No surprise: President Obama wins California

President Obama wins the state of California. This isn’t a big shocker. California is a strongly Democratic state. Polls have consistently showed President Obama as the projected winner. A majority of counties in California lean Republican, however the most populated counties in California lean Democratic.

California holds 10 percent of the electoral college. This gave Obama a significant amount of the electoral college votes he needed to win. It is never treated with as much importance as states such as Ohio and Florida, but is has significantly contributed to the wins of Democratic Presidents.

While the electoral college votes have been called for President Obama, lines were so long that people are continuing to vote. Ballot issues are still being decided.

—Kid Reporter Miranda Rector

Celebration in Chicago!

The crowd has not stopped dancing, clapping, singing, waving their little American flags, and cheering since the news was announced that President Obama will serve another term. The music is loud, and so is the crowd! Now, everyone is waiting for the arrival of the President.

More to come!

—Kid Reporter Natalie Wexler

Hawaii voters want the right man for the job

With only a few hours left before the polling sites close on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, eager voters pull into Kalani High school's parking lot, ready to make the decision of who they want to be President for the next four years. As some voters make their way into the building, others file out relieved to be done with the election.

When Debbie Kuwamoto was asked if she was relieved that the election was over she happily exclaimed, "Yes!" The same response came from many other people who had just finished voting. With Hurricane Sandy just recently hitting New York, extra pressure was put on the voters, and many people were ready for the whole process to be over.

People also said that they were "anxious for a change in the presidential office." When Carole Losner was asked what type of change she was looking for, she answered, "I want a President who can improve the economy and provide more jobs." A few others said that they were hoping that small businesses, security, and healthcare would also be improved by the elected president.

Many people said that they thought the election would be a close call, but they were glad that we had two candidates who are willing to serve our country for the next four years. As Election Night comes to a close, Carole Losner says, "I just hope the right man gets the job."

—Kid Reporter Jessica Taylor

California is (mostly) Democratic again

Reaction to the presidential race was mixed as voters left the polls in California, where a contentious measure to ban the death penalty in the state was also on the ballot.

“I voted for Barack Obama,” said Bonnie Mintun as she left her polling place in mid-afternoon. “I think he’s just getting started and deserves four more years to finish the job. As far as the death penalty goes, I don’t believe in taking a life as punishment.”

Mintun’s voting sentiments were opposed, however, by 50-year-old John Parker, who admitted to being a bit more conservative than many voters in his home state.

“The hard part for me is that I think our country is in trouble right now and I don’t really like either candidate, but I generally vote conservative, so I took Mitt Romney,” Parker said.

Citing his feeling that “there are many bad people in the world” and that California’s prisons are overcrowded, Parker was confident in his vote to retain the death penalty.

For Sonya Mogilner, the deciding issue in her vote for Obama was healthcare. “I’m a health care professional and I think the Affordable Care Act was necessary for our country,” noted Mogilner.

Shelley Westin, who showed up at the polling booth with four young children in tow, said the overriding concern that gave her vote to Romney was his different approach on healthcare.

California State Senator Lois Wolk was solidly in the Obama camp, citing the President’s efforts to stimulate the economy, the auto industry bailout and health care reform.

“I believe it’s time for the next generation to take over,” Wolk said, “And he and his family represent that to me.”

No matter how they voted, however, to a person everyone seemed pleased that the long election season was finally over.

“I’m very happy,” Mogilner said. “Now maybe I can watch some different commercials on TV.” That sentiment was echoed by Mintun, who noted it was “time to get back to work.”

Editor's Note: California was called for President Barack Obama earlier tonight. Stay tuned to scholastic.com/election for full vote counts.

—Kid Reporter Maev Dunning

North Carolina goes for Romney

 At 11 p.m., it was announced that North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes would go to Mitt Romney. North Carolina was a swing state in this election and thus a vital win for Romney. It was a close race all night, but it is not much of a surprise that he won, as North Carolina usually votes Republican. However, in the 2008 election, North Carolina unexpectedly voted for Barack Obama.

But after President Obama’s win in Ohio, it proved that winning this swing state will not be enough for Romney — President Obama will be serving as President for the next four years.

—Kid Reporter Katharine Richardson

Nevada a split swing state

Election Day has finally come. In Nevada, Washoe County voters got an early start at voting at local schools this morning. There were many different views on which presidential candidate would be the best suited to run the country through the next four years.

Registered Democrat Kelly Lamb went for the other party. “I voted for Romney this term, but I voted for Obama four years ago. I lost my job and went bankruptcy. We can’t do four more years of that,” she stated.  “If it’s not Romney, we’re going to see more unemployment, more debt, and more of the same.”

