Photos: Election Day on Grounds

November 3, 2020 • By Caroline Newman, news@virginia.edu Caroline Newman, news@virginia.edu

November 3, 2020
White chairs in the amphitheater spelling VOTE

The UVA Democracy Initiative’s Student Advisory Council spelled it out in the McIntire Amphitheater, reminding students to get to the polls. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)

On Tuesday, many students made their way to Alumni Hall, Slaughter Recreation Center and other polling places around the University of Virginia, joining the millions of Americans making their voices heard in the 2020 presidential election.

There are three polling places on or near Grounds – Slaughter, Alumni Hall and the Miller Center – and some students are zoned for polling places at Johnson Elementary School or Buford Middle School.

UVA’s Student Council ran a voter registration drive throughout the fall semester, and partnered with University Democrats, College Republicans and Hack Cville to provide safely distanced, free rides to the polls for both early voting, which began on Sept. 18, and for students voting on Election Day. Student leaders hoped to equal or exceed voter turnout in the 2016 presidential election, when 63.9% of the UVA student body voted, earning UVA recognition as the No. 4 Top Voting Campus in the U.S., ranked by investigative journalism site Who What Why.

As of Tuesday night, votes were still being counted in a close race between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

Several departments around UVA are also hosting events analyzing the election, including a Wednesday webinar hosted by the Miller Center, “Election 2020: What Just Happened?” A full list of election-related academic programming is available here.

Meanwhile, check out some snapshots from Election Day on Grounds.

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Voter Exit doors looking into the voting area
Slaughter Recreation Center is one of several polling places on or near Grounds. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Voting booths setup at plastic tables with students in the voting booths
Voting booths were set up in the gym, with physical distancing and other public health precautions in place. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Person picking up a I voted sticker
“I Voted!” stickers were lined up and ready. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Candidate yard signs in front of a polling station
Signs for various candidates dotted the grass outside Johnson Elementary School. (Photo by Dan Addison, University Communications)

Wear a mask, for all of us. UVA.
Students sitting on the lawn socially distanced working on their laptops
Some students, like these members of the University Democrats, got together to make phone calls or send text messages on behalf of their favorite candidate. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Decorated pumpkins with the in focused pumpkin saying vote
Even the pumpkins arrayed on the Lawn had a message to share. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Voters at the Ballot box voting
For many students, Tuesday marked their first time voting in a presidential election. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Students walking together to a Voter Polling station
College Republicans, University Democrats and Student Council teamed to offer free rides to the polls, picking up outside Thornton Hall. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
To Vote sign
Signs and reminders were also clustered near Alumni Hall, another polling place. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Students showing id's to get ballot
Each voter wore a mask, a visual reminder of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its influence on the election. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
students sitting in Voting booth stations voting
Here, a UVA Law cap peeks out from behind a voting booth at Alumni Hall. (Photo by Sanjay Suchak, University Communications)
Student holding a I voted 2020 sticker
Done! Students who voted left with a sticker – and the knowledge that they contributed to democracy in action. (Photo by Dan Addison, University Communications)

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Caroline Newman

Article Information

April 19, 2024

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