Scroll down for updates as it happened throughout the day and night, as part of The Lafayette’s 2024 election coverage.
1:35 a.m. – Our live blog has concluded
At 1:35 a.m., The Lafayette will end its live blog for the night. We hope you enjoyed our coverage, and we hope you exercised your freedom to vote. More information about the winning candidates is available on our website. Have a good night.
Andreas Pelekis ’26
1:15 a.m. – Republicans win Senate majority
At least one race has been called late into the night — or early in the morning, however you want to think of it: Republicans have claimed control of the Senate. Seven seats have yet to be called; the Associated Press standings are currently at 51-42.
The GOP gained two flipped seats in Ohio with Bernie Moreno and in West Virginia with Jim Justice. The switch marks the first Republican majority in the Senate in four years.
Selma O’Malley ’26
11:45 p.m. – Lafayette College student congressional interns speak about working with Wild
Exploring the exhibits at the Da Vinci Center are two Lafayette College students working as congressional interns for Democratic Rep. Susan Wild.
Christina Kingan ‘27 and Austin Eldred ‘25 answer constituent calls as part of their internship. Though they have not been involved with the campaign, the pair said that they find attending election-related events valuable.
Kingan and Eldred are watching as the race results roll in.
“We were definitely concerned in the beginning because we picked up Carbon County — which is more Republican, which made our district more purple — but it seems that she’s doing okay for right now,” Kingan said of the state’s redistricting in 2020.
“We’re very optimistic about Susan’s election, just because she’s such a strong candidate,” Kingan said.
With the election looming, Wild spent more time in the district providing for more opportunities to meet with the congresswoman.
Both interns spoke highly of Wild, who presented her district staff to the crowd during her opening remarks at tonight’s event.
“Whenever you work for her, she’s always trying to push you forward,” Eldred said of Wild.
Isabella Gaglione ‘25 and Elisabeth Seidel ‘26
11:30 p.m. – Mackenzie and Wild attendees share thoughts as Pennsylvania election results roll in
Presently, Republican former President Donald Trump holds a strong position in Pennsylvania with 77% of the projected votes counted. Trump leads Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris 51.3% to 47.8%.
In Pennsylvania’s District 7 race, Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie currently leads Democratic Rep. Susan Wild. Northampton County is trending red in the national election.
At Mackenzie’s watch party, several supporters of Trump weighed in on the election so far.
“In this day and age, with the way our election system is being run and managed, it’s hard to say what’s really going to happen,” said Delane, an Allentown resident, who refused to give her last name.
“But yes, I did predict it,” she continued about Trump’s current lead over Harris. “We all hope and pray for it, and we hope it comes to fruition.”
Other attendees are more assured in the numbers.
“I’m looking at the results right now and am very confident,” said Paul Deebel, an attendee who said he is present to see a Mackenzie victory speech.
“You’re not seeing any surprises out there, so it looks like it’s going to be a good night,” he continued.
At Wild’s Election Day watch party, more than half the crowd has left, and for those who remain, the mood has become more anxious.
“I got here about 9:30 and there were many more people when we first got here and there was more energy in the room and optimism,” said Carol Wilson of Allentown. “I’m anxious, worried.”
Many of the attendees still present have drifted away from the event’s main room, watching the election at an arm’s length with what one attendee described as “cautious optimism.” Some hope that when mail-in ballots are counted, the state will shift left.
“I’m hoping like 2020, it’s going to be the ‘Red Barrage’ and then the blue shift,” said Mirium Harris-Botzum, an attendee from Warfield, Pennsylvania.
“There’s been a lot of energy but it’s still so much uncertainty,” said Tara Stephenson, an Easton resident who spent the day working as a judge of election. “It doesn’t look good right now for a lot of people, but then I have to keep in mind, it really is just too early.”
Makenna McCall ‘27, Clara Witmer ‘27, Isabella Gaglione ‘25 and Elisabeth Seidel ‘26
10:30 p.m. – Students share thoughts during result limbo
Farinon College Center hosts several small collectives of students, many of whom hover anxiously over laptops to watch the election outcome inch closer.
“I just keep refreshing the tab every couple seconds,” Johnny Raheb ‘27 said of the live election results map on his computer.
