Rural Californians split between hope and anxiety at the polls

In Chico, California, a politically divided rural town of over 100,000, voters turned out in large numbers — quietly casting ballots and later sharing a mix of hope and anxiety about the election’s outcome.

Unlike much of inland Northern California, Chico has a nearly even blend of conservatives and liberals, thanks to its mix of long-time residents and a politically active college population. In Chico’s diverse population, the small Jewish community tends to lean liberal.

“I feel great,” said Jewish community member Maggie Zlotowski. “I’m excited to vote for our first woman president.”

Zlotowski and her 94-year-old mother walked arm-in-arm, smiling, after voting for Vice President Kamala Harris. 

“I think Biden and Harris are strong supporters of Israel,” Zlotowski added. “Anyone who doesn’t think that has been misinformed.”

Zlotowski and her mother voted at one of five voting assistance centers in Chico, including the Chico Masonic Family Center. A long line filled the building, while many residents simply dropped off their ballots at the outdoor dropbox. 

“I suspect we’ll have a record turnout,” said polling center manager John Linhart. 

Also beaming after casting their vote was newlyweds Mike Howard and Brenda Banks, who voted for former President Donald Trump. The couple said the economy, illegal immigration, and crime were the issues most important to them. Banks herself used to be a Democrat until her economics classes in college influenced her to change her position. 

Though Middle East policy isn’t one of their top political priorities, the two believe Trump will benefit Israel. 

“We’re voting for our friend who helped put the Abraham Accords together,” said Howard. 

Leading up to the election, Banks said she was praying for Trump.

“Apparently, it’s working — Trump survived,” she said, referencing the attempted assassination in July.

Chico resident Denine Owen, felt the complete opposite about the former president. 

Expressing a deep frustration with Trump, Owen said, “Everything that he stands for is disgusting. He should be assassinated. He should be shot.”

Owen expressed dismay over American politics, saying the country is more divided than ever. She admitted she herself wants nothing to do with the, “other side.”

Tension in division

Chico resident and Turkish-American Samet Kaplan echoed Owen’s division claims, saying this election feels different. 

“There’s more tension in the air,” Kaplan said. 

While the voting process was calm, he’s more worried about the “aftermath,” and how voters whose candidate doesn’t win take the results. His top issues included the economy and safety. As far as Middle East policy, he isn’t pleased with either presidential candidate. 

“I’m slightly nervous,” he said. 

At a different voting center at the college, California State University, Chico, voters waited in long lines for nearly three hours. Poll workers noted that for many college students this is their first election, with many waiting to register until election night. Despite the long lines, students and community members alike waited patiently to vote.

“This is a blowout election,” said voting center manager Steven Carlson. “A stupendous turnout.”

Carlson only had to address electioneering once, asking a voter wearing a candidate’s shirt to turn it inside out, which they did willingly.

Students Julian Liston and Shannon Smith cast their votes for Kamala Harris. For Liston, the most important issue on the ballot was Proposition 36, which would reclassify certain misdemeanors as felonies. 

“I come from an inner city,” Liston said. “Sadly, I do know a lot of people that get into trouble.”

Liston noted that in his perspective, the proposition would do more harm than good. Both Liston and Smith said Trump and Harris’ policies on the Middle East did not factor into their decision to vote. 

“People overseas got a lot of stuff going on with them,” Smith added. “But here in the US, we got a whole lot of stuff going on here.” 

Mail-in 

Before election day, much of Chico, and America as a whole, voted early through mail-in ballots. 

“It was very easy,” said Jewish community member Irv Schiffman.

In this election, the most important issue for Schiffman was Trump and keeping him out of office. 

He voted to avoid “four more years of his tweets, four more years of him getting rid of environmental regulations, four more years of him ignoring climate change, global warming, and four more years of him putting conservative judges on the courts.”

Schiffman believes that Harris will be better for America and better for Middle East policy. 

“Harris will be much better for Israel because, unlike Trump, she won't give Israel everything it asks for,” Schiffman said. “The problem with Trump and Israel was he was too good to them.”

Schiffman referenced how Trump softened America’s stance on Israeli settlements and moved the US embassy to Jerusalem. To Schiffman, this devastated hopes for a two-state solution.

“If you believe in the two-state solution that I did, it's not helpful that the US President gives the right-wingers in Israel everything they want,” he added. 

Chico State professor Daniel Veidlinger, also a Jewish community member who voted early, echoed Schiffman’s rejection of Trump yet could care less about his policies regarding the Middle East. Instead, he pointed to Trump’s anti-abortion policies and anti-immigration policies. 

“As a professor of world religions, I have a particular interest in diversity and immigrant communities feeling safe here,” Veidlinger said.

What does worry him about Harris’ policies regarding Israel is that they will inspire anti-Israel voters, particularly Arab Americans, to vote third party or not at all. 

“It strikes me that that's very unwise,” Veidlinger said. “Because, you know, if they really are concerned about their brethren in Gaza, then you know, protesting by not voting here in America is honestly not going to help them. Everyone understands that Trump is going to give Israel a much wider leash.”

While Veidlinger identifies as a centrist with no ill will toward the Republican Party, he says Trump’s felony status and perceived extremism make it impossible for him to consider voting for him.

Bryce Goldstein, a Jewish community member and city council candidate, struggled with her vote due to both candidates’ stances on Israel.

“I don't believe that the US should be funding any sort of war, no matter who is attacking who,” Goldstein said. “And so it's really hard for me. It's always been hard, as a person who wants peace to have to reconcile with the fact that our nation is always going to be involved in conflicts.”