Students react to the gradual emergence of election results

Late on the evening of November 5, Ohio University students gathered across the city to witness history in the making. From the Baker University Center, located at 1 Park Place, to The Pigskin, located at 38 N. Court St., parties celebrating the results of the upcoming 2024 election welcomed students and community members with varying political views and expectations.

Esme Miranda, a senior studying political science, law and women’s, gender and sexuality studies, spent the early hours of the night watching the presidential vote count in Ohio before the state was called in favor of former President Donald Trump at approximately 10:45 a.m. evening, according to in AP News.

“I had hope that maybe (Ohio) might turn blue because I was hoping that a bunch of Gen Z people would vote, and they probably did, but maybe not the way I would have liked.” , said Miranda.

Although Nathan Maltz, a freshman history major, expected Ohio to turn red, he believed the final result of the presidential election remained unpredictable even as most states showed support for the Republican candidate after hours of vote counting.

“It will be very close,” Maltz said. “Honestly, I think it’s really a bit of a coin toss… I can’t say whether the lead now might just be a red mirage or whether it’s actually a lead, it’s really hard to say, but it’s interesting.”

In such a tight presidential race, Miranda had to realistically consider a future in which either candidate could take office.

“I’m scared and worried because this could really impact me as a queer, trans, non-binary person, and with the way Trump talks about trans people and the queer community, it just doesn’t seem reassuring,” Miranda said.

Additionally, Miranda is concerned about how it will affect the economy if the final result goes in Trump’s favor.

“I feel like he’s not going to help the working class at all,” Miranda said.

Maltz attended a party hosted by The New Political at Baker University Center after following a number of local issues in Lake County, where he is from, as well as the Senate race between Sherrod Brown and Bernie Moreno.

“I think the president has a lot of power over the Senate, especially now,” he said. “I think if the Senate is red and Trump wins, then Trump will accomplish a lot more. If the Senate is red and Kamala wins, she won’t be able to accomplish much.

Another attendee at the Baker Center party was Gavin Caney, a junior studying exercise physiology. Caney arrived at the party with minimal prior knowledge of election issues, demonstrating how the collection of election results can unite community members with varying levels of political engagement.

“To be honest, I just came here for the food and just to hang out, so I’m not really here for the politics so much,” Caney said.

As in 2020, presidential election results may not come out until later this week. While definitive predictions cannot be made regarding this particular outcome, Maltz is confident of one thing.

“It will be a show,” he said.

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