Kelsie Bouyer ‘26 sat across from Raheb with a computer of her own.
“It’s just so close in the really key states,” she emphasized.
“I just feel like the tension is high and everyone is so aware of how much this means,” Luna Garces ‘27 said of the election.
A small group was also watching live results from the conversation pit adjacent to Farinon’s fireplace.
“It is so interesting to watch something historical unfold,” Nathaniel Hawk ‘28 said.
He added that his morning class the next day was canceled by his professor to allow students to watch the election results.
“I really feel like it can still go either way right now,” Luke Bacho ‘28, sitting next to Hawk by the Farinon fireplace, said.
“Everyone knew it was going to be a close race,” Garces echoed, but the reality of it is “really scary,” she said.
Several students were purposefully distancing themselves from the news. Dexter Kennedy ‘26, for example, has not checked any results yet to avoid extra anxiety, but he said he might cave in eventually.
“The sun will come out tomorrow,” Raheb and Bouyer emphasized with hope.
Selma O’Malley ’26
10 p.m. – Susan Wild addresses crowd at Election Day Watch Party
“It is my fervent hope that I will win the election,” said Democratic Rep. Susan Wild to a packed room, her first appearance at her campaign’s Election Day Watch Party.
“I don’t have to tell anyone in here that my race has been nothing short of, at times, ugly and nasty,” Wild continued, citing millions of dollars put into her opponent’s campaign. She added that two years ago, her campaign was the most expensive House race in Pennsylvania state history.
“We gotta get money out of politics,” Wild continued, prompting cheers from the crowd.
Wild also spoke of the national attention the district received with high profile visits from both Democrat Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump in the last week.
“You’ve all felt it, especially if you live here, we’ve kind of been the political center of the universe this year,” Wild said. “My prediction is that whoever will win Pennsylvania 7 at the top of the ticket is going to go on to win Pennsylvania electoral votes.”
At the conclusion of her speech, Wild craned her neck to peer at the large displays of national election news coverage behind her.
“Did anything exciting happen while I was up here?” she asked.
Isabella Gaglione ‘25 and Elisabeth Seidel ‘26
9:45 p.m. – District 7 opponents host rival watch parties in Allentown: Ryan Mackenzie
In the basement level bar of the Americus Hotel in Allentown, Pennsylvania, roughly 75 people similarly mingle at Republican candidate Ryan Mackenzie’s watch party, engaging in light conversation and chatter around the bar and buffet.
Attendees, ranging from young children to the elderly, occasionally focus their attention on four televisions playing live election coverage from Fox News and WFMZ69.
“I’m, of course, cheering for Trump, but let’s see what happens,” said Allen Anderson, an Allentown resident whose wife has been working in the Mackenzie campaign.
“It’s going to be a hard time for him because Wild’s been in there” he added, referring to Mackenzie’s chances of winning.
Loud, upbeat music blasts across the speakers, interspersed with snippets from a third election report.
The room appears energized despite Wild’s lead.
“I don’t know how long I’ll be here tonight, but I’m sure you hope Mackenzie comes back to win as well as most of our Republican candidates,” said Bob Birk, an Allentown resident who worked for Mackenzie part-time during the campaign.
“Susan Wild, I want her out of office,” said Joe Kirk, a longtime resident of the area. “She’s wild. She doesn’t help nobody out. She just caused so much trouble in this area.”
Makenna McCall ‘27 and Clara Witmer ‘27
9:45 p.m. – District 7 opponents host rival watch parties in Allentown: Susan Wild
At least 250 people are gathered at Democratic Rep. Susan Wild’s Election Day party at the Da Vinci Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
A live band plays upbeat, bassy music as people mill about, eating appetizers and getting drinks from the cash bar with two drink tickets given to each guest. Attendees can freely access several of the center’s exhibits, with displays on manufacturing, music and sharks. Televisions are scattered around the exhibits playing CNN coverage.
Sandra Suero is an Allentown mother who, along with her two children, had been invited to the event by Wild.
“They’re not at age to vote yet,” Suero said of her children, both in high school. “But I felt it’s such a momentum and a pivotal point that it’s important for them to see it, to hear it, so that when they become voters, they’re prepared.”
