The NAACP brought students of all political ideologies together for a night of election coverage.
Dozens of students crowded inside the Bartels dining hall on election night, anxiously watching CNN’s coverage of the 2012 presidential election results.
The fierce campaigning finally came to an end on Tuesday, Nov. 6, as the battle between President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney played out for the entire nation. The University of New Haven’s chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) hosted the event along with the WNHU, the Undergraduate Student Government Association (USGA), and the Office of Intercultural Relations.
Bartels was patriotically decorated for the occasion, with red and blue-colored streamers lining the walls. Blown-up photos of Obama and Romney adorned two of the pillars in the room, and students handed out festive beads, hats and necklaces to those in attendance. A large projector screen displayed CNN’s coverage of the election results as WNHU broadcasted live to the rest of the campus. A wide variety of food, drinks and snacks were also provided.
Attendees ranged everywhere from freshmen to graduate students. “It only happens every four years, so I wanted to be here,” said freshman Jessie Edelman. This was Edelman’s first time voting in a presidential election.
She was also happy and impressed that the UNH campus strongly promoted voting in the months leading up to the election.
Grad student Marinda Brown also had good things to say about the coverage. “It’s very festive,” she said. “I’m hoping Obama comes out and gets another opportunity.”
NAACP President Arnold Lane said extensive preparation went into planning this event. “Initial planning started in July,” he said. Coverage of the beginning stages of the election also started as early as August and September. In 2008, an election night party was held in the Quad following the results. “We wanted to mimic that,” Lane said.
“I think it’s very successful,” Lane continued. “No matter who wins, it will be a historical election. I’m just glad people are here.”
As the race neared its end, students expressed their passion toward the candidates by cheering whenever their favorite candidate won the electoral votes of an additional state.
Early in the night, Romney was leading in the number of Electoral College votes. However, it became apparent that Obama would be the one to reach the coveted 270 votes needed for re-election. In the end, Obama came out on top with over 300 electoral votes in his favor, guaranteeing him another four-year term as President of the United States.
Election coverage night proved to be a successful event, unifying students on a topic that affects each and every member of the UNH community and the country.
