America is getting closer to electing a new president.
The third and final presidential debate took place last Wednesday, Oct. 19, with Secretary Hillary Clinton and businessman Donald Trump facing off for the last time to influence voters in the 2016 general election.
Among the topics discussed: Supreme Court nominees, immigration and foreign relations.
Trump said he would appoint justices with the intent to have Roe V. Wade overturned and Clinton said she would appoint justices with the intent of overturning Citizens United.
On immigration Clinton said she intends to expedite the immigration process so those in the U.S. illegally can become tax-paying citizens and Trump laid out his intention to have a wall built along the border of The United States and Mexico and increasing policing along the area.
Clinton said the wall Trump intends to build is unrealistic and referenced his last meeting with the President of Mexico where who would pay for the wall was not discussed. Trump retaliated by calling her plan too weak.
In foreign affairs, Clinton challenged Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia. He denied any relationship. Trump challenged Clinton’s experience as secretary of state and said that the countries America protects need to start “paying up” or defending themselves.
Clinton brought up earlier statements made by Trump about his stance on letting our allies have nuclear weapons to which he replied, “you will find no statement from me." But numerous interviews show otherwise.
The aftermath of this debate was felt heavily in social media with sites like Twitter having trending topics such as ‘Nasty Woman’ and ‘Bad Hombres,’ which were references to statements Trump made during the debate.
The Auburn Plainsman’s Twitter account (@TheAUPlainsman) also joined in, tweeting polls as to who people were voting for and what issue was the most important. Of 571 votes, national security (37 percent) and the economy (36 percent) were the biggest influence in who people were going to vote for.
Of 1067 votes, 50 percent are voting for Donald Trump, 28 percent for Hillary Clinton, 13 percent third party, and 9 percent aren’t voting at all. A few users joked that they would be voting for Aubie or Bo Jackson.
With the deadline to register to vote having passed on Oct. 24, and the election coming up on Nov. 8, undecided voters are running out of time to pick a candidate.
And locally, voters will determine who will be the state's seven congressional representatives. In Alabama's 3rd Congressional District, which includes Auburn, incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers (R) is running for reelection against challenger Jesse Smith (D).
Sen. Richard Shelby (R) is running for reelection against Ron Crumpton (D).
Bridgett King, political science assistant professor who teaches graduate and undergraduate classes on government, the presidency, political participation and public policy, worked as a voting rights researcher in the democracy program at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.
“While the race between Clinton and Trump is getting the majority of the attention of the media and public, it is important to remember that there are also other important state and local races taking place this year," she said. "This November voters in several states will be decide who represents them in the Senate and the House of Representatives. These races will shape what Congress will look like regardless of who wins the presidential election."
Voters will also determine 14 proposed constitutional amendments.
"Additionally, voters will be considering constitutional amendments, local ordinances, and candidates for governor, the courts, city council, county commission, boards of education, etc.," she said. "The results of these latter races will affect what voters experience in their states and communities for years to come. As citizens, it is important that we not only educate ourselves on issues and candidates at the federal level, but also those that we will vote on at the state and local level.”
You can view the official sample ballot for Lee County below:
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