Projected above the partygoers in the event’s main room are four screens playing live election news coverage: ABC, MSNBC, NBC and CBS News.
“I’m hoping Harris wins, so I want to be around people and stuff,” said Pam Lott, a long-term volunteer for the Wild campaign from Allentown. “I didn’t want to be watching the TV all the time.”
Wild is currently leading Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie 53.3%-46.7% with 26% of expected votes in, according to NBC News. The room appears optimistic.
“It’s always been tight even since she’s been running,” Lott said. “She’s oftentimes and other times carried through.”
Isabella Gaglione ‘25 and Elisabeth Seidel ‘26
8:30 p.m. – Polls close at Kirby Sports Center
After hours of ice cream trucks, dogs and anything to keep voters in lines wrapped around the block, the polls closed at 8 p.m. at the Kirby Sports Center voting location.
1,514 votes were cast at Kirby today, according to Director of the Landis Center for Community Engagement Chelsea Morrese.
Now, the tallying of votes begins, a process prolonged by the amount of provisional ballots filled out.
“It was a tremendous number of provisional ballots,” said Elaine Reynolds, a neuroscience professor and a poll watcher for PA Voter Protection.
“It was a steady stream of people voting and then also filling out provisional ballots all day long,” Reynolds said. “That’s highly unusual to have so many provisional ballots.”
The steady stream of hundreds of voters in the mid-afternoon trickled down to just 50 in the final hour, before the line finally emptied around 8 p.m.
Beyond the challenge of provisional ballots, some students were unable to cast a ballot entirely. In the final minutes before the polls closed, Safina Davis ‘26 said she was told her name was not in the system and that she would not be able to vote.
“I feel like that’s not fair,” Davis said.
Davis added that she was originally registered to vote in New York before someone on campus with a clipboard registered her to vote in Pennsylvania.
“I did that, and it wasn’t filled out correctly I’m guessing,” Davis said. “The people walking around with the clipboards, don’t trust them.”
Benjamin White ‘27
8:05 p.m. – A litany of states close polls
Nineteen states and D.C. have now closed their polls, meaning counting will begin for crucial races in New Hampshire, Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania, among other states.
Starting with New Hampshire, the state’s presidential race is expected to be competitive. For governor, Democratic Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig is in a neck-and-neck battle with Republican former Senator Kelly Ayotte. Ayotte is seeking a political comeback after losing her re-election race to Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan in 2016, and is seeking to ride popular Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s coattails.
In Michigan, Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin is in a closer-than-expected race against Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers. Michigan is also a crucial swing state on the presidential level.
The Senate race in Texas is expected to be in reach for Democrats, especially following the influx of resources after Democratic Senator Jon Tester began faltering in the polls in Montana against Republican former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy. Democratic Rep. Colin Allred, a former NFL linebacker, is in a tight race against unpopular incumbent Republican Senator Ted Cruz. Texas also has a chance, albeit slim, of turning blue on a presidential level.
Finally, Pennsylvania is one of the most important swing states in this election, with it and its 19 electoral votes pulling serious weight in the presidential race. For Senate, incumbent Democratic Senator Robert “Bob” P. Casey, Jr. is in a somewhat close race against Republican businessman David McCormick.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
8 p.m. – When can we expect results?
A brief history of when the Associated Press has called the presidential election over the past two decades (courtesy of @PoliticoCharlie on X):
- 2020: 11:26 a.m. on Saturday
- 2016: 2:29 a.m. on Wednesday
- 2012: 11:38 p.m. on Tuesday
- 2008: 11 p.m. on Tuesday
- 2004: 11:19 a.m. on Wednesday
This year, expect the count to take a while, especially in key states. Election laws have a role to play — in Pennsylvania, for instance, counties cannot begin counting mail-in and absentee ballots until 7 a.m. on Election Day. In especially close races, it may take time for the last ballots to trickle in and recounts to take place. Both Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris have, at least privately, acknowledged that results may not come tonight. The results will most likely take less time to come out than they did in 2020, however.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
7:30 p.m. – NC, OH, WV close polls
North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia have all closed their polls.
