at Baruch College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Jeongwoo Nahm)
POLITICAL PROCESS:
Nabeel Fakhruddin, 20, Brooklyn, student at Baruch College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Priya Lasrado)
Tifanny Puligo, 19, Queens, student at Borough of Manhattan Community College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Adam Raabe)
Brian Orengo, 18, Manhattan, student at Kingsborough Community College
Not Voting
(Interview by Ruth Ostrow)
Sonia Sanchez, 21, Queens, student at Baruch College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Melissa Espinosa)
Elpitha Vallas, Brooklyn, 20, student at St. Francis College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Jasmine Farhat)
RACE AND IMMIGRATION POLICY
Silvia Albarracin, 18, Queens, student at Baruch College.
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Katrina Ruggiero)
Derny Fleurima, 20, Elmont, N.Y., student at Baruch College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Nina Smit)
Georges Hubert, 19, Queens, student at Baruch College
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Priya Lasrado)
Ernesto Llorente, 22, Bronx, student at Hunter College (photographed here at City College)
Voting: Clinton
(Interview by Nicholas Marrero)
(Editor’s note: This project was reported and produced by students in Baruch College’s JRN 3510 Multimedia Reporting)