The 2024 Election was the first time many students across the Western community were able to vote. Election day is a time where the majority of students have school off and relax, but for some, election day was a time to exercise their civic virtue. Senior Jordan Henderson said her decision to vote was spurred by “[her] parents and [her] government teachers.” Overall, Henderson had a positive outlook on her voting experience, but said that she is “a little nervous” about the country. She also added that the new elected officials will “make the country economically better” but “for personal lives it might not go the way some people would want it to.” 

For Albemarle County, there were six candidates in the two major parties that voters could cast their ballots for: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris for President, Tim Kaine and Hung Cao for the senate, and John McGuire and Gloria Whitt for the house. In the end, Donald Trump won the presidency, marking a major win for the Republican Party. Tim Kaine secured a Senate seat for the Democrats, while John McGuire was able to win the 5th District and Albemarle County’s House seat for the Republicans. With this historic election, Donald Trump became the second ever president to serve a second, non-consecutive term.