Ohio’s Senate race could determine control of the entire chamber, with Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown in a tight race against Republican businessman Bernie Moreno.
North Carolina is also incredibly close. Although the state last voted blue in 2008 and has a consistent history of voting Republican in presidential elections, the 2020 North Carolina presidential and Senate races were both within a 2% margin. Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein is expected to win very comfortably against Republican Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson, according to a poll by The Hill. Robinson’s popularity recently tanked after he came under fire for a number of past scandals and statements, threatening to bring down former Republican former President Donald Trump with him.
West Virginia’s Senate seat, currently held by Independent Senator Joe Manchin, is expected to flip to Republicans as popular Republican Gov. Jim Justice is running in the election.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
7:25 p.m. – Lafayette College receives national attention
The college has received several shoutouts from nationally recognized organizations.
The Washington Post included Lafayette in a blurb about college voters, writing that Northampton County “sent extra voting machines to Lehigh University and Lafayette College to accommodate the huge student turnout.”
MSNBC reported on the long lines at both Lafayette College and Lehigh University on their live broadcast earlier tonight.
A post made by The Lafayette on X now has over 200,000 views. It was reposted by The Daily Show with the caption “College students in swing states waiting to vote: STAY IN LINE!” The account has 9.2 million followers.
Isabella Gaglione ’25
7 p.m. – Seven states close polls
South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Florida and Georgia have all closed their polls, alongside remaining districts in Indiana and Kentucky.
In South Carolina, a referendum prohibiting noncitizens from voting is on the ballot. In Florida, there’s a referendum legalizing recreational marijuana, among others.
Despite typically being a Republican state, Georgia is a pivotal swing state this election cycle. Republican former President Donald Trump’s attacks on Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp as well as the increasing population in Georgia’s metropolitan areas have put the state in reach for Democrats. Democratic President Joe Biden famously won the state by 11,779 votes in 2020.
William Gutiérrez ’27
6:45 p.m. – Provisional ballots issued unexpectedly
In spite of a high number of student voter registrants, multiple students have been given provisional ballots upon entering the polls.
Provisional ballots are given to voters when there are questions about their registration, allowing the recipient to vote preliminarily on Election Day while their eligibility is verified.
Nikolai Gentes ‘27 registered to vote in Pennsylvania before the Oct. 21 registration deadline, but was still handed a provisional ballot when he arrived at his on-campus polling location.
“I had my voter registration card, everything seemed in order,” Gentes said. “I had everything signed and dotted how it needed to be.”
Martin Mann ‘27 described an experience similar to Gentes’.
“I checked my registration before I went, it did say I was registered, but when I went in, they showed me a screen that said on it that the registration was late,” Mann said.
While the cause for these provisional ballots remains uncertain, both Gentes and Mann were told that the source of the issue may be the large amounts of voters who registered close to the deadline, and even if they were registered voters, it had not been processed in time for them to vote electronically.
Provisional ballot voters may still have their vote tallied, but Gentes expressed concern as to whether or not these voters will know if their vote has been counted.
“I’m assuming they’ll email us, they had us write down our emails,” Gentes said. “I wasn’t given any notice as to how to check to make sure it actually is processed.”
Benjamin White ‘27
6:25 p.m. – Fact-checking unproven voter fraud claims
Republican former President Donald Trump claimed on Truth Social earlier this evening that there is “a lot of talk about massive cheating” in Philadelphia. He has provided no sources to back up these claims.
Last week, Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris said that voters should not fall for Trump “suggesting to people that somehow the integrity of our voting system is not intact, so that they don’t vote.” This remark came after Trump claimed at a rally that a poll showing him losing in Iowa was election interference, and claimed without evidence that voter fraud was already happening in Pennsylvania.
According to a CNN exit poll, 52% of Trump voters polled expressed concern that elections will not be held “fairly and accurately.”
If you see suspicious activity at a polling place, contact the voter protection officials at the location or call Pennsylvania’s voter hotline at (877) 868-3772. You can also file a complaint online on the Pennsylvania elections website.
William Gutiérrez ’27
6:15 p.m. – A quiet downtown
Little to report at twilight at the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Easton, but that’s not a bad thing.
