‘Empowering’ and ‘momentous’: Reflections on #Election2020 from first-time voters, local journalists
“Voting in my first presidential election was an outstanding experience, made even more exciting by record turnout and the campaign volunteers I worked with throughout the day…I’m confident that Joe Biden will be our next president, and I’m proud to say that we’ve expanded our majorities here in Connecticut. I believe college students played a key role in these victories. We made calls, knocked doors, and registered our peers. By all indications youth turnout is driving Democratic victories across the board.”
- Michael Cerulli, President of CT College Democrats and University of Connecticut student
“Casting my first vote in a presidential election felt empowering, especially during such a consequential year. Even though Connecticut is far from a swing state, the ability to take my opinion to paper and vote for the candidate I believe in felt impactful. I’m grateful to be able to democratically participate and contribute to a campaign that is working for the American people.” - EmmaKate Foley, Senior Political Science and Communications Major at the University of Connecticut
“My voting experience was simultaneously momentous and anti-climatic. I got up relatively early in the morning (for a college student at least) at 9 a.m. to go vote at the Mansfield Community Center. I was expecting a long line, and I had come prepared wearing layers to brace myself for standing in the cold. When I got to the polls though, there was no line. I walked in and was back outside in about 5 minutes. In that way, my experience was nothing memorable. Despite this, I could feel the weight of the moment on my shoulders as I filled in my ballot. This election is unlike anything I’ve seen in my short life so far, and it was surreal that this was the first presidential election I was eligible to vote in. I may have been in and out of the polls in about 5 minutes, but I came out feeling like I had entered a different world.” —UConn senior Journalism and Geoscience Major Ben Crnic
“I think people have more hope right now, just from seeing the numbers. Whereas in the 2016 election, Trump had really surpassed Hillary Clinton’s numbers, so a lot of that anger was building up until the announcement was made. Here, we’re seeing it very differently because Biden only needs a few more electoral votes, so the momentum is ongoing. There is more positivity during this time, even though it’s during the pandemic and we’re still waiting and it’s a big waiting game.” —WTNH News 8 reporter Amber Diaz, covering the Biden campaign in Wilmington, Delaware.
“You have to be exact and on the ball because sometimes, you’re the only one on the scene to get the numbers. No one’s checking your totals so you have to make sure you get it right the first time.” —UConn Journalism and Spanish major Kate Ariano, who called in voting totals from Monroe, Connecticut for the Associated Press
“When I was out in Mansfield, I saw a lot of people waiting to vote, and they were easily able to move people in and out. It seemed like a lot of people were enthusiastic about their right to vote and talking about their right to vote. It’s not that they don't care about COVID; a lot of people said they cared about it. Their ability to vote is that important to them, they have to get the vote in. Especially if their ballot was lost in the mail. One couple even told me they hadn't seen their grandkids in person since March, and were getting ready to see them during the holidays over FaceTime. They really felt they had to get out there and vote.” —WNPR reporter Frankie Graziano on covering the polls on Election Day