With the close election ending in the nomination of President-elect Donald Trump, many election watch parties occurred around campus, including an informal one in Talley Student Union and one in the GLBT Center, with many students in attendance.
Overall, the tension between Trump and Hillary Clinton supporters has been visible throughout campus, from the Free Expression Tunnel to chalk messages on Reynolds Loop. As divided as this state is in terms of political beliefs, students can agree that this election has been extremely unpredictable and tumultuous. In addition to this, many believe that the multiple scandals and controversies throughout this election has led the media to focus too heavily on the candidates themselves rather than the issues facing the country.
“I think it’s been really crazy, and it’s gotten really petty, like they’ve spent a lot of time attacking each other and not saying what they’re going to do for their country, especially in the debates,” said Anna Davis, a freshman studying engineering. “I don’t support either of them wholeheartedly; it’s sort of like the lesser of two evils.”
Shortly after the polls closed at 7:30 p.m. in North Carolina, the presidential election results showed that the vote was too close to call. When asked who they think would win the close race, students responded with uncertainty, which the polls reflected throughout the night.
“In my opinion, Clinton is everything wrong with the government, and Trump is everything wrong with society,” said Grant Kirkland, a freshman studying biological oceanography. “I saw that on the internet, and I thought it was pretty apt. I think Trump is going to win North Carolina, but no matter what happens, the people of North Carolina are going to lose.”
Halfway through the night, the election results showed that Trump had a slight lead over Clinton, with 136 of the 270 electoral votes needed to win. Sources such as FiveThirtyEight and CNN predicted that Clinton’s chances of winning the presidency rose significantly after the three presidential debates. Despite this, Clinton supporters remained hopeful.
“It’s really exciting that a woman has come this far in this election, and I know that a lot of people are upset with Hillary and talking about how she’s not a ‘real person,’” said Emma Rose Trautmann-Galloway, a freshman majoring in international studies. “One of my friends back home says that she doesn’t really want her president of her country to feel like a real person, like she wants to feel like they’re competent and will be able to take on these tough situations, and Hillary is definitely the person; she’s the most qualified candidate we’ve ever had.”
The GLBT Center in Talley was packed with students anxious to know the race’s outcome. The watch party was originally planned from 7 to 9 p.m. in Talley, room 3285, but was later moved to the GLBT Center from 9 p.m. to midnight. Some of the issues at stake during this election for the GLBT community were HB2, on the state level, and multiple court cases concerning the safety of transgender individuals.
“The results so far really stress me out and a little bit surprise me, because right now Trump is leading, and I thought Hillary would have been a bit further ahead, especially in New Hampshire,” said Griffin James, a freshman studying life sciences.
Overall, the election has been building anxiety and enthusiasm for young voters, many of whom were voting for the first time. The consistent divisiveness of this election has paradoxically brought students together tonight, as the race stalls at Trump with 238 electoral votes, and Clinton with 209 electoral votes.
“I was super excited, because it was the first election I was able to vote in, and then, at this point now, I’m just ready for it to be over,” Trautmann-Galloway said. “I found that the election and the debates was not about who was the better candidate or intelligent debates, it was just throwing insults, and I’m tired of it.”
