After a day of celebrating Barack Obama’s victory as the next president of the United States, Aaron Taylor was glad his vote meant change.

“It’s going to be a very historical change,” Taylor, a freshman history major, said. “Because everyone was excited and that is how elections should be and it shouldn’t be something we dread.”

Taylor woke up at 7 a.m. Tuesday in order to vote for the first time.

Political science professor Kevin Anderson said his patriotism was reaffirmed after hearing the results last night.

“It wasn’t a total surprise to me,” Anderson said. “(There) was a part of me that was very proud. It was really an interesting and fascinating night for political science professors and in a way it was our Super Bowl.”

Although he believes this was a historical event, he said it would also have been historical if John McCain and Sarah Palin won because she would be the first woman as vice president.

“It was a historical moment and it took a lot of momentum, and swept everyone up last night,” Anderson said.

Chanelle Carley, a freshman biology major, said Obama’s victory has evolved American history by being the first black president.

“I liked his policies and his plans are better for the United States with the situations we are in,” Carley said.

She said she was satisfied when she received the results.

English professor Michael Loudon said the young American vote is what made this historical event happen.

Turnout was 70.7 percent Tuesday compared to 58 percent in 2004, Rennels said.

“Judges told me that by (9 a.m.), they had more voters in than they usually had all day long on other elections,” she said.

The office was also flooded with phone calls.

“Our office’s office has seven lines and they rang non-stop all day with voters inquiring as to their registration status and polling site location,” Rennels said. “It is normal for us to receive calls, but it was definitely heavier than normal.”

She visited 25 of the 27 polls in the county and received a positive feedback from voters and judges.

“I am elated with all the positive feedback I have received on how well voting worked for everyone,” Rennels said.

Matt Hopf can be reached at 581-7942 or at mthopf@eiu.edu.

(Drawn to Amuse/Ian Winston)

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