Presidential race divides voters on Election Day

By Courtney Knudson | gargoyle@flagler.edu

ST. AUGUSTINE – Voters headed out in droves this morning to cast their ballot in one of the nation’s most controversial presidential elections in history.

Once the votes are counted, one thing is certain: The president of United States will be either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

Clinton leads in most polls, but this presidential race has been unpredictable, if nothing else. And many Americans are worried about what may happen if their candidate comes up short.

“Hillary should be in jail and it’s time we have change. Hillary is owned by the same a-—holes as Obama, so it will be the same,” said Nick Yodonis 21, a student at Flagler College. “I’m going to get taxed more, and the government will have its hand in more things.”

Students Sarah Langston and Anna Garcia on Election Day.

On the other side of the vote, student Cameron Cummings, 22, is worried about some of Donald Trump’s policies. “I don’t know if personally it will directly impact me, but it will impact people I care about.”

“This is about our country, we can’t afford to have him as our president,” said Anna Garcia, another voter frustrated with Trump’s policies. “I don’t want to have a president who is a businessman.”

Some voters aren’t thrilled about either option, and opted to choose the lesser of two evils.

“I’m not very happy about either of the choices, but all the stuff about the LGBT community with Trump is not looking good,” said Ash Wallace. “I keep joking that he will deport me to Mars.”

Sarah Langston is another student who voted for Hillary reluctantly. “I wanted Bernie, but he’s not running so I’m going to the next best thing.”

Despite the passion-fueled campaign lasting nearly two years, there are still some Americans who remain indifferent to the results of today’s election.

“I don’t really think it will affect my day to day life one way or the other,” said Nick Roquette, 21. “Either way I don’t think much will get done no matter who is president.”

Fellow Flagler College student, Jay Manson, 22, agrees that no matter what the results are, his day-to-day life won’t change. “I am still going to stick to my own stuff, and focus on my life, even though I still have who I voted for. The government can only do so much.”

As of this morning, Clinton and Trump were neck and neck in the popular vote, with only about a 4 percent difference between the two. By late tonight or early Wednesday morning, history will be made. America will have either first female president or the first president that has never held public office. Polls close at 7 p.m. tonight in St. Johns County and most of Florida) polls close an hour later in northwest Florida, which is on Central Standard Time).

Roxanne Steward, Alex Strom, Lindsay Tahan and Max Charles also contributed to this report.