Students turned out to a viewing party in Cellar Bistro as ASA continued its initiative to educate students about the election.
The Arizona Students’ Association hosted the viewing party after its efforts to register as many students as possible culminated on the night of the election. While the viewing didn’t fill all the seats in the restaurant, about half of the restaurant had full tables.
The association registered about 7,000 students throughout the state, with about 2,000 from the UA, said Katy Murray, the Associated Students of the University of Arizona president, adding that it was “the largest student registration drive Arizona has ever had.”
“We got a lot of students out to the polls, and I think really got students excited to be a part of the political process,” she said. “So I’m glad it’s finally here now.”
While some students didn’t know about the event before they came to the restaurant, they decided to stick around for the viewing, including Meghan Tubaugh, junior studying molecular and cellular biology who had gone to the polls earlier on Tuesday.
“I actually hadn’t heard about it until I came down here,” she said, “But I think that it’s a good idea. I think voting’s important, it’s good to get involved with that kind of stuff.”
Joseph Howdeschell, a pre-pharmacy sophomore, said he goes to Cellar Bistro frequently and thought the viewing was a good idea.
“We hang out here a lot … and there’s free stuff, which is always nice,” he said about the T-shirt handouts supporting the initiative to vote.
Jordan King, a vice chairman on ASA’s board of directors, said the event was important as a way of showing students how their votes played out after months of encouraging students to get registered.
“Now is their chance to see how their vote counted amongst everyone else in the country,” he said. “It just is a chance for students to get to see the overall effect and reaction of their voice by casting their vote.”