“I think democracy’s on the line in a way, and that is something huge at stake,” said Saila Buser. 

Buser, a third-year studying political science and international studies, is set to vote in her first presidential election in November. However, Buser is no stranger to voting. In fact, she’s a staunch supporter of the right to vote, advocating for Americans — especially young ones — to vote in what she said is the most important election yet. 

Buser emphasized how much power she and other students at NC State have over elections in a swing state such as North Carolina. Buser wants to make sure others know they can create the future they want by voting.

“I think that our generation is the future, and if we want our future to be one that we want to inherit, we have to make sure our voices are heard, and we have to make sure we’re electing people we trust with that future and that we trust to pursue our vision,” Buser said.

An Asheville, North Carolina native, Buser is a registered Democrat planning to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. In high school, Buser said she learned the importance of voting from her work with local political campaigns and because of Asheville’s position as a blue-leaning hub in a predominantly red district. 

There, she learned her vote could make a difference. Now, Buser is a member of Vote For Equality, an organization belonging to the Feminist Majority Foundation that educates voters and actively supports the Harris campaign.

Buser said Harris aligns much more with her political values, ideologies and vision for her future as an American citizen.

“I do think Kamala Harris represents more of what I want to see in the future than Donald Trump does, and I think there’s so many things on the line with this election,” Buser said. “I feel like she’s the only option that I can elect and then live in a country that I can feel proud of and safe in.” 

Buser said while no candidate is perfect — citing Harris’ support for Israel in the Israel-Hamas war — Harris supports causes that are critically important to her. These issues include climate change, affordability, LGBTQ+ rights and reproductive rights. 

“I think the way that the country has moved away from protecting women’s rights to their bodily autonomy has just been really scary to watch for me,” Buser said. “And that’s definitely a really big issue, because if Kamala Harris doesn’t win, I’m scared to see what that would look like in regards to women’s rights and abortion rights. I think women have the right to choose what they do with their body, and I don’t think the government’s place is in that at all. I think that should be left between a woman and her doctor.” 

While a registered Democrat, Buser was admittedly nervous about President Joe Biden potentially serving another term. She and many others felt a jolt of energy when Harris was announced as the new Democratic candidate after Biden dropped out.

“It honestly made me so much more energized for this election, because seeing Joe Biden, seeing him in the debate, it just made me nervous,” Buser said. “I don’t think we should be electing politicians that old to office — we have a retirement age for a reason. … When he dropped out, the switch, the energy was so immediate. You could feel it on the internet, you could feel it in conversations with people. People were just energized.” 

Buser said it was important for women, especially young girls, to see a woman in a position of such power — another aspect of Harris’ campaign that has energized her. 

While Buser emphasized the importance of the presidential race, she also urged voters to take part in local elections like the North Carolina governor’s race, because of their increased impact on the average citizen.

Whether it’s a mayoral race for your small town or what she thinks is the most important presidential race in history, Buser said everyone’s voice matters and can have an impact. She urged voters to cast their ballots to make a change, to help create a world they want to live in. 

“Whether we like it or not, politics and government is how we make change in the world,” Buser said. “Think about the world you live in, think about the world you want to live in and think about who would be able to make the world you live in now seem more like the place you want to.”