Many sports lovers talk of the exhilarating moments of the game, yet I find myself on the edge of my seat on Election Day. Waiting for the results to come in is like watching Romeo Langford aim for a three point shot when the game is in over time.

Ever since the 2008 election, game strategies of politics have increasingly become more interesting and exciting.

This election has been no different, especially with U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun and incumbent Joe Donnelly, R-IN.

Both have run their fair share of mudslinging advertisements spanning from claims that each is outsourcing their companies to different countries for cheaper services and voting for policies that hurt working class people. These campaigns have made it hard for many Evansville citizens to decide on who to vote for in the Senate because both candidates are not what they were hoping for.

The hard choices needed to be made at the polls have only made voter turnout higher. In Vanderburgh County alone, 51 percent of registered voters voted on Election Day.

This is a rare occurrence in cities such as Evansville, where the majority of people are over the age of thirty. Yet the presence of so many voters gives hope that this election is just the beginning of voter awareness.

This can also be credited to the organizations that have been promoting citizens to do their civic duty and educate themselves on what their city and state candidates stand for.

Young people are largely the target of these movements because they are usually the least represented population of voters. By going after young voters, current issues and ideas are being presented in our political climate by politicians.

The political climate has also been credited with dividing the country even more. Politicians that side with President Trump largely claim that people who vote against him are voting against working class people.

The same could be said for the left wing politicians of the country. However, this new generation gives hope that this political divide will be bridged.

One fact remains that Election Day awakens the patriot in all of us. Voting unites us in the movements and ideas of our government by allowing young and old to come together in a way that is rare.

All we can hope for is that this continued move toward progress in elections soars.