As election results rolled in, so did University of Iowa students and community members, joining Hawk the Vote’s watch party to celebrate civic engagement.
UI organization Hawk the Vote — the state’s largest entirely student-led voter engagement organization — hosted its first-ever election night watch party Tuesday evening, welcoming students, staff, and community members of all political affiliations.
Organized in partnership with UI’s Department of Political Science, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Political Matters Living Learning Communities group, the event was nonpartisan with the purpose of celebrating election engagement and campus voter turnout rather than the victory of either political party.
The event garnered a total attendance of around 350, and Hawk the Vote Executive Director Jaden Bartlett hoped that high turnout would be mirrored in this year’s student voter participation.
“I’m very excited about that civic engagement from students, regardless of who they’re voting for,” Bartlett said. “It’s awesome for us. That’s what our mission is all about.”
In 2020, UI students turned out to vote at a rate of 67.4 percent, surpassing the national average for college students, 66 percent, and marking a 4.2 percent increase from 2016, according to The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement report.
This year’s watch party, held in the Hawkeye room of the Iowa Memorial Union, featured prize drawings, a photo booth, and free refreshments for attendees.
“As somebody that’s been a little tense all day, this is kind of a nice breather,” first-year student Annabelle Munoz said. “To just get together, talk with a few other people, kind of bonding in our shared experience.”
Another first-year student, Mary-Grace Austin, said the party also provided her with a comforting atmosphere during a stressful day.
“I think it’s definitely better than it would be if I was at home watching the map,” Austin said. “It’s good to be distracted from the nervousness.”
At 7:30 p.m., Bartlett gave a speech emphasizing the value of America’s democratic process.
“When you look around at the world and other countries, not everyone has the opportunity to speak up and voice their opinion on federal issues, state issues, county issues,” Bartlett said. “We have the very unique ability here in the United States to use our voice at every level.”
Hawk the Vote began in 2018 and registered as an official UI student organization under the Office of Leadership, Service, and Civic Engagement in 2023.
This semester, Hawk the Vote, in partnership with the Department of Political Science, offered UI students a one-credit course – Special Topics in Politics – that combined classroom and experiential learning.
Charlie Brink, a Hawk the Vote ambassador and student in the course, explained that the classroom learning aspect features a different visiting speaker every week to discuss various aspects of politics and civic engagement.
“But there’s also different tabling events,” Brink said, explaining the experiential learning initiatives. “We registered over 500 people to vote.”
Jacob Soto, another student voting ambassador, said the course also included education outreach events across campus, with Tuesday’s watch party serving as the capstone event for the course.
“We spoke to the women’s field hockey team, the men’s basketball team, women’s basketball team, football team, just to inform them of how to vote,” Soto said.
At 9 p.m., Associate Director of the Office of Leadership and Student Engagement Ian Van Anden gave a speech commending Hawk the Vote for its work this election season and encouraging UI students to remain engaged in democracy at all levels.
“I want to invite you to be committed beyond this election — tomorrow and over the next days, weeks, and months, as we learn the outcome of this election,” Van Anden said. “I want to encourage you, regardless of the outcome, to continue to show up in serving the world.”
As the watch party neared its end at 10 p.m., Iowa’s Congressional District 4 was called for Republican incumbent Randy Feenstra while votes in the three remaining districts were still being counted.
The national results were still pending but the state of Iowa was called for former President Donald Trump.
Drake Riddle, secretary for UI College Republicans, expressed optimism for the remaining vote counts.
“I feel confident about the presidential [election]. I feel confident about at least two of our house districts here, District Two and District Four,” Riddle said. “I believe we’re in safe Republican hands.”