President Barack Obama pulled out a second victory on Tuesday, Nov. 6. As the evening progressed, swing-state Ohio became the center of attention for most Americans, as both candidates were counting on its 18 electoral votes to tip them into victory.
While only 270 electoral votes were needed to win the presidency, President Obama earned 303, leaving 206 to former Governor Mitt Romney.
“I didn’t like either candidate,” junior David Goodwin said. “Many may think that Romney’s a liar, but I think he was a better candidate than Obama’s been the past four years.”
According to The Washington Post, approximately 129 million voters made an appearance at the polls, which represents 61 percent of the eligible voters within society.
Although the voter turnout was lower than four years ago, President Obama managed to win all of the swing-states, including: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Outside of the Presidential race, congressional electons also occured on Nov. 6. Even though Republicans did not win the Oval Office, they maintained control of the House of Representatives, while Democrats maintained majority of the Senate.
Voting for the first time
Turning 18 years old has its perks. From signing permission slips, to purchasing dry ice, becoming a legal adult is something to celebrate.
For senior Taylor Baum, Tuesday, Nov. 6 was a day to do just that. She submitted her first ballot.
“ All of my friends told me that I should — even those who weren’t eligible,” Baum said. “But I also wanted to anyways. Voting was awesome, and it felt great to be an active member of my community.”
Baum took the first step to vote by filling out the registration papers social studies teacher Kathryn Pinto gave her in government class. Once the papers were complete, the Johnson County Election Office assigned Baum to a polling place. She exercised her right for the first time at Advent Lutheran Church, 11800 W 151st St.
“I will definitely vote again, because I feel like it’s important to let your voice be heard,” Baum said.
Although not all students are not eligible to vote, the district held a mock election for students to participate. A total of 4,450 students within the entire district voted in this mock election. Exactly 627 of those students were Timberwolves.
