Students gather in the School of Communication and Media building to watch the live polls. Mya Cialini | The Montclarion
Months of campaigning and election anticipation culminated in a watch party hosted by the School of Communication and Media on Election Day.
In a moment that Americans have been anticipating for months, either out of fear or excitement, Election Day has finally arrived. Signs have filled the campus, encouraging students to use their voices and participate in the 2024 presidential election.
In order to keep the positive political energy going, Montclair State University provided students with the opportunity to watch the poll results come in live from the School of Communications and Media building.
Hosted by the Office of Civic & Voter Engagement in collaboration with the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Office of Greek Life and Political Science Club, the watch party provided students of any major with an opportunity to watch the election results roll in live as the polls closed across the country.
From 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., poll results and political broadcasts were spread across three screens from either Fox News, CNN or MSNBC. At each hour students were heard cheering as new results were shown in favor of either candidate.
President Koppell speaks with students while watching the election results come in. Mya Cialini | The Montclarion
The staff made sure to include news outlets from both sides of the political spectrum in order to provide participants with a variety of resources. Members of the Student Government Association discussed voter registration and offered advice to first-time voters. Staff members made sure to interact with students to keep positivity and civil discourse flowing. Some dressed up in humorous costumes or wheeled around a dog for students to pet.
When asked, students said they were excited to know that Montclair State was giving students a chance to get involved with the election and connect with people from all political backgrounds. The watch party provided the perfect opportunity for students to watch democracy at work while interacting with new people and forming friendships over common interests.
Mohamed Fayez, president of the Political Science Club on campus, expressed his satisfaction with the event.
“It is important for the university to host events like this because it allows for students to come together in a nonpartisan environment,” Fayez said. “It allows everyone to talk to new people and intermingle with those who align with their beliefs, as well as those who may not.”
Fayez expressed his content with the way the event was organized, as well as the overall efforts from Montclair State University to get students involved with the election.
“[Montclair State] has been doing a lot of civic engagement. Every resource has been put forward and they have done a phenomenal job,” Fayez explained.
Montclair State University's WMSC records a live radio broadcast reporting on election coverage during the watch party in the School of Communication and Media. Mya Cialini | The Montclarion
Montclair State prioritized students’ involvement in the democratic election, providing Election Day shuttles, the election watch party, and posters around campus encouraging students to vote.
Kimberly Gonzalez, a senior at Montclair State University, expressed that she was pleased to see the university offer a space for students with different beliefs to mix and expand their network while watching the results of the polls pour in.
Along with her satisfaction with the event and Montclair State’s efforts, Gonzalez says, “This year [Montclair State University] has done a lot with civic engagement. However, I challenge them to talk more about the misinformation that was spread throughout this election.”
