After months of the 2020 election being a regular topic of conversation in the media, No. 3 is just days away and early voting has started all across the country. For many students, this may be your first time voting. Eyes are on this new generation of voters to see how many will turn out. Before you head to the polls, make sure you know exactly what each candidate stands for and how they represent your interests. Here are some things you need to know about Democratic candidate former Vice President Joe Biden.  

Full Name: Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.  

Age: 77 

Party: Democrat 

Education: The University of Delaware (Graduated 1965) and Syracuse Law School (Graduated 1968). 

Key Career Moments:  

• Served as Vice President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 
• Served in the U.S Senate from 1972 to 2009 on both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee 
• Oversaw the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas 
• Oversaw the 1994 crime law known as the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 
• Received a Presidential Medal of Freedom 

Stances on the issues: 

• Supports same-sex marriage 
• Intends on combating climate change while in office 
• Advocates for nation-wide mask mandates and effective vaccine distribution. 
• On the issue of Black Lives Matter, Biden has not called for the police to be defunded, but has advocated for 300 million in funding to go towards community policing.  

• On the issue of gun control, Biden believes that the use of assault weapons should be banned.  

Campaign Promises: 

• Will provide free tuition for historically black colleges and universities, colleges serving areas with high minority populations, and public colleges to families making less than $125,000 a year.  
• Will expand the Affordable Care Act 
• Will invest in addressing climate change by creating a carbon-neutral power sector by 2035.  

• Will start his plan for recovering the economy on Day One of his presidency.  
• Will raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans, whom he defines as those that make more than $400,000 per year 
• Will repair relationships with NATO and the World Health Organization, rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement and enter another international deal with Iran. 
• Will ban assault weapons, introduce stronger background checks, ban online gun sales, limit the number of weapons an American can own and prevent anyone convicted of a hate crime from owning a gun.  

For more information on the Democratic candidate, visit his campaign website at joebiden.com