The location only has one polling booth and one volunteer stationed outside — the busy time of the day has passed, according to volunteers and overseers of the location.
The few voters seem chipper exiting the church, talking about their first time voting and making small talk about long lines on College Hill with a lingering student reporter.
Selma O’Malley ‘26
6:00 p.m. – KY and IN polls closed
Most districts in Kentucky and Indiana’s polls have closed, the first states to close for the night. Those in line will still be able to vote past closing. In Indiana, both a Senate and gubernatorial race are up for grabs. Kentucky and Indiana are both expected to comfortably vote for Republican former President Donald Trump and other Republicans down the ballot, according to polling aggregation from The Hill.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
5:00 p.m. – First exit polls come out
The first CNN and NBC exit polls have just been released. The results of these polls are not election result data, rather they provide insight into the more general sentiments of the American public.
Most Americans aren’t satisfied with the current state of the country, but remain hopeful for the future, the exit polls say.
The CNN exit poll says that only 7% of those polled said they were “enthusiastic” about the overall state of the country, while 72% of the electorate is “angry” or “dissatisfied.” Nonetheless, 61% of those polled agreed with the statement that the “best days are ahead.”
Among those CNN polled, Democratic President Joe Biden received a 41% approval rating, lower than the 50% approval rating Republican former President Donald Trump held before the 2020 election.
According to NBC exit polls, voters are almost equally divided on which presidential nominee they trust more with the economy. 51% of voters polled by NBC trust Trump more, while 47% trust Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris more.
Democracy and the economy were the two biggest issues for voters, with 35% and 31% of those polled saying it was the issue that mattered most in determining who to vote for president, respectively. Abortion ranked next at 14%, followed by immigration at 11%. Only 4% of those who responded named foreign policy as their biggest issue.
7% of those polled said they made up their mind on who to vote for in the last week.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
4:50 p.m. – Long lines diminish slightly at campus voting location
The line to vote at Kirby Sports Center moves quicker now compared to noon today. Voters have a reported wait time of two hours, rather than the four-hour wait that was reported earlier.
“I did in fact skip one of my classes but my professor was totally understanding about it,” Mallory Downs ‘25 said.
Nora Shaipi ‘27 said she waited in line for an hour and 40 minutes.
“The wait was kind of egregious but, it’s all worth it,” she said. “I got so many free snacks and free pizza and ice cream, so that was so nice.”
“I came at 12:00 o’clock and then I left and came back,” Elle Lansing ‘26 said. “I was just not waiting in that long line, but I’m glad to be back now.”
Benedict Tropenao ‘28 cast his ballot for the first time today.
“I saw a guy with a truck and he had six Trump flags on the back of it, and I thought that was really cool,” he said. “But it didn’t change who I am voting for.”
Kate SantaMaria ‘27
4:45 p.m. – College distributes refreshments, easing long lines
The line around the Kirby Sports Center voting location stretches down Hamilton Street, bending around the corner. Free pizza, snacks, water and an ice cream truck dotted the street on the way in to vote.
Head of Lafayette Votes Chelsea Morrese said that she initially feared that the voting location would not accommodate the number of student voters who showed up. This was alleviated with the addition of two extra voting machines and other accommodating measures on the part of the college administration.
“The whole Lafayette team pulled together to make this happen in a way that is amazing … I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, I’ve never felt so supported,” Moresse said. “Even though we weren’t necessarily prepared for this kind of turnout, the way the community responded to it is amazing.”
Hurd, her husband and her dogs presently stand alongside Morrese, handing out pizza to students in line.
Kate SantaMaria ‘27
4:30 p.m. – Portraits of Eastonians on Election Day
4 p.m. – Voter updates from downtown Easton
At the First Presbyterian Church in downtown Easton, there were approximately five voters in line at around 3:30 p.m. Poll workers said they expect the lines to pick up at around 5 p.m.
“You don’t want the world to go downwards, you want it to go upwards,” said Danny Lockard, one of the voters, of the election. Lockard works at Token 249, a small business just a few blocks away from the church.
“It’s good that so many young people are turning out,” Lockard continued. “It’s one of those things where you grew up and were like ‘Oh, I can’t wait to vote,’ and then you get that opportunity.”
