Baala Shakya, Contributing Photographer

As the polls closed and the results poured in last night, Yale students across campus tuned into election coverage. 

Many political student groups — such as the Yale College Democrats, the Yale College Republicans and the Yale Law Democrats —  hosted watch parties. The Black Student Alliance at Yale, in collaboration with Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated, hosted a watch party at the Afro-American Cultural Center. Some residential colleges also threw non-partisan viewing parties in their dining halls, common rooms and butteries. 

At 5:34 a.m. Wednesday, the Associated Press called Trump’s victory, as the former president had secured the 270 electoral votes needed to win with his triumphs in key swing states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

“It’s really hard to see Pennsylvania swinging towards Trump. It’s also very nerve wracking to see some of the states that we thought Kamala would perform better in shifting the other way,” Suren Clark ’28, a student from Pennsylvania, told the News at 11 p.m. on Wednesday night. “But in the end, it’s great to see so many Americans got out to vote, and I’m hoping that my home state can pull through in the end.”

Yale College Republicans grow increasingly confident in Trump victory

The recently formed Yale College Republicans met in an Linsly-Chittenden Hall classroom, where approximately 11 people attended.

By about 10:30 p.m., when Trump’s lead in North Carolina and Georgia continued to grow, Anpalagan felt confident. 

“Yale, the nation, and the entire world should get ready to wake up to President-Elect Donald Trump,” Anpalagan wrote to the News at the time. 

Anpalagan speculated that Pennsylvania and Wisconsin would go red this election. Michigan, however, Anpalagan was “less sure about.” Trump ended up winning Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, while Wisconsin was still uncalled on Wednesday morning. 

Scott Stevens DIV ’25, who also attended the Yale Republicans’ watch party, said that he was “entertained” and “intrigued” by the results. Stevens added that while the election affects his life, he’s generally detached from politics.

“I wonder how the Yale Dems are doing. I want to see if they’re in tears by now,” Anpalagan said. 

Yale College Democrats 

Early in the night, students at the Yale Democrats’ 50-person watch party in the Branford common room were tentatively optimistic about the election’s outcome. 

But as election results increasingly favored Trump, they grew less hopeful, with some even saying they expected an imminent Trump victory. 

“This feels exactly like a repeat of 2016,” said Chris Chung ’27, who attended the Yale Dems watch party, said around 11:30 p.m. 

Jack Dozier ’27 told the News that while he is concerned about the outcome of the vote, he is proud of the hard work young Americans put into this election. 

Dozier attended the Yale Democrats’ canvassing trips to Pennsylvania. Throughout the three canvassing trips, the Yale Dems knocked on over 6,600 doors. They also consistently engaged in phone banking for Vice President Kamala Harris leading up to the election. 

“Obviously, I’m very stressed, but I would say, regardless of how it turns out, I’m proud of all the work that Yale Dems, or Dems in general, put in,” he said on Wednesday night. “People put in the work, whether it be on the phones or on the doors. Especially young Americans put in so much work and whichever way it goes we can’t forget that.” 

Zach Pan ’27, who also attended Yale Dems canvassing trips, said that he started growing concerned about the election outcome when he noticed early on in the evening that many rural counties in Indiana and elsewhere shift four or five points to the right from previous elections. 

Pan said that having Trump as a President feels like a “gut punch” to himself and all those who hoped the country would pick “a candidate who inspires change and brings people together.” 

“We’re all feeling scared because the impact of Trump getting elected is going to affect so many people here,” he said. “We’re scared for the immigrants he’s going to target. We’re scared for the opposition that he claims he will prosecute. We’re scared for our democracy.” 

Yale Law Democrats

“Let’s get JD!” shouted one Yale Law Student in a packed room in Baker Hall early Tuesday evening.

In the dim light, groups of law students gathered in a lecture hall for the Yale Law School Dems watch party. With drinks in hand and boxes of pizza piled high, the students intently watched a live feed of CNN.

“We’re nauseously optimistic,” said James Kumhardt LAW ’26, co-Vice President of communications for Yale Law Dems early Tuesday evening. “We’ve done everything we can both as Yale Law Dems and with the campaign as a whole. We should be proud of what they did. We have no regrets. We left it all out on the field.”

Gevin Reynolds LAW ’26, the president of Yale Law Dems, noted that the atmosphere of the early hours of the watch party was more heartwarming than stressful. He found it comforting that the Yale Law Dems were able to gather together and be engaged in such a way. Early in the night, Reynolds predicted Harris’ victory.

But as the night progressed, the once-packed lecture hall of over 60 law students quickly dwindled to less than six before 11 p.m.

As the polls slowly began favoring Trump, the cheers and lively laughter turned into whispers of “what-ifs” and periods of intense silence.

“I’m honestly feeling pretty dejected and a little miserable. I hope she turns it around, but it’s not looking too good. It’s not over until it’s over, but it’s looking a lot worse than I thought it was going to be,” said Arman Asgharzadeh, a recent undergraduate from the University of Denver who attended the watch party.

At 12:08 a.m., with only 85 percent of Pennsylvania’s votes counted, the Yale Law Dems ended the party, shutting off the projector and quietly departing. 

Black Student Alliance at Yale, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Incorporated Sorority 

At Yale’s Afro-American Cultural Center, around 60 in attendance cheered when Harris won California. 

“It’s definitely a stressful time but being here is making it easier. We’re having fun, and we’re just cheering for whenever it goes good,” Jamar Jackson ’28 told the News. 

Gia Cook ’26, who mailed in her ballot to swing state Michigan, said that she was surprised to see so many people be “flippant” about the election when there is so “much on the line.” She also told the News that while she knows “how deeply racist this country still is” she is still shocked, thinking “there’s no way” people are voting for Trump.

However, the communal space and celebration at The House, she said, makes her feel “a little bit less stressed.”

Kamala Harris is the first female, Black and South Asian Vice President.