Election Day was a day of strong emotions as Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton battled for the presidency. Throughout the day, students and town residents went to Hanover High School to cast their ballots. More than 6,500 Hanover residents voted for Clinton, while 926 cast ballots for Trump. Volunteers and candidates turned out for one last day of campaigning on campus and at the polls, with candidates, students and community members coming together to get out the vote. Our reporters covered campus and town happenings throughout Election Day, speaking with voters at the polls and students at watch parties to gauge the mood in and around Hanover.
Students at watch party react to Donald Trump presidency
The atmosphere in Occom Commons became increasingly depressed over the course of yesterday’s election as results from CNN’s news coverage predicted a Donald Trump presidency. Students let out intermittent cheers when Hillary Clinton was shown to have leads in states including New Hampshire, but otherwise remained silent.
First-time voter Christina Lu ’20 said that her hopes for the country’s future now rest on the Republican-controlled Congress disliking Trump enough to not vote for any of his proposed policies.
Meanwhile, fellow first-time voter Jeho Hahm ’20 had only one word to describe the results of the election — “unbelievable.”
“I was waiting for a miracle that in the back of my mind, I knew wasn’t going to happen,” Hahm said.
– By Anthony Robles
Election watchers try and get some homework done while waiting
In Occom Commons, the watch party crowd rapidly grew once the clock struck nine. Most are students living in the McLaughlin residential cluster and a palpable sense of anxiousness filled the room. The provided pizza was gone within minutes of the watch party’s scheduled start.
As more projections were released on CNN, most of the crowd let out audible groans as Donald Trump added to his electoral vote lead. A loud boo followed an update that showed Trump leading in New Hampshire. Cheers and applause followed as states were called in Clinton’s favor.
A sizeable majority of the crowd wore stickers on their shirts saying that they voted today. Stickers on their laptops and water bottles showed support for their candidate of choice. A Bernie 2016 sticker emblazoned a laptop served as a reminder of how this election has been hotly contested since the start.
The sound clacking keyboards echoed through the room. Amid writing essays and working on problem sets, students switched between tabs on their computers, keeping track of the election on multiple news websites.
Elena Doty ’20 said that she would feel a lot better about being a first-time voter in this election if it wasn’t currently going in Trump’s favor.
“Australia is looking really nice right now,” she added.
– By Anthony Robles
NextGen hosts open watch party
About 25 Get Out the Vote volunteers, Divest Dartmouth members and friends gathered to watch the election results at the Next Generation watch party at 8 South St. Students from all class years sat in a semicircle with several pizzas and snacks, watching CNN coverage projected onto the wall.
For the four days leading up to election day, Get Out the Vote volunteers worked to text people and make phone calls to encourage people to vote. Francesca Gundrum ‘17, an organizing fellow with NextGen and the host of the watch party, said those at the party were “all over the place” about what they thought was going to happen. Many of those present were former Bernie Sanders supporters and current Hillary Clinton supporters.
“New Hampshire could determine this election so this morning when I was voting I was … frazzled,” Benny Adapon ’19 said.
– By Debora Hyemin Han
Collis watch party audience worried but optimistic
With 28 people in attendance, students watching the election in One Wheelock ranged from excited to nervous after an early round of poll numbers were reported at around 9 p.m. last night at a party sponsored by Collis Governing Board.
“I’m not nervous because we won’t know for so long,” Becca Rodriguez ’17 said. “While it’s easy to get emotional when swing states are close, we still don’t have all the votes.”
Wendy Huang ’18 noted that the incoming poll numbers highlighted general trends among specific socioeconomic groups of voters.
“It’s interesting because if Donald Trump wins he will be the first candidate not endorsed by the highly educated white population,” Huang said. “It says something of the current income inequality perception of U.S. citizens.”
Across the Collis Center, students generally shared the same feelings when reflecting on the current poll numbers.
Emma Miller ’19 said she was terrified, worried but still optimistic.
“I think at this point, we are all just waiting,” said Miller.
– By Paulomi Rao
Short lines close out the polls on Election Day
Just 15 minutes prior to the closing of the polls, Hanover High School’s polling area was primarily empty. With no lines, the final voters made their way through the room and submitted their ballots.
