Republican candidate Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election with 50.0% of the popular vote, compared to Democrat Kamala Harris’ 48.4%. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president on Jan. 20. While Stephanie Tan, Democrats Club member and sophomore, said she was not shocked by the election’s results, they were far from what she was hoping for.

“I’m not that surprised, but I’m kind of just disappointed,” Tan said. “This cycle, specifically, I felt was very different, because it really felt like a lot more was at stake. I feel like this is putting our country in the wrong direction.”

Tan is not alone. Despite the national election results, Tan is one of many Carmel residents who supported Democratic candidates in the recent election. According to the Indianapolis Star, 51.6% of Carmel votes were for Harris. This marks the first time in the 21st century Carmel voted for a Democratic presidential candidate more than the nation as a whole. 

Social studies teacher James Ziegler said Carmel continues to move to the left due to its shifting demographics as the city becomes more diverse in age and race.

“Each year, the community as a whole shifts from a more conservative bloc to a more moderate stance,” Ziegler said. “I think part of that is because of the age demographics of Carmel becoming a bit younger and also because of Carmel becoming more racially diverse.”

Ziegler added that he has seen this political shift occur first hand.

“In terms of political ideology and mindset, (Carmel) was much more conservative when I first moved here (when I was in middle school),” Ziegler said. “As more young families move to Carmel, I’ve definitely seen a lot more of a liberal and progressive makeup of the population, especially the student population here. Carmel’s increasing diversity is contributing to (political) change.”

Suburbs still a mixed result

While Tan said she has seen a voting shift toward Democratic candidates in Carmel, she said she thinks the city can’t be classified as Democrat or Republican.

“Suburbs like here, especially more affluent cities, have traditionally been more fiscally conservative but, in recent years, Carmel specifically has been trending towards more progressive ideologies,” Tan said. “I’d say currently it’s still very close cut. We have been blue in the past two presidential cycles, but our mayor is still Republican.” 

Ziegler said suburbs are a unique blend of demographics, often causing suburbs to be more diverse politically.

“I think you get that hybrid element a bit in suburbs, especially in areas that are a little more wealthy,” Ziegler said. “Sometimes those areas lean a little bit more conservative economically as compared to city areas where you might have a higher propensity for people who would benefit from higher income taxes on wealthy individuals. I would also say that compared to rural areas, suburbs tend to be more socially moderate, whereas most rural areas in the state would hang on to more traditional viewpoints, whether it be on issues such as reproductive or LGBTQ+ rights. In the city, there’s a greater deal of ethnic, religious and sexual orientation diversity so there would be greater support for social programs and civil rights legislation there in particular.”

Due to the mix of conservatives and liberals within this school, Grayson Miller, Political Discussions Club president and junior, said he’s noticed some political divisiveness within the school this year. 

“In the politically active side (of Carmel), there is certainly some polarization,” Miller said. “While driving to the school parking lot during the election buildup, I would often see a Trump flag flying, which was new this year.”

Miller said despite noticing political diversity within Carmel, he does not let politics impact who he’s friends with.

“When I befriend someone, I don’t look to see what their political beliefs are, but what you get is that CHS students tend to be more liberal, so just by that factor alone, my friend group is going to be more liberal,” Miller said. “But I do certainly have a good amount of friends across the aisle, which I’ve met through classes and also being a part of the political sphere. I’d say most of my friends share my (liberal) beliefs, but not because of a conscious effort or anything.”

Issues still a factor

While Carmel has seen a shift towards voting for Democrats, many students, including Ben Bixler, Republican Club vice president and sophomore, consider themselves Republicans. Bixler said he still views the city as largely conservative. Bixler also said Trump’s agenda aligned more closely with him than Harris’.

“Gas prices going down and the economy getting better (were the most important issues for me),” Bixler said.

In contrast, while she believed economic policies were important issues in the election, Tan said she saw education as one of the biggest issues for Carmel residents in particular.

“Education, I think is really big (of an issue), especially as our population is growing,” Tan said. “We have a lot of immigrants and stuff, and these new diverse groups focus on education and stuff like that.”

For example, Tan said Carmel’s focus on education is why she thinks the city elected non-partisan candidates Jon Shapiro and Kris Wheeler instead of candidates Robin Clark and Dina Ferchmin for the school board.

“(Shapiro and Wheeler) don’t want to polarize people based on party,” Tan said. “I think the reason people chose them is not because they’re red or they’re not red or they’re not blue, it’s because they just advocate for what people want, which is having good education and making sure parents’ voices are heard.”

Ziegler said while the city remains fiscally conservative, its social liberalism is part of the reason why conservatives failed to win the school board elections.

“The idea of community members having mass control over curriculums in areas where they don’t have as much knowledge as teachers and professionals do, is something that I think most parents in the community pushed back against,” Ziegler said. “I also think that the anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric that some of those candidates pushed didn’t line up with some of the morals and values socially that our community has.”

Ziegler also said that while Carmel has been trending left, its fiscal conservatism is part of the reason why Sue Finkham won the mayoral election by a large, 14% margin in 2023.

“I think with Finkam being a little less extreme on social issues while at the same time supporting some of the conservative economic values that people in this community support, that allowed her to differentiate herself from those school board candidates,” Ziegler said.

According to Tan, there’s significant distinctions to be made based on the office an official is occupying. For example, Tan said she doesn’t let political affiliation impact her views on local, city-wide policies.

“The scope is very different for presidential versus local (elections),” Tan said. “I think locally, with Finkham, she advocates for stuff that everyone kind of wants, like more units and stuff. I don’t think party has much to do with (elections on a) local level.”

Miller said civic engagement is important. Miller said one of the goals of the Political Discussions Club is to allow for students of different political affiliations to understand each other.

“We try to encourage people from both sides to come (to club meetings),” Miller said. “There’s a higher concentration of liberal participants in the club, but we have a handful of more conservative people. And just because people are generally liberal doesn’t mean they’re a monolith on all issues.”

Ziegler said he believes it is crucial for democracy, especially in politically divisive areas like Carmel, for people to vote. 

“I always encourage people to stay engaged around election time and research their candidates before they vote,” Ziegler said. “I think that would be a good first step to increasing civic engagement and participation. The more turnout we get, the healthier our democracy.”