“If I don’t come out and vote, what example am I for my daughter and her friends and other students? I gotta do my part for you guys to do yours,” said one voting Easton mother who chose to withhold her name for personal reasons.
It was even quieter at the Walter House, a polling location situated in the south of downtown Easton. A service dog made its way inside the polling booth and children were playing outside on nearby benches. Several individuals declined to comment on their voting, though one man offered a loud, expletive comment directed at Republican former President Donald Trump.
Andreas Pelekis ‘26
3:15 p.m. – Pennsylvania updates show Harris/Trump race down to the wire
Halfway through the afternoon, Pennsylvania is continuing to live up to its swing state designation.
The New York Times, Project FiveThirtyEight and The Guardian all report an even split between the two candidates in their latest polling updates. The Washington Post has Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris up by a slight edge — less than one point — in the state.
“Anxious,” said Tess Maloof ‘28, describing how she felt about the Pennsylvania numbers.
“I hope it goes blue,” Julianna Bartlett ‘27 said. Both Maloof and Bartlett had already cast their ballots.
The polls will close in just under five hours in Pennsylvania.
Selma O’Malley ‘26 and Grace Sanborn ‘25
2:50 p.m. – Third polling station installed on Lafayette’s campus as response to long lines
A third voting machine has been installed at Kirby Sports Center, a response to the hourslong waits experienced by those in line to vote at the location.
“We’ve been making phone calls,” college President Nicole Hurd said of adding the third machine. “One just came and we’ve got one more coming.”
Tina Smith, the director of community and economic development for Northampton County, has been traveling between polling sites throughout the day.
“This is by far the longest line,” she said of the one outside the Kirby Sports Center polling station. Smith added that lines at other locations had an average wait time of “about an hour.”
According to Smith, the polling station is expected to add a fourth voting machine in the next half hour to accommodate the long lines. Another poll worker and poll book are also on the way.
Clara Witmer ’27
2 p.m. – Donuts distributed on Quad
The Krispy Kreme donuts event on the Quad will run until around 3 p.m., “donut” miss your chance to grab one of the free treats.
1:55 p.m. – College Hill voters share their views
The current trickle of voters at Pentecostal Church on College Hill is mostly people on their lunch break. There were no more than 10 voters inside the building at any given time, with no lines outside and relatively short waits.
Voter Edana Amentler said there was no question of whether she’d be voting in this year’s election, and today she voted with concern for “everything.” Climate change, women’s rights and providing support systems for the military were top concerns, she said.
“This time in particular was definitely how awful and terrifying it felt when Trump was elected, so just to not ever relive that again,” she continued.
Josayris Min, another voter at Pentecostal, decided to vote today after a conversation with her boyfriend in which he expressed not wanting to vote.
“I feel really good about it,” Min said. “I’m actually really happy I came, and I’m trying to convince him to do the same, even if we don’t agree.”
For one man at Pentecostal, this election will be his first in the United States.
Gabriel Oduio, who has lived in the United States since immigrating from Ghana five years ago, spoke of “comporting” himself in a foreign country to “live free.”
According to Oduio, being a citizen means living by the rules for better opportunities in the United States. As the son of a businessman, he voted for the candidate he understood.
“I know someone who’s a disciplined person, a business person, I know how they behave.”
Emma Li ’27
1:35 p.m. – Lines continue to stretch out, college sends campus-wide email
Long lines prompted Lafayette College administrators to send a campus-wide email at 1:20 p.m.
“If you are not yet in line, please do not be deterred. Take this one opportunity you have to make your vote count,” the email reads, sent by the Communications Division on behalf of several of the college’s top administrators.
Dining hours at Upper Farinon will be extended until 10 p.m. and Lower Farinon will remain open until 1 a.m., according to the email.
College President Nicole Hurd, along with other administrators, could be seen waiting in the long line. Hurd was sporting a Lafayette Votes shirt, as was Mark Sapara, an administrator in the Division of Student Life.
Hurd sent pizza into Kirby Sports Center to help feed those waiting, according to student eyewitnesses.
A post on X from The Lafayette, which spotlighted the long lines, now has nearly 25,000 views.
