American Voter: Joseph Kim

US President Donald Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden are battling for the presidency in a sharply divided United States. Trump has been focusing on “law and order”, Biden has been trying to strike a conciliatory note. The Black Lives Matter movement and whether Trump will release his taxes are among the many issues Americans will consider when choosing their president. As the hotly contested election approaches, Al Jazeera has been speaking to voters across the US asking nine questions to understand who they are supporting and why. Joseph Kim Age: 20 Occupation: Student Residence: Hillsborough County, Florida Voted in 2016 for: N/A  Will Vote in 2020 for: Donald Trump Top Election Issue: Political Polarisation  Will you vote? Why or why not? “Yes, I will be voting in this election. I will be voting because I believe it is my civic duty as an American citizen to vote, to get my representatives into office, and being able to vote for someone that can bring that change that’s necessary sometimes. I think people don’t recognise that change doesn’t necessarily happen on a federal level, but the change happens on a local level first, and that’s where every vote counts. If my vote is not counted, then my voice is not heard in my local community, which is why I’m voting.” What is your number one issue? “My number one issue for this upcoming election is the increased political polarisation in this country. I feel like since 2016, or even since way before then, many Americans have progressively deviated from what has traditionally been the ‘centre’ of American politics and people have just resorted to what we see as the rise of conspiracy groups like QAnon and using terminologies such as ‘radical leftists’ or ‘alt-right’. I feel like this is driving Americans into two separate groups. The political cooperation that used to be there just isn’t happening, and I think that’s a great issue in this country.” Who will you vote for? “I will be voting for Donald Trump.” Is there a main reason you chose your candidate? “I don’t feel like there was a main reason. I guess the main reason why I’d be voting for him is the economy. “I do believe that there are other great issues such as climate change, which definitely Joe Biden has brought up in this last presidential debate. However, I feel like, even though, political policy may be able to influence how things have happened, the economy also needs to follow. I believe by pursuing an economic policy that allows – with a great government subsidy or support— that allows this shift, can solve a great number of issues that may take place in this country for many Americans.” style="width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; top: 0; bottom: 0; right: 0; left: 0;">