Voting: The Essence of Democracy

On election night, Yalies are planning a variety of events, from watch parties to seminars to detox spaces, to celebrate or mourn the results of an unpredictable election cycle.

Tonight, the Yale community will be viewing the results of the 2016 general election in dorm-room screenings and watch parties planned by various political groups, campus publications and cultural centers. There will also be seminars aimed at discussing the results as they unfold, as well as others that will educate students who are less familiar with the election process in the United States.

“I will be either crying about the state of American politics or the fact that I have a [biology] midterm the next day, which is basically the same thing,” said Isa Del Toro ’20, a student from Mexico.

All 16 students interviewed said they will follow the election tonight, either by watching in private circles, academic departments or with student organizations, such as The Politic and the Yale Democrats.

Several cultural centers, including the Afro-American Cultural Center and La Casa Cultural, will also be hosting watch parties. The event at La Casa will feature tacos from Rubamba’s taco truck . Yesenia Chavez ’20 said watching the election with free food and a supportive community will be the event’s main appeal for her.

The Yale Women’s Center is hosting an event called the “Anti-Election Detox Space,” where students can come to relax and take a break from constant election discussion and results.

Different academic departments have also organized events focused on in-depth discussions of the implications of this year’s election.

Melis Laebens GRD ’20 said she will attend a discussion session planned by the Political Science Department in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, where both students and professors will share their opinions on the results as they trickle in.

The Office of International Students & Scholars is hosting a seminar for foreign students titled “American Politics 101.” The event aims to help the international community at Yale contextualize this election and better understand the two-party system, especially with regards to this year’s major-party candidates. The event will be a part of the office’s “Understanding America” series, which includes seminars covering different aspects of political and social life in the United States.

“Our [event] will feature commentary by Andrew Gooch, postdoctoral associate at the Center for the Study of American Politics, alongside past and present news coverage that will take us time traveling back to the ’70s (when Hillary [Clinton LAW ’73] met Bill [Clinton LAW ’73] at Yale), ’80s (the rise of [Donald] Trump’s empire) and ’90s (Hillary [Clinton]’s role as first lady) — moments many of us were not tuned into U.S. news to see firsthand,” said Janine Stockford GRD ’19, who organized the seminar.

Meanwhile, members of the Freshman College Council are planning initiatives to bring their respective residential dorms together for election night, including an election watch party in Bingham Hall.

But many students may prefer to watch the election results come in from the comfort of their own dorm rooms. According to Alex Williams ’17, who works at Bass Library’s media equipment office, all of the library’s projectors have already been reserved for Tuesday night.

“Watching the election is a timely process and I would rather spend that time with friends as opposed to in a heated political debate,” said Aadit Vyas ’20, who has planned a private watch party in Lanman-Wright Hall.

CAITLIN WESTERFIELD
ZULFIQAR MANNAN