This election galvanized voters of all parties. Everywhere I went yesterday, people sported “I Voted” stickers and were eager to discuss the election. My husband and I went to West Springfield High School at 7:15 AM to vote and found that the line was already snaking its way out of the building. But despite the early hour and the long line, people were upbeat and talkative, energized (in part) by the coffee and baked goods volunteers were selling outside, but mostly by a keen awareness that we were taking part in a historic election. Our long line moved swiftly, and in less than an hour, my husband and I were inside the school and voting. The use of scannable paper ballots made it possible for more people to vote at once, and this new voting method kept the line moving and frustration low. What about you? What happened when you went to vote?
On Mason’s campus, the weather was dreary and damp, but spirits were high.
Student Government ran vans to the Woodson High School polling place, and volunteers promoted this service by becoming “human advertisements.”
Rain apparently, does not damper revolutions!
This guy stole my heart!
Our university was not without its own drama. Yesterday morning, a hacker broke into the Provost’s email account and sent out a fake message announcing that the election had been moved to November 5th. Rumors circulated that Mason students who voted could lose their financial aid.
But such lame attempts proved ineffective against the smart and savvy youthful voters who went to the polls in record numbers. Your demographic – voters between the ages of 18 and 25 – voted overwhelmingly for Obama and helped power him to victory. Now it’s your turn to act upon that mandate and consider how you will help him guide our nation toward economic recovery, energy reform, and improved security both at home and abroad.
How will you meet the challenge Obama made to all Americans in his victory speech last night that change can’t happen without “a new spirit of patriotism, a new spirit of sacrifice?” How has this election influenced your outlook on the future and the role you will play in it as a working professional?
6 comments:
My experience is relativity in and out. It took me about 10 minutes to vote. As for Barack Obama winning the election, November 4th had to be the best day of my life. I thought I will never see this day coming, an African American being elected to become President of the United States. Barack Obama not only has broken the color barrier in politics, but he set the golden standard on how presidential campaigns should be run. Look at the battleground states he won, it tells you a lot right there.
I waited in line at my community center at 5:45am and didn't leave until around 7:15! Not matter how early it was or how crazy the line was, I was so excited and proud to vote; and everyone else in line with me felt the same way despite who they were voting for. Unfortunately I was caught up in the morning rush with all those who went to vote before work, but when I went to go vote with my boyfriend around noon he was the only person in the high school! I loved the people outside of the polling places who were giving out snacks, pins and stickers. I thought it was funny how quickly I was done with the scan tron like ballets and all the other voters, who were my parent's age, took three or four times longer then me!
I thought McCain's speech was amazing! I was disappointed that I didn't see this side of time during the campaign. Seeing McCain and Palin concede surprisingly made me shed a tear! I guess hearing him concede meant that I wasn't going to hear "I'm Barack Obama and I approve this message." and I wasn't going to see all the political discussions, groups and statuses dedicated to the campaign on facebook anymore. Then to hear Obama's speech...WOW! I was so proud that our country finally got it right! I think that Obama being elected is not only groundbreaking but it shows us and the rest of the world that we do truly believe in the constitution and all that it says and that YES! our country is a country where everyone is equal! soooo epic! best day ever!!
Oh and FINALLY our beautiful Virginia bleeds blue :D
I am a first time voter so this was my first voting experience. I did my research on the candidates both for presidential and local candidates. I woke up that morning, with a free and full day in front of me since most my classes were canceled for the day. Around 9 o clock I went down to local elementary school to cast my vote. I used one of the electronic touch pad screens. I was only at the screen for about 1 minute and spent no more than 10minutes waiting in line. There was not a big crowd. I was handed a democratic ballot flyer before I went in which I did not bother to look at. Anyway I casted my vote and went back home to watch nip tuck with my brothers.
I had a feeling Obama was going going to win. I tired to go on the news channels to get information on the election status. But no luck there. I found out Obama had won riding home in the car while listening to the radio. My dad, brother, and 2 family friends, and me of course where riding home from a men's hockey league game. There was no shouts for joy or anything like that. We were not crying like everyone on tv. We were not upset. We didnt know what to feel.
The "voter van" took me to woodson- thank goodness because I had no idea where it was :-)
Once at the school it took me all of ten minutes to vote... which as a first time voter I found nice. I also found the electronic machine easy to use (which was a huge concern for me... as I lived in FL during the butterfly ballot fiasco I have this fear of voting for the person I mean to vote against)
I am excited for the next four years. But I know that there will be trials ahead. And I hope that Obama keeps his word and does listen to the people who voted for McCain.
As for sacrifice, When ever our economy is hurting some sacrifices must be made. I am not sure how much of a sacrifice will be necessary, and I am not sure how I will react to such things. But I know that as these things become more clear I will have a firmer idea of what I must do, as an American, to help our country get back on its feet.
I went to my voting area at West
Springfield high school with my mother and my older brother at 11am. There was a short line for the 4 voting machines in the building and several other lines for the paper ballots, thought I was told that at 6am there had been a line that went out into the street and snaked alongside the building, probably to the delight of the bake sale that had opened up outside for West Springfield's senior prom. The whole voting process took less than 15 minutes, and the longest part was the woman explaining to me how to work the voting machine as it was the first time I'd voted.
At night I watched news coverage of the election with my parents, primarily watching John Stewart and Steven Colbert's coverage though we occasionally flipped to CNN. My dad was also watching the results on his laptop and would give electoral updates as reported from various news organizations.
When the Barack Obama won the election, we flipped over to CNN and watched John McCain's concession speech and then Barack Obama's victory speech. I must confess I fell asleep during the first half of the speech, though I have it recorded and plan to watch it soon. I found his call to once again find our sense of patriotism and willingness to make sacrifices refreshing: I have tended to be pessimistic towards the future of our country, I feel we give into fear far too easily and that we have been sorely split along party lines, and I only felt more depressed about as this election continued to get negative. That is why I so enjoyed both the speeches of both John McCain and Barack Obama: I feel like they sincerely wish to heal the country and I hope I can be a part of it.
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