Still, many people had different opinions. Cecilia Cruz stated, “I voted for Obama because he’s done a good job. If he doesn’t win, the middle class will suffer, and the poor will get poorer.” Erin Jones added, “It has taken more than four years to get the economy this way. Another four years [for Obama] would be helpful.” Carter White also expressed his view on Obama’s job, indicating that it has been difficult, but he has worked hard to improve what he was given.

It may be a little difficult for Nevadan voters this time around, due to the fact that they supported Obama in 2008. “Four years ago, the country was looking for something different [than Bush],” stated Kelly Lamb.

Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the nation, at nearly 12 percent, along with the highest foreclosure rates. This has created many concerns for Nevadan voters about their future.  If Obama wins, Jeff Roberts predicts, “small businesses would suffer” and the economy would recover very slowly. Chad Brown believes that “Obama has a more balanced plan to grow the economy.”

One thing that decided “Obama” for Erin Jones was women’s Rights and healthcare for women.  She cast her vote with the decision that “our generation will be dealing with the effects.”

Jeff Roberts is hoping that the “elected official will make beneficial decisions for the general population”. This meaning focusing mainly on the middle class.

Nevada is one of the many swing states in this election. “We’re a 50/50 state,” stated Linda Verducci. Nevada holds six electoral votes out of 538 total electoral votes. “Every vote counts,” stated college student Peshla Bhatt.

—Kid Reporter Cheyenne Ruiz

President Barack Obama reelected

At 11:13 p.m., NBC News has projected President Barack Obama has won Ohio, which gives him enough electoral votes to be re-elected as President.

More news to come.

—Kid Reporter Editor Dante A. Ciampaglia 

Update from Chicago

At McCormick Place you can hear cheers from the crowd whenever projections favoring President Obama are displayed onto massive overhead screens throughout the event space. 

A documentary that "counts down" the road to the 2012 election which features the President and has appearances by the Vice President and First Lady has been playing intermittently throughout the evening.  The film consists of a combination of outtakes from speeches, and interactions with the President's supporters, as well as photo montages and a dramatic musical score.

The crowd and the excitement is growing here as the President's supporters listen to music and await updates on the state of the race.

More to come!

—Kid Reporter Natalie Wexler

Photo: Kid Reporter Natalie Wexler on the press riser at President Barack Obama's Election Night event in Chicgao. (Courtesy Natalie Wexler) 

 

Tim Kaine projected to win Virginia senate seat

While Virginia might be too close to call in terms of the presidential race, the race for the open Senate seat in Virginia has a winner.

NBC News just projected that Democrat Tim Kaine will be the next Senator from Virginia. A few weeks ago, Kid Reporter Nick Berray interviewed Kaine about his candidacy. (The Scholastic News Kids Press Corps requested an interview with George Allen, the Republican candidate, but Allen's campaign declined the request.)

Check out our interview with Virginia's new Senator on the Scholastic News Kids Press Corps website!

—Kid Reporter Editor Dante A. Ciampaglia

A return to red for Indiana

Today, President Barack Obama and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney finally got to sit back as Americans cast their votes. All of the candidate’s hard work has led up to this day. Countless visits to states and the never-ending commercials. All leading up to this, but each state has it’s own perspective on the election.

The state of Indiana, which would give a candidate 11 electoral votes, has commonly been overlooked by presidential candidates. Indiana generally ends up being a Republican state in the presidential race, although the 2008 election put a twist on Indiana history. For the first time in 48 years Indiana, had turned blue (Democratic). Today, Indiana voters still showed up at the polls ready to vote, regardless of the color of Indiana in the past.

“Four years ago we turned blue, so it did count,” said Dr. Sarah Stelzner of Indianapolis. “There is so many different levels of government that were putting our opinions in for during this election. It probably doesn’t count for presidential, but it makes me feel good to put in a little tiny blue in our red state.”

There was great Democratic support at the polls, although it wasn’t enough to change history. Two hours after the pools closed in Indiana, its 11 electoral votes were granted to Governor Romney.

“There are other races beside the presidential race,” said Daniel Kunz. “There’s the Senate, there’s the governor’s, there’s even down to the state and local government. They have a lot of impact of what goes on in our lives.  So I think there are things besides just the presidential race and I think people need to realize that they are also important.”

With a huge turnout at the polls, this implies that the new generation of voters are taking their responsibilities of voting for their country. Various parents educated their children on why it is important to vote and took them to the polls to really show them the voting process.

“I have brought my kids for the 14th straight year,” said Dr. Stelzner. “They’ve got to know that it’s important otherwise they might rather stay home play football or play video games or just not make the effort.  It’s always meaningful to me to see people that have worked all day and they much rather go home and have a quiet evening and they make the effort to go out and stand in line so it’s important.”

—Kid Reporter Grace Ybarra