6:30 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The College Democrats gathered in formal attire for a watch party, as students awaited the election results with anticipation. The event featured MSNBC’s live broadcast on two large screens, providing a central space for around 35 students to follow the unfolding results.
7:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The College Republicans set up for their watch party at 7 p.m. in the main auditorium of Debartolo Hall. CNN’s election coverage played on the three large projector screens.
7:00 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
A crowd gathered at the Eck Hall of Law, where the American Constitutional Society (ACS) and The Federalist Society co-hosted a watch party.
7:27 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
About 40 people were gathered in DeBartolo 101. The atmosphere was casual and attendees were relaxed and talkative. When a man appeared on CNN and said that he was persuaded to vote for Harris by his girlfriend, the audience groaned.
7:38 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
One of the first races to be called, the West Virginia senate seat, was announced. The gathered Republicans erupted into applause.
8:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Polls closed in 17 states, with 171 electoral votes up for grabs. There was sustained applause in the auditorium as Trump took Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Oklahoma and Missouri.
8:05 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Virginia’s preliminary results were leaning red, sparking serious discussions among attendees. Many voiced concerns about how Virginia’s outcome might impact nearby states like North Carolina, and expressed hopes that other swing states, such as Michigan and Pennsylvania, would stay competitive and ultimately favor Democratic candidates.
8:15 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
Varun Kanabi, the president of the American Constitutional Society (ACS) said he was pleased with the event’s turnout and the collaboration between the ACS and the Federalist Society.
“I'm very happy with the turnout that we've had,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of ACS turnout, a lot of Federalist Society turnout, and just a lot of people from both organizations talking with each other. There was a lot of intermingling, a lot of camaraderie."
8:20 p.m. — Geddes Hall:
The Institute for Social Concerns (ISC) set up their watch party in Fr. Bob’s Coffee House. Approximately 20 guests arrived in the opening minutes, organizing into small groups around the scattered tables and booths in the room. Pizza and candy were provided to the attendees and a sign reading “Wall of Hope” was hung for students to write notes around.
8:20 p.m. — Eck Hall of Law:
Annie Ortega, a third-year law student and president of The Federalist Society, spoke highly of the law school watch party and its bipartisanship.
“I came to law school at Notre Dame because I really wanted to go to a school where there would be ideological diversity,” Ortega said. “And so I feel like this event tonight just encapsulates that. It’s super fun to get to be with all of our friends from the law school, from both sides of the aisle.”
8:22 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Freshman Michael McDonald, from Minnesota, shared his thoughts on tracking the election results in real time.
“I'm watching the swing states closely,” McDonald said. “I’ve been looking at county data, especially in the bellwether counties that might indicate larger trends. I’m trying to stay cautiously optimistic without getting too excited.”
Among the states he was monitoring, McDonald highlighted Pennsylvania as a key focus, particularly Erie County in the northwest corner of the state.
“For the past six elections, Erie County has voted in line with the presidential winner,” he said. “It feels like the tipping point state with 19 electoral votes. I’m watching it closely and trying to piece together the paths each candidate has to reach 270 electoral votes.”
McDonald also expressed his hopes and fears regarding the election outcome.
“I hope that, regardless of who wins, there’s no violence like we saw on January 6,” he said. “We’re dangerously polarized, and it’s sad to see the state of our country. I’m hopeful for a new way forward under a Harris administration, which I see as one that could unify the country.”
He also harbored concerns about former President Donald Trump.
“Trump has flagrantly violated the Constitution and the rule of law,” McDonald said. “He’s a divisive figure, and it’s troubling that his own vice president and other high-ranking officials have withdrawn their support. That’s a red flag for me.”
8:33 p.m. — Geddes Hall:
Sophomore Cozette Brown spoke on her mood regarding an early lead for Harris in her home state of Michigan.
“It makes me hopeful,” Brown said. “I know a lot can change, but I’m really hoping that it’ll stay strong and that in the end I will be able to say that Michigan voted blue this year.”
8:44 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Hannah Gatewood, a freshman from New Mexico, tracked the results through both the television and her phone, using Google to follow the election updates.
“I’ve been watching MSNBC on the TV and checking my phone for the latest polling data,” she says. “It’s been interesting to see how everything is unfolding.”