Those exiting the polls consisted of primarily Dartmouth students, as well as a few Hanover residents, some of whom brought their children along with them.
Signs outside the polls supported Democratic candidates across the board. In addition to those supporting Hillary Clinton, signs reminded voters to consider Maggie Hassan for senator, Ann Kuster for congress, Colin Van Ostern for governor, Wendy Piper for county commissioner, and Mike Cryans for executive council.
Voters interviewed all agreed that the voting process at Hanover High School was quick, easy and straightforward. Hanover resident Bart O’Connor said that he appreciated that he was able to bring his two young children along with him.
O’Connor compared this election to a “horse race that has gotten out of hand.” He said he has been shocked by the lack of respect and dignity between the candidates and the amount of outside influences in the campaigning.
Tess McGuinness ’18 said the process of this election has been incredibly elongated. She recalled first hearing that Donald Trump was running and thinking it was a joke.
Noting that her mother grew up in a world where women couldn’t even own a credit card, McGuinness called today an “emotional day for all women.”
– By Frances Cohen
Drivers come from far and wide to bring voters to the polls
Dozens of volunteers drove voters to and from the polling station at Hanover High School yesterday. Transporting hundreds of voters, these volunteers shuttled voters from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Some drivers came from as far as New York and New Haven to volunteer their time and cars, helping students as well as locals get out to vote. Volunteers from Hillary Clinton’s campaign helped orchestrate the effort.
“I wanted to work in a swing state with a very important senatorial race,” said Steve Ettlinger, a volunteer driver and the author of the book “Twinkie, Deconstructed” who traveled to Hanover from New York City yesterday morning.
“This is a really charged election where people are really invested in which candidate they want. For the state of democracy, it is important for as many people as possible to get out and vote as possible,” said Matthew Vance ’18, who drove voters for the last two hours of the voting period.
– By Peter Charamboulous
Joe Kennedy moves campaign event to Keene State University
Joe Kennedy’s “get out the vote” campaign stop at Dartmouth was cancelled today due to the high voter turnout among Dartmouth students. Expected to hold a meet and greet in Novak Café at 5 p.m., the event was cancelled according to Hillary campaigners. Sarah Atac ’18, a representative of the Dartmouth for Hillary organization, said Kennedy was instead redirected to Keene State University, a campus with previous low college student voting turnout, to encourage students to get to the polls and cast their ballots.
– By Paulomi Rao
Van Ostern Tu’09 makes final push for governor
Dartmouth College Democrats hosted Democratic New Hampshire gubernatorial candidate Colin Van Ostern Tu ’09 behind Robinson Hall at 11 a.m. while students waited for shuttles to Hanover High School voting booths. Van Ostern, drawing a crowd of about 30, stressed the importance of voting all the way down the Democratic ballot.
“There is so much power in our hands in New Hampshire,” he said in an interview with The Dartmouth.
He added that New Hampshire voters have more clout during presidential and congressional elections than voters from almost any other state in the country.
Van Ostern is up against Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Sununu. They have both held positions on the New Hampshire Executive Council since 2012 and 2011 respectively.
– By Emma Demers
Early risers make their way to Hanover High School as polls open
The path to the entrance of Hanover High School was filled with voters, students and volunteers moving in and out of the building on Election Day. At 8:30 a.m., five people stood outside Hanover High with placards supporting campaigns for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine for president and vice president, Colin van Ostern Tu’09 for governor and Rep. Ann McLane Kuster ’77 for reelection. As voters walked by the placard-holders, friendly and personal greetings were exchanged.
Lebanon High School American History teacher and Hanover resident Deb Nelson was one of those standing outside. Nelson has been involved in the political process since she was 12 years old, volunteering for Democratic campaigns or taking Election Day off from work to support the polls.
Nelson stressed the importance of her students being informed about the election and the election process. She requires her students to volunteer for a political campaign for 10 hours and discuss where they receive political information.
Competence, knowledge about foreign affairs, Planned Parenthood, climate change and lowering student debt are a few of the issues Nelson noted as important to her, but she emphasized that this list was not exhaustive.
Nelson also mentioned the personal significance of voting for and possibly electing the first woman president.
“I think I might do a little weep when I go and vote,” Nelson stated.
– By Alexandra Steinberg
