Waits drop after morning voters crowd Sewall polling place
On Tuesday, 1,094 voters flocked to Rice’s Welcome Center to cast their ballots in the presidential, state and local elections. Wait times climbed to an hour shortly after the polling center’s doors opened at 7 a.m., with many hoping to beat the crowds during Rice’s first-ever non-instructional Election Day. The lines calmed down around noon, when students began congregating in the academic quad for the election block party.
“It did not take much time at all,” said Nat Pujet, a Duncan College sophomore who voted around noon. “We were thinking of going at 7 [a.m.], but then we were like, ‘Wait a minute, we’ve got to game theory this, other people are going to have the same idea.”
Karyn Fu, the presiding election judge, said she was surprised to see so many voters lined up so early in the morning.
“I did not think people would get up early to vote first thing in the morning,” said Fu, a Baker College sophomore. “It’s been really fulfilling to see people so excited to vote, willing to wait so long just to cast their ballot.”
Alongside student voters: Rice president Reggie DesRoches cast his ballot on Tuesday, with his family in tow.
“Some of those voters were students eligible to vote for the first time, which is such a big milestone,” DesRoches wrote in a statement to the Thresher. “Personally, it was wonderful for my wife, Paula, 92-year-old father and me to vote at the Welcome Center as well.”
While some say they considered early voting, many ended up choosing to vote on campus due to Sewall Hall’s central location and lack of classes. Glen Henson, a Hanszen College sophomore, said he appreciated its proximity to his dorm room.
“Being close [to the dorms] is a big part of the convenience,” Henson said. “I definitely thought I’d have to wait a little bit.”
“We had the day off, so I thought it would just be easier to go today,” Pujet said.
Located in Sewall Hall, the Welcome Center was abuzz with anxious chatter about the election’s eventual outcome. Caroline Pollan, an Austin native, said the election was stressful for her and her peers.
“It is [my] first presidential election, so it is exciting to be involved,” said Pollan, a Duncan College sophomore. “I’m more scared for the results.”
Others were more confident that things would swing their way, like Rice linguistics professor emeritus Sydney Lamb.
“I’m expecting [Kamala] Harris to win big time,” Lamb said. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The presidential election was a main concern for many, but others highlighted the importance of voting for local policies and candidates. Charlene Cogborn, a Spring, Texas resident, stationed herself outside of Sewall Hall to educate student voters about Propositions A and B, which combined propose a total of $4.4 billion in bonds to pay for infrastructure needs and technology improvements in the Houston Independent School District.
The proposals are highly contested, drawing criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike — the Houston Chronicle’s editorial board has urged residents to vote no on the measure.
“The current school board superintendent, Mike Miles, has not been a good steward of the money that he’s already been given,” Cogborn said. “I don’t have any children, I don’t live in HISD, but this is important enough for me to be out here and supporting this.”
“I grew up in Texas, and I think that means that I have a little bit more investment in the local elections,” said Raven Shamoo, a Hanszen junior. “I would like for people in support of women’s rights and LGBT rights to win.”
Many said they felt empowered stepping up to the voting stations and sliding their ballots through the scanners on their way out.
“Having a collective push together in unison can be really impactful,” Henson said.
“Taking a role in the civic process helps you stay educated, helps you keep up with what’s going on,” Shamoo said. “It’s really easy to fade into the background and feel like you don’t have an active role in the society that you live in, when you really do.”
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