By Ayah Galal
If there is one thing most Americans can agree on during this highly divisive period, it’s that the 2016 presidential election has been long, exhausting and emotionally draining.
“It’s just exhausting because everybody is talking about it, everyone is so passionate about it and then it just doesn’t go away,” Sarah Basset, a sophomore legal studies major said.
The primaries are over, the party conventions are over and the debates are over. Now it all comes down to who Americans choose to vote for on Election Day.
“It is our responsibility as American citizens to partake in such an important election, or any for that matter,” Student Body President Joseph Mullaney said. “I really hope everyone has the chance to vote and sees the significance in voting as a whole.”
Only 25 percent of Quinnipiac students are from Connecticut and so many out of state students have already voted by submitting their absentee ballots.
Stephanie Javarauckas, president of QU Democrats, submitted her absentee ballot and says she can’t wait to see Hillary Clinton become the first female president of the United States of America.
“As a lower class young woman, I’m terrified of Trump,” Javarauckas said. “I’m terrified of my student loan interest going up, I’m terrified that my mother will not be able to manage his proposed tax increases, and I’m terrified that having someone as the face of America that calls women Miss Piggy or Miss Housekeeping will breed general hatred.”
She believes that Trump’s comments directed at Hillary Clinton and other women represent his “misogynistic tendencies.” Despite his controversial comments about women, Mexicans, Muslims, the disabled and other groups, some Quinnipiac students believe Trump is fit to be president.
James Zambito, a senior finance major, says that he doesn’t agree with Trump’s controversial comments and that his words made it hard for him to still support Trump. However, Zambito believes it’s Trump’s first amendment right to say what he wants to say.
“Trump is a businessman and not a politician—he can say or do whatever he pleases as an American with the freedom of speech behind him,” Zambito said.
Zambito, who voted for Trump through an absentee ballot, says Trump’s campaign message is clear whereas Clinton’s stances are convoluted because she has flip-flopped on issues such as The Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Javarauckas, who’s a registered Democrat, says she would like to see the Republican Party back to where it was back in 2012 and earlier.
“America is already great. Look at the unemployment rate. Look at the happy LGBTQ community. Look at the women with access to safe abortions. Say “thanks Obama” all you want, but in six months nobody will be able to deny that he was a damn good president,” she said.
On Monday, Quinnipiac’s Student Government Association (SGA) held a mock presidential election poll via email. Of the nearly 1,000 people who voted in the mock election, 46% supported Hillary Clinton and 42% voted for Donald Trump.
Mullaney hopes that whoever is elected in the real presidential election represents the American people well.
“Being commander in chief is one of the greatest privileges anyone could have and I hope whoever takes on that role understands what’s expected. The focus is the citizens,” the Student Body President said.
SGA, QU Democrats, QU College Republicans and the Quinnipiac Political Science Association will be hosting election result watch parties on Nov. 8 from 9 p.m. to midnight in the lower cafeteria. Food will be provided and students from all political and social spectrums are welcome to attend.
The day after the election (Nov. 9) the university will be hosting an event titled “A Day After the Election…Now What?” The event will take place in the Mount Carmel Auditorium from 12-1 p.m. and the panel includes professors from the Quinnipiac political science and media studies departments
Q30 reached out to QU College Republicans and they did not comment.
