By Caroline Connick | Staff Writer
Salve students flooded the garden level of Miley Hall Tuesday night to witness the results of what for many of them was their first presidential election as voters. Despite the major divisions that came out of this campaign season, students of all political views mingled in the crowd surrounding a projector displaying CNN’s live Election Day coverage. Red and blue snack tables displayed signs that read “At the end of the day, we are all Americans. Please be respectful of everyone at the election party.”
No matter what the outcome of this election was, this was going to be a historical night. America had a choice between Democrat Hillary Clinton, who would be the first woman president and Republican Donald Trump, who would be a non-politician president. Supporters were heated on both sides. Social media exploded with anticipation for the outcome of this long passionate campaign season.
Tensions were high as students sat in chairs or on the floor in front of the screen, snacking on pizza while discussing policies among one another. People were so nervous about this particular election that very few people were even willing to be interviewed about what they hoped to see.
SGA Vice President Lauren Healy of New Jersey wasn’t particularly excited about either candidate. “A lot of people say a vote for anyone who isn’t Hillary is a vote for Trump and a vote for anyone who isn’t Trump is a vote for Hillary, but I completely disagree with that statement because a vote in general is something people across the world would die for,” Healy stated. “But I’m hoping this election turns out in her favor even though I didn’t personally vote for her.”
Salve student Leann Teodro of Fall River, Massachusetts also hoped to see Clinton win the election. “I just think that she would do a lot of things and keep up with the changes that Obama has made for this country already,” Teodro explained.
Salve student Sean Morrissey of Connecticut wanted to see Trump win. “I personally believe that his ideas are more relevant to my family and I,” Morrissey explained.
The election lasted throughout the night and into the early morning hours. The numbers were often extremely close in each state. The box in the lower left corner of the screen displaying the votes given to each candidate seesawed back and forth between Trump and Clinton. Finally, the polls closed in all of the states and Trump won the election with 276 electoral votes while Clinton was left with 228. After the results, many students were outraged. Although Trump may not have had much of the Salve community’s support, he will be our next president.
In his victory speech, President-elect Trump said, “For those who have chosen not to support me in the past of which there were a few people, I’m reaching out to you for your guidance and your help, so that we can work together and unify our great country.”
