As polls across the nation began to close at 6 p.m. CST, hundreds of UT students joined watch parties around campus to follow the results of the 2024 U.S. general election. By 10 p.m., students were beginning to head home, but votes were still being counted nationwide.

6 p.m.

Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania polls have closed, and officials started counting the first 2024 presidential election ballots. 

 Around twenty freshmen gathered at Garrison Hall over Raising Cane’s as MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki began breaking down the initial Georgia numbers. Joan Osho, a Freshman Action Team and Black Student Association member, said she hoped for a Vice President Kamala Harris win and that everything “goes blue.” 

“I didn’t feel any stress or pressure, but it did feel right, because this was my first time voting,” public health freshman Osho said. “It felt cool to know that my vote is impacting even if it doesn’t seem like it is.”

At that time, a fellow member of the Freshman Action Team switched off the television. Taking its place was a homemade game of Family Feud, with one of the co-chairs dressed as Steve Harvey. 

Isaac Bjurlin, advocacy coordinator for Freshman Action Team, helped put on the organization’s election watch party.

“In the Black community, a lot of us grew up watching Family Feud with our family, so it just brings the nature of all of us coming together, watching things go on, have our friends be the contestants and cheer for them,” Bjurlin said. “It’s just a group coming together.”

Once the game ended, organizers projected NBC on the classroom screen. Bjurlin gave his colleagues updates over a small microphone.

7 p.m.

The polls closed in North Carolina, Georgia and Texas. Anyone in line at a polling place by that time could still cast their vote. The wait time at the Texas Union was reported to be 20 to 50 minutes. 

At Garrison Hall, the UT Freshman Action team cheered as MSNBC anchors called multiple states for Harris, earning her 35 electoral votes so far. Donald Trump led with 95 electoral votes one hour into counting. They chanted “OU Sucks” as Oklahoma was called for the former president.

“This is just an opportunity for people to be engaged and think about politics while relaxing and not making it so structured and rigid,” said Patrick Adao-Perez, political action chair and business freshman. 

On 24th Street, over 100 people slowly filed into Victory Lap to participate in the local bar’s Election Night Specials, which started at 8 p.m.  

At the same time, the second-floor auditorium in the Dealey Center for New Media reached its 295 person capacity and students attending the Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life’s Pizza & Politics event either sat on the floor or were directed to the overflow room downstairs. Organizers handed out colored pencils and maps of the United States, encouraging students to place their election predictions.

8 p.m.

A dozen states closed their polls, including key swing states Arizona, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Decision Desk projected a Trump win in Texas at 8 p.m, as Victory lap promoted a special on Cape Cods, a common New England cocktail. A majority of customers half-watched the bar’s TVs, opting to work on homework or catch up with friends. Others, like Andrea Yu, an art and entertainment technologies freshman, watched anxiously.

“I don’t feel like we should be doing this, like it should be this close,” said Yu, who voted for the first time in this election. 

At the Pizza & Politics party, organizers relocated students to the first floor to allow more space. One student stood up as Decision Desk called Texas and said “Oh hell no,” while giving a thumbs down. As the media called swing states, the students at Pizza & Politics cheered for every one. In the auditorium, a student in a Handmaid’s Tale costume lingered behind a person wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat. 

Katarina Raich, a Strauss Institute volunteer working the event, said a Trump win wouldn’t surprise her after seeing polling data prior to the race.

“I would say people are more desensitized now (that) he’s also been on the political stage for nine years now. So I think that it’s going to be a very close run,” Raich, a political communication sophomore, said. “Also what do I know it could literally flip the opposite way, but I do believe my gut is telling me that (Trump) might win.”

9 p.m.

Montana, Nevada and Utah closed their polls. Trump led by 228 electoral votes, with 19 states left to be called, according to the Associated Press. 

Victory Lap’s special for the midwest closures is Fireball. The bar was lively and people’s conversations began to drone out CBS and Fox News as Decision Desk projected incumbent Sen. Ted Cruz would win his U.S. Senate seat for a third term. Early into the hour, the attendance reached 300 people.

Students hopeful for Harris and Allred wins began leaving the auditorium, but speakers stressed  that many states were still up in the air. 

“Remember that it’s 50 state elections — the national numbers mean absolutely nothing,” said Joe Cutbirth, assistant professor of communications and faculty collaborator with the institute.  “Generally, the votes come in from the rural areas first.” 

10 p.m.

California was quickly called for Harris as other battleground states, including Arizona and Pennsylvania, continued to count ballots. The state boosted Harris’ electoral college count by 54 votes and crowds at Victory Lap cheered, enjoying a special offer on Coors for the results of the mountain region. 

Students at the DMC left in large groups, but the director of the Annette Strauss institute of Civic life said he will be there for “a while,” or at least until Pennsylvania is called.

Students at Victory Lap settled into their watching routines as more people filed in and more states were projected. People are talking to each other, regardless of their favored candidate, as the competitive presidential race continues, attendant Soren Aldaco said. 

“I don’t even know that I can predict it,” said Aldaco, a humanities honor and sociology fifth-year. “I will be alright — no matter what happens.”