Andreas Pelekis ’26
1 p.m. – Lafayette Votes hands out Krispy Kreme donuts on Quad
Samantha Natividad ‘25 and Chris Byrnes ‘26 drove two hours this morning to pick up 745 Krispy Kreme donuts. They left at 4 a.m. and arrived back on Lafayette’s campus at 10:30 a.m.
The specific quantity of donuts represents the 745 new voters that Lafayette Votes registered this semester, and were funded by Every Vote Counts.
While the donuts were an “encouragement to get people out there,” students were not required to have voted to receive a donut.
“We took advantage of it, got as much as possible, and brought them here, just so we can remind people to vote,” Natividad said. “Not that we’re swaying them in a certain way, but just, ‘vote.’”
“Stressed with the long lines,” Byrnes said, describing the current atmosphere on campus. “But people seem very committed to going to vote and expressing their voice in politics.”
They served the donuts, along with hot chocolate, in front of the Farinon College Center and Skillman Library. As of 12:30 p.m., there’s still “lots of donuts” left, according to Byrnes, the co-director of Lafayette Votes.
Grace Sanborn ’25
12:40 p.m. – Video of the scene at Kirby
This video, taken at 11:45 a.m., shows the line of voters outside Kirby Sports Center. The line wrapped around to Pfenning Alumni Center. People have continued to complain about long wait times in line.
12:15 p.m. – Voting continues in College Hill neighborhood
At the College Hill Presbyterian Church, around 30 people were in line to vote outside, mostly older adults. Many of the voters declined to comment.
Rod Oren and his wife Karen showed up to vote for Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate.
“I’ve always voted since I first turned 18 years old, but particularly because I think it’s either we have democracy or we have an autocratic government,” Rod Oren said.
He was surprised that Northampton County, once moderate according to him, has become “so polarized.”
“You drive 10 minutes out of town, I’ve seen rallies where these people all got guns,” he said.
“Being a woman and having three granddaughters, women’s rights mean a lot to me,” Karen Oren said.
The College Hill Presbyterian Church is one of two non-Lafayette voting locations in the College Hill neighborhood.
Andreas Pelekis ’26
12 p.m. – Students wait hours in poll lines
Students face an estimated two to three-hour wait in poll lines at Lafayette College ahead of the lunch hour. There are only two voting booths inside Kirby Sports Center.
“My professor canceled class this morning so we could vote,” Anne Wang ‘26 said. Wang joined the line at 10:30 a.m. and expects to miss her 12:15 p.m. class.
“I would wait all day,” Wang added.
Those in line are being treated to free water and Crumbl Cookies. Some have taken to doing homework as they wait.
“It is definitely worth it, but it takes forever,” Ruby Jones ‘28 said, who cast her ballot around 11:45 a.m., over two and a half hours after joining the line.
One anonymous student on YikYak conducted a stopwatch for the time it took him to vote: two hours and 23 minutes.
At the other end of the line, Jeremiah Holder ‘27 and Leon Palmer ‘28 prepare for the long road ahead.
“I wasn’t really thinking about the line, but this is crazy,” Holder said. “This line is OD.”
Isabella Gaglione ’25
10:59 a.m. – Explaining the Electoral College
The United States is the only country in the world that democratically elects its president through an electoral college system. As such, that system can be a bit confusing. Here’s how it works.
How does the Electoral College work?
The Electoral College operates through electors, people chosen to represent an individual state in its electoral vote. A presidential candidate must secure 270 electors out of 538 total to win the presidency.
Each state’s electors are allocated based on the size of their congressional delegation (the added numbers of U.S. Representatives and Senators). Washington, D.C., while not a state, is also constitutionally allocated three electors for the purpose of representation.
In most states, electors are determined through a winner-take-all system; winning a state means a candidate wins all of that state’s electors. The only exceptions are Maine and Nebraska, which use a proportional representation system — the winner of each congressional district is awarded one electoral vote, and the winner of the statewide vote is awarded each state’s remaining two electoral votes.
On Dec. 17, electors will meet in their respective states to cast their official votes for president. Congress then counts the electoral votes and certifies the winner of the presidential election on Jan. 6.
What if no one reaches 270 electoral votes?
