Election Party

Posted by Andrew Koss in Election 2016

Campus Life Coordinator Malcom Morgan issues raffle tickets. Photo by Sasha Hill

There was little excitement for many of the students gathered in Fogelson Library the evening of Nov. 8, though Campus Life coordinator Malcom Morgan provided a few distractions that shone through in a night of disappointment. Morgan strung together an election viewing party in hopes that giving students a space to congregate and support each other could help with any difficult feelings the election might arouse.

“I think everybody’s a little scared, but I think what’s keeping them lively is the fact that they’re with their friends and they’re having fun while watching instead of being in their rooms by themselves,” Morgan told Jackalope. “One of the students came to me and said, ‘I’m really glad that you threw this event…we’re having a little bit more fun with it even though it’s a scary situation.’”

Red, white and blue paraphernalia painted the floors and walls in streamers, flags and balloons. Even the refreshments were America-themed, with Old Glory’s colors represented in various fruit punch dispensers and cupcakes arranged in the shape of a star. Representatives from several different student organizations, including Student Ambassadors, Student Voice and the Resident Assistants, showed up to assist Morgan in setting up the event. Within a couple of hours, Morgan estimated nearly 100 students occupied the tables, chairs and spiral staircase of the library.

“We had a great turnout,” Morgan said. “I wasn’t expecting this many students to show up. I was expecting 30 to 50, maybe.”

The sheer number of attendees demonstrates the need for a space to congregate, but while there is comfort in communal experience, the emotional atmosphere was greatly subdued. Students lay on white leather couches, draped over brown bean bags or sprawled out on the floor to watch the election returns live on a 50-inch projection screen. There were the occasional interruptions for a pie-eating contest and raffles (prizes included presidential-themed movies like White House Down and Independence Day). Some played Jenga Giant in the corner, and a few film students edited projects on their laptops. A lonely game of Mouse Trap was set up at one table, but for the most part, students kept their voices low and sat in the darkened vicinity of the projector, worried expressions lit up in the glow of laptop, iPad and cellphone displays.

Sophomore Film major Evan Reeves, indicating the projected ABC broadcast, said, “I’m very upset for the simple fact that this thing is not showing the correct votes. Trump has the most. On the phone it shows that Trump has 216 and Hillary still only has 197. I don’t know why it wasn’t updated.”

Students enjoying a game of Jenga while they watch the presidential election. Photo by Sasha Hill

“I don’t know which one is correct,” said sophomore Graphic Design major Cassandra Miller, turning between the screen and her phone. “This one could be wrong or this one could be wrong.”

“I’ve never been so stressed in my whole life,” Reeves said.

Sara Cunningham huddled in a circle with several friends and her girlfriend, Kelsey Moghadaspour.

“I’m going to lose my mind. I can’t keep my eyes off my phone. I’ve been pressing refresh every two seconds since 6 p.m.” Cunningham said. I’m also kind of scared for the Senate. It’s currently 46 to 48. What people don’t think about is if they vote Clinton into office, but the House or the Senate is Republican, nothing is going to get done.”

Senior Creative Writing major Felicia Mackey sat at a table on the edge of the crowd, proofreading a script for a friend rather than watching the election results.

“I need a distraction,” Mackey said.

She voted for Clinton, though she referred to her as the increasingly-meaningless designation of “the lesser of two evils.”

“I don’t really like her that much,” Mackey said, “but I figure I benefit more from her than with Trump.”

Like Mackey, many students are not registered in New Mexico and had to send absentee ballots back home if they wanted to vote in the election. For some, the process seemed either too cumbersome or not worth the trouble.

Students watch the presidential election inside Fogelson Library. Photo by Sasha Hill

Senior Contemporary Music Program major Thulani Mason applied electronically for an absentee ballot in his home state of Alabama, but ultimately decided that he didn’t like his options.

“Besides voting as an obligation, I just didn’t seen any reason why I should do it,” Mason said. “I’m definitely not voting for Hillary. I’m not voting for Trump. The other party doesn’t know what they’re talking about. I just said I won’t. I’ll just make peace with whoever wins and that’s that.”

If there was more than one Trump supporter in the crowd, they weren’t making their presence known. Sophomore Film major Morgan Peterson sank between her friends on a white leather couch, and when asked if she supported the Republican candidate, she only sheepishly admitted to it.

“I have issues with both of them, but I don’t get to choose who the nominees are, right?” Peterson said. “I don’t like a bunch of things that Hillary’s done with scamming and things like that, with the government, and I don’t like how Trump’s very racist…but I’m voting for Trump because my family back home is voting for Trump. My family’s relying on me.”

Though Peterson said she was voting for Trump, it appeared she merely meant she was supporting him, as she admitted to not having voted.

“I couldn’t,” she said, “because I’m from Texas so I had to do an absentee ballot.”

