President Barack Obama was announced the winner of the presidential election by news outlets around 11 p.m. Tuesday night, when many “swing states” such as Ohio, Virginia and Colorado swung in his favor.
Another one of the states that helped him win the presidency was Wisconsin; giving its 10 electoral votes to Obama.
At UW-Eau Claire, students who live on campus and people living in Ward 20 went to the Davies Center on campus to vote for the president, senator and other offices for this term.
The polls opened at 7:00 a.m. to vote at the Davies Center as well as polling sites all over the state. Eau Claire City Council member and Election Deputy Dave Duax said he thought the turnout was higher than usual because Wisconsin was considered a swing state in this election.
“Wisconsin — for the first time in a while — is on the edge”, Duax said. “We’re getting a lot of national attention, and for the first time in a long time a vice presidential candidate is from Wisconsin. It brings the election more local.”
Many issues were on the forefront of many students’ minds going into the election booth including education, the country’s deficit and the economy, amongst others.
Freshmen business administration major Celia Traun said the biggest issue for her personally during the presidential election was the issue of the where this country’s money is going.
“I think the national debt is a huge factor,” Traun said. “It’s going to keep going up, and up and up … either way I think we’re kind of screwed politically, but who has the better chance of making it better?”
Some students, including sophomore education major Kyle Webster, who made the trek to the Davies Center to cast their vote for president and other offices said education was the issue they were most concerned with.
“Being an education major, I find myself focusing on that issue more than anything else,” Webster said. “The future of my life kind of depends on where the education system goes.”
Junior music education major Danielle Tully agrees with Webster and said she would vote for the candidate that supported educational growth and expansion along with an open mind to the field of music education.
“Spending on education I think is very important. Not only am I a student here, but I am an education major as well,” Tully said. “I am in music … and that seems to be a field that gets cut a lot and we need to realize that different kinds of education can be valuable.”
Issues were not the only reasons students came out to the polls on Tuesday, however. First time voters were having their voices heard by the United States for the first time and some explained that it was their civil duty to come cast their ballot.
Sophomore English major Brian Roberts said by being an educated college student, he feels more informed and not voting would be a detriment to his right as a citizen.
“For me to not come out and vote after I have been watching the news and preparing to vote for the last couple months seems foolish,” Roberts said. “Once you get into school you see different viewpoints and start forming your own ideas.”
The next presidential election will not be for four more years, but first time voters have experienced the polls and their vote, along with votes around the country, will continue to be an essential part of this country’s foundation and a staple of democracy.
Editor’s Note: Brian Roberts is a former employee of The Spectator.