In the event of a tie (say both candidates win 269 electoral votes), or if no candidate wins 270 electoral votes, the election is decided by the newly elected Congress.
In this contingent election, the House of Representatives would determine the president. Each state would get one vote, regardless of the size of its congressional delegation, and select one of the top three presidential candidates. Washington, D.C. would not participate in this election. The vice president would be elected by the Senate, with each senator getting one vote.
Note that a contingent election has only happened twice in history — in 1824, with the election of John Quincy Adams, as well as in 1837, with the election of Richard M. Johnson as Martin Van Buren’s vice president.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
9:54 a.m. – What’s bringing students to the polls?
Millions of young voters in swing states will play a pivotal role in determining who wins this election. As such, students have been particularly targeted this election cycle — including on Lafayette’s own campus.
The Lafayette’s October election survey found that the majority of students surveyed were primarily concerned with abortion and the economy heading into this election. Talking to voters, these trends seem to be holding steady so far.
“Top on the bucket list is reproductive justice,” Lucy Parry ‘26 said. “Gun control is a big one for me too, as well as environmental issues and having someone in office who has not been convicted of crimes.”
For some voters, issues like foreign policy played a major role in why they turned out on election day.
“It’s my first election as an eligible voter so I’m excited to vote,” Jack Hollinstat ‘27 said. “Middle Eastern politics regarding threats against Israel’s existence and abortion rights are why I’m here in line voting.”
“I think there’s a bit of pressure as an international student because I have to think about how the political situation here affects my home country,” said Isabella Lu ‘25, a first-time voter from Taiwan.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
8:45 a.m. – Here’s what you may have missed
Election Day comes after two high-profile visits to the Lehigh Valley in the last week: the two presidential candidates, Republican former President Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Voter registration data was finalized at the end of the month, and The Lafayette analyzed the data and trends of how people may vote.
On Monday, an event run by Students for Life of America took place outside Farinon College Center in the early afternoon. Savannah Craven, a pro-life activist, spoke to dozens of students on the topic of pro-life advocacy — the programming was called the “Racist Roots of Abortion.”
Sidney Jones ‘27, the president of Lafayette’s Students for Life of America club, organized the event.
“We want people to ask questions, and we just want people to gain more information,” she told The Lafayette.
Jones emphasized the event was not planned in conjunction with Election Day.
One attendee yelled out, “Check out L-RAJE!” referencing Lafayette for Reproductive Autonomy, Justice, and Empowerment.
“I think a majority of people don’t actually believe it’s a happy thing, and most women don’t actually want to do it,” Craven said of abortion.
Andreas Pelekis ‘26
7:50 a.m. – Polls open in Pennsylvania
Polls are now open, and Election Day is officially underway. Most students started filing into Kirby Sports Center at 6:50 a.m., and as the polls opened at 7 a.m., there were over 60 voters in line. The line to vote is swerving around the gym and extends outside. At around 7:45 a.m., there were over 100 voters in line.
“A few people have come seen how long the lines are, and then left and said they were going to come back later,” said Lucy Parry ‘26, a poll worker.
“I’ve been waiting 55 minutes, and that was at 8 a.m., before the massive amount of people,” Yoryi Roque ’28 said.
From outside Kirby Sports Center, one group of non-students also walked into the building only to quickly leave and decide to vote later.
Some students didn’t mind the long lines, however.
“I thought it was interesting how there was a good number of people there given the time,” Isabella Lu ‘25 said. “It didn’t really impact the experience but I did regret not bringing gym clothes so I could work out later.”
Oh, and I was the first to vote too! Pretty proud of that one.
William Gutiérrez ‘27
6 a.m. – Welcome to our coverage of Election Day
Swing state, bellwether county, district that “can decide the election.” Those phrases may be ones you’ve heard throughout the past months as the election ramped up in the Lehigh Valley. Today, those words mean something.
Our editors, staff writers and photographers will spend the day on the ground on Lafayette College’s campus, in the city of Easton, at official watch parties for congressional candidates and at casual watch parties as the results roll in. We’ll be updating our coverage throughout the day and into the night.
For those voting in Easton, Pennsylvania, a reminder of who’s on the ballot is below. Vote.
The Lafayette Editorial Board