As for her perspective on the race, Gatewood said she was confident in the outcome.
“I feel good about it. I believe in the American people to make the right choice,” she said. “I’m optimistic that people will see the two candidates and realize which one is the better option for the country.”
Gatewood further emphasized her support for Kamala Harris, voicing concerns about the future under a Trump administration.
“Kamala Harris has much better policies compared to Donald Trump,” she says. “Anyone voting for Trump should really take a look at Project 2025 and think about the future — especially how it affects women and minorities.”
8:47 p.m. –– Jordan Hall:
Demetrius Fotopoulos, a senior psychology major at the University of Notre Dame, joined fellow students at the College Democrats’ election watch party in Jordan Hall on election night. Fotopoulos, who started tracking results around 6:30 p.m. alongside others at the event, was following the news all day.
“I’ve been looking at the AP updates on my phone, and I also keep a side window open for 270toWin,” Fotopoulos said. “It’s helpful to visualize the Electoral College and play out different scenarios.”
Fotopoulos chose not to elaborate on his personal optimism compared to the group. However, he spoke positively about the potential impact of the election.
“I think there’s a lot of opportunity for positive change,” Fotopoulos said. “The Harris coalition is broad-reaching and includes people from many different backgrounds and political perspectives, so there’s a chance for real unity.”
Fotopoulos’ plans for the rest of the night were simple: “I’ll go to bed whenever the stress starts to decline.”
8:48 p.m. — Geddes Hall:
Junior Nicole Aguirre, the organizer of the ISC’s watch party and an Illinois voter, gave her view of the election in her state.
“I’m a little surprised Illinois hasn’t already been called just because I think they have a history of going blue and the polls are pretty good about it, so that makes me a little nervous because I was also informed that Illinois did go red once but that was a few decades ago,” Aguirre said.
Junior Joshua Talache-Wheat also commented on Trump’s chances in New Mexico, which he viewed as exceedingly slim.
“New Mexico is so blue that I was thinking about voting third party,” he said.
8:49 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The College Republicans watch party was still mostly empty, but students were trickling in. Some were doing homework, while others chatted with friends. The auditorium applauded Trump’s projected wins as they were reported.
8:51 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Olivia Anderson, co-president of the College Democrats, shared her sense of solidarity with the watch party.
“I think everybody’s super set. This has been a really cool community to be part of for watching the election. I’m cautiously optimistic, but I think Kamala Harris has run a great campaign, and we’re hoping the electoral board will see that as well,” Anderson said.
Anderson’s election day began early.
“For me, it started at midnight,” she says, explaining how she watched the first in-person votes cast in a small New Hampshire town.
Throughout the day, she continued tracking updates, balancing her schoolwork with election news from multiple sources.
“We have MSNBC on here — Steve Kornacki is the king,” she said.
Anderson explained how she also followed Indiana the governor’s race and various local elections.
“Jennifer McCormick, the Democratic candidate for governor in Indiana, is fascinating — she used to be a Republican and was in education,” Anderson said. “I truly believe that change is made down-ballot, so soon I’ll be diving into the state and local races, down to city council.”
Reflecting on the mood of the election, Anderson shared the Democrat's confidence.
“My gut tells me Kamala Harris is going to be the next president. It’s a vibes election, and the vibes are with her. My prediction is that we’ll know by tomorrow afternoon, but I could be wrong,” she said.
As for when she’d finally call it a night, Anderson laughed.
“It depends on when we get updates from states like Georgia and North Carolina. I probably should sleep, but we’ll see what happens,” she said.
8:56 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The broadcast announced that Trump had officially won Texas. Trista Brantley, College Democrats co-president, spoke on the shift of energy in the room.
“The energy in the room is amazing,” Brantley said. “As the polls come in, everything will erupt in applause or boos, depending on what the result is.”
Brantley admitted anxiety was starting to creep into the room.
“I’m feeling the regular election anxiety that anybody would feel, but it definitely makes me feel better to be surrounded by the people in this room,” Brantley said. “My gut feeling is that Kamala Harris is certainly going to win the popular vote. I think that the electoral college can be a little bit tricky.”
9:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Freshman Maeve Ryan said she was “pretty locked in” on her microeconomics homework while passively watching CNN’s coverage on the auditorium projector.
“I would be watching if I was in my room anyway. I might as well come out here and be with my friends, and I’m intrigued to hear other students’ perspectives on the election,” Ryan said. “I’m kind of nervous about the outcome because this is the administration that I will be starting out in the workforce with.”
9:10 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
College Republicans booed for Harris’s win in Delaware.
9:19 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Observer photographers and staff were asked to leave after taking candid pictures of the event. The Observer was allowed back in the room minutes later after agreeing to ask permission before taking photos.
9:23 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Additional boos could be heard at the College Republicans’ watch party as Illinois and Rhode Island were called for Harris. Harris had won dependably blue states New York and Illinois, but the margin was slimmer in Virginia, which has been reliably blue since 2008.
9:44 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Senior and Alumni Hall senator James Baird reflected on the unfolding election results at the College Democrats’ watch party, with none of the battleground states yet decided.
“This is my second presidential election,” Baird says. “I voted in 2020, and that took about four days to call. I don’t think it’ll take that long this time, but I’m confident we won’t know the winner until tomorrow at the earliest.”
Despite the wait, Baird is calm, observing that the night has aligned with his expectations so far.
“Nothing crazy has happened; everything’s going according to my vision. The prophecy I had when I went to sleep last night is coming true so far,” Baird said.
With the night's results still unfolding, Baird was poised, watching the updates while waiting for his predictions to be fully confirmed. However, he cryptically wouldn’t elaborate on said prophecy.
“The prophecy was that we wouldn’t know anything definitive until later. Once we know the full results, I can reveal my prophecy. Until then, I’m keeping it under wraps,” he says.
9:45 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
More people were paying attention to the coverage now as more votes were counted. Freshman Benedict Sullivan sat in the middle of the room with his eyes glued to the screens.
“It’s still pretty early,” Sullivan said. “But [Trump] is doing better than predicted. If you look at the betting markets, Donald Trump was about 50-50 at the beginning of the day and is now at 73%.”
9:52 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
There were cheers for Louisiana as the state’s four electoral votes went to Trump.
10:00 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
As the clock struck 10 p.m., junior Shri Thakur, head of political affairs for the club, was cautiously optimistic.
“If you trust the betting markets, it currently gives Trump an 80% chance to win and even money on the popular vote, which no one thought was possible,” Thakur said. 15 minutes later, he followed up with another metric. “The New York Times says we have a 92% chance of winning Georgia, and we’re up in Pennsylvania. If we win PA, and we win Georgia, that’s the ballgame!”
10:22 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
MSNBC announced that Ted Cruz secured reelection as senator from Texas. The news was met with a round of boos, underscoring the attendees' disappointment. The watch party continued into the night, with those remaining hopeful that the final counts might still bring encouraging news in the states that were yet to be called.
10:24 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The loudest round of applause yet happened when Ohio and its 17 electoral votes went to Trump. Thakur also mentioned that Amendment 4, the Florida ballot measure that would have created a constitutional right to abortion in the state, failed to receive the 60% required for it to pass.
10:29 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The board members of College Democrats changed the channel to CNN. The broadcast featured John King and the “magic wall,” which shows live updates on the county and state level, in addition to comparisons between elections.
10:30 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
“Decision Desk just called Georgia for Trump!” Thakur said, resulting in U.S.A chants spreading across the room.
“We’re on the brink of history here!” he added.
A giant bluetooth speaker played “Bigger Better Stronger (feat. Trump) [Remix]” over the noise of King’s commentary. The track featured quotes from Trump speeches sampled and interspersed over dance music.
10:37 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Club president Elliot Anderson kicked out a student who wandered into DeBart 101 while drinking a beer. Multiple club officials were also seen drinking from a liquor bottle and hiding it in a backpack throughout the night.
10:40 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Kansas and Iowa went to Trump, putting him over 200 electoral votes.
“I was definitely surprised by Georgia and North Carolina being such big victories,” freshman Ray Webber said. “I’m feeling pretty good, but I don’t discredit the left’s ability to bring in ballots… I’m very skeptical of what’s going down… nothing is guaranteed in these elections.”