Moghadaspour filled out her absentee ballot in class that morning. Absentee ballots can still be counted as long as they are postmarked on the date of the election.

“Washington votes mostly Democratic,” Kelsey Moghadaspour said. “When it came to the presidential vote, it really didn’t matter who I picked. I was mainly focusing on the other races. I voted for those and then I voted Socialist for president.”

Moghadaspour referred to the lesser-known Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate, Gloria La Riva.

“I looked her up,” she said. “She sounded interesting and the other two are trash, and I didn’t really want to vote for either.”

Freshman Film major Mariana Mariconi attends the presidential election viewing at Fogelson Library. Photo by Sasha Hill

Semester abroad film student Mariana Mariconi, who is visiting SFUAD from Brazil, finds the American electoral process a little overwhelming.

“I’m kind of done with hearing about this election,” she said. “It was the entire year listening about Trump and Hillary…I can’t do it anymore.”

Mariconi was anxious to hear the results, as she said what happens in the United States affects her country as well.

“We look to the U.S. for many things,” she said. “When the dollar goes up, everything goes crazy expensive. Right now the dollar is 3.4. So if you pay $10 for something here, I have to pay $30 for the same thing.”

Like many gathered in the room, Mariconi isn’t “for” any one candidate as much as she is against one.

“I don’t want Trump to win,” she said. “As a Latin American I do think he’s a racist, so I’m not ok with him. Excuse my language, but I think he’s an asshole. But that’s me as a Latin American. You guys can do whatever you want.”

In Brazil, voting is mandatory or citizens have to pay a fine. She says it’s interesting to see the U.S. election process, since Americans don’t have to vote. She’s not sure if she thinks it’s a better system of not, but feels it is necessary in her own country, otherwise nobody would vote.

Student Life Operations manager Heather “Maz” Mazorow worries that while students at SFUAD are passionate about their political beliefs, they are not as passionate about getting involved with the political process.

“I was at Ohio State for my first election. Bush versus Gore,” Mazorow said. “There was huge involvement with both campaigns, from signing up voters to volunteering the night of the election. And then I was there for Obama. Again, huge turnouts, huge involvement. And I don’t think that’s the case here.”

Mazorow noted that there were no rallies on campus or efforts to get out the vote.

“One of the things I heard today was that people don’t like either candidate,” Mazorow said. “I think that’s sad, because for some, this is their first time voting in a presidential election.”

Still, Morgan helped students get to the polls by providing shuttles for those without cars. Senior Creative Writing major Marisa Doherty voted via absentee ballot, so on election day she offered transportation services to students who needed a ride to vote.

“I drove one person to the polls today,” Doherty said. “It was interesting and adorable.”

“It was me!” shouted Ashley Castañeda, pointing at the sticker on her shirt. “See, it says, ‘I voted today.’”

Freshman Business major Jacob Clinkscales prepares himself for the pie eating competition. Photo by Sasha Hill

Though there was little enthusiasm about the choices in the election, and even less in regards to the results, the energy shifted in the room when students got the chance to vote for a more unusual candidate: the winner of the pie-eating contest.

Eight contestants lined up with their hands behind their backs, preparing to shove their faces down into pumpkin, cherry, apple and sweet potato pies. American flags adorned the Lego wall forming a backdrop behind them. Michael Marin boasted that he would be the winner, claiming it would be his greatest claim to fame since his team took third place in the SFUAD Olympics last year. The spectators cast their votes on signup sheets in front of the pie-consumers, with the promise of prizes if they guessed the winner correctly.

“If you think you’re going to barf, raise your hands,” Morgan instructed the group. “On your mark, get set, go!”

As the contestants dove into cream and fruit, the crowd erupted with greater energy and volume than has likely ever echoed against the book-lined walls of Fogelson Library. Apple pie stuck to Rufino Medrano’s head and somehow spread across his T-shirt as he swallowed desert from a tin pan. The voters trained their phones on the contest, taking photos and videos to post on Facebook later.

“Come on, Jacob!” came a cry of support for Jacob Clinkscales.

Mariel Chiong wore whipped cream on her chin like a beard. Hermann Hopson bent over the table, consuming his pie like a novelty drinking bird. Masticated pastry filling fell from Morgan’s mouth, her expression growing sicker by the moment.

In the last minute, Morgan announced that the contestants could now use their hands and screaming rose to ear-splitting decibels. Michael Marin, as prophesized, consumed the last crumb of his pie to the victorious cries of his supporters, winning him a $15 gift card to Buffalo Wild Wings.

The runners up stepped away from the table to recover. Pie innards dripped from Miller’s eyelashes.

“That was the most disgusting and awesome thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” Reeves told her. “I’m so proud of you.”

For a moment, the specter of the presidential election disappeared amid smiling faces, cheers, and embarrassing photographs shared on social media. It was a welcome distraction, a chance to rally behind less threatening or lackluster candidates before turning back to the inevitable election hangover of the day to come.