Many Harvard Students