10:49 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
Trump was now favored to win the popular vote according to The New York Times.
“If Decision Desks gets enough information on Pennsylvania, then they could call that within the hour and Donald Trump has 270, making him the next president of the United States,” Thakur said.
10:52 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
“The operative word at the Harris campaign would be silence, as the Harris campaign is looking for bright spots,” CNN reported. In contrast, YMCA could be heard in the background at the Trump campaign headquarters. Junior Nathan Desautels hopped on the mic to energize the crowd, jokingly saying, “The democrats canceled their watch party and headed over to Danny Boys because they already know that it’s over!”
11:08 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The crowd at the College Democrats event went quiet as they watched more results trickle in.
11:18 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
Cheers were heard throughout the atrium as it was announced that Harris had won Oregon.
11:31 p.m. — Jordan Hall:
The board members of College Democrats started to clean up the event and people started to depart.
11:31 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
As states continued to be called every few minutes, cheers rang throughout the auditorium, and the Republicans start to relax, with some members drinking liquor to celebrate.
11:40 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
North Carolina was called for Trump. A remix of Juice WLRD’s Wasted “(feat Lil. Uzi Vert)” began blaring from the speaker, featuring a “four more years” chant and soundbites from Trump speeches, drowning out the CNN commentary. A brief “USA” chant morphed into “four more years.” More and more people started to leave as the election results became more clear.
11:54 p.m. — DeBartolo Hall:
The projectors were shut down and the watch party was declared officially over.
“Thanks everybody, and have a great MAGA night!” Desautel said. Members smiled as they walked out the auditorium, although the race had not been called yet.
12:25 a.m. — Keenan Hall:
Keenan Hall senator Matthew Amante was surprised by the state of the election as Tuesday bled into Wednesday.
“I think the election will be called tonight,” he said. “Wisconsin has a pretty healthy lead. Same with Pennsylvania … it feels like it’s already over without actually being over.”
Amante commented on the mood among the rest in the room he was watching from.
“[We are] mostly still jovial,” he said. “My good friend, Sofia Dahl, is apologetic but for the rest of us we’re still keeping good spirits. The political views of the room are mixed and we’re still keeping things mostly civil.”
1:32 a.m. — Dillon Hall:
Freshman Kirby Bach sat alone in Dillon Hall’s 24-hour space, processing the election results.
“It’s a complete disappointment from the American people,” Bach said, mentioning that the issue of abortion was a salient one for him.
“But I do have hope. I think that the majority of Americans are good people. I think that people are just misled, misinformed,” he added.
1:40 a.m. — Alumni Hall:
The hallways of Alumni were quiet. Some students studied in the common rooms, but many were asleep.
“Everybody’s winding down,” Alumni Hall sophomore Anthony Lucatuorto said. “A couple of guys are studying for tests and stuff, but it seems like the election is called.”
Lucatuorto added that the hall environment during election night had been “the opposite of divisive,” and that all of the conversations he had had throughout the day in the hall had consisted of cordial, open dialogue, despite whatever differences were present.
1:45 a.m. — LaFortune Student Center:
Sophomore Jack Owens said he’s not very politically involved and had not been closely following the election. He wasn’t surprised by the results.
“I felt like it could have been a tossup, so I’m not shocked by it,” Owens commented.
1:51 a.m. — Hesburgh Library:
Fox News called the election for Trump, leading other outlets that showed the former president on the cusp of victory.
Hesburgh Library had only a few students left, who were mostly working on schoolwork. Sophomore Joshua Johnson sat in a second floor conference room watching the CNN broadcast on his computer while working on math homework.
“The vibe right now is uncertain,” Johnson says of Trump’s likely return to power. “I’m interested to see what tomorrow will bring.”
2:13 a.m. — Dillon Hall
Sounds of election results from televisions could be heard from behind closed dormitory doors in Dillon Hall. Most students had retreated to their rooms for the night. Two remained in a second-floor lounge, freshmen Nick Cutler and Jack Helm, watching Fox News on a TV.
“It was slightly unexpected, but I’m excited with the results and excited to see what the next four years have in store,” Cutler commented.
“I feel like Trump winning was expected, but I didn’t expect the domination,” Helm said.
