The election polls were closed, yet the interest of the University students and faculty were just getting started.

Interested students and faculty gathered in Olscamp Hall last night to discuss and watch the election results in a laid back atmosphere with pizza, pop and debate.

Analysts have been dubbing this election as one of the most competitive elections since 1954, but Jeffrey Peake, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science, disagrees.

“People have said this election is the most competitive, but it’s not,” Peake said firmly. “Only 14 competitive House of Representatives seats are left this year, that’s only around 3 percent.”

Many University students believe that their votes count more this year, after the results in Florida during the 2000 Presidential Election.

Kevin Yania, Undergraduate Student Government vice president and political science major voted today and will continue to do so in the future.

“The reason people need to vote, especially college-aged is because we can get our voice out there. If the state’s cutting our funding for higher education we need to show them that we aren’t apathetic people,” Yania said. “No matter who we vote for, we can at least show that we are concerned.”

The main argument from students of why they didn’t vote is because they are registered in their hometown. However, Chris Kelbley, junior computer science major, believes that this argument isn’t viable.

“I think it’s very easy to vote,” Kelbley said. “I’ve moved a few times and have been able to vote easily in each election. Everyone should be able to vote because you are allowed to change your address on election day, they gave us the opportunity to do that this year in Anderson Arena.”

The students’ interest in voting was one topic at the get-together put on by the Department of Political Science.

“I came to watch the election here because I thought it would be interesting to hear some professional opinions of the results and to get a different opinion on the results than the mainstream media,” Kelbley said.

The professors and students voiced their opinions in a laid back round table discussion. Incumbents were a topic of concern. The students and professors in attendance felt that the incumbents would win the majority of the elections. One professor even felt that because the incumbents almost always win, he felt that is what is wrong with American Politics.

This year the media is not going to be able to count the exit polls, so the tally cannot be confirmed until all of the votes are in. One concern of the discussion group was that CNN had declared Elizabeth Dole the winner of North Carolina, but the vote only registered 12 percent.

“Election night is where you get to speak out, this is your night,” Yania said. “No matter who you are, no matter your sex, color or creed, you have an equal vote and that’s what makes election night so unique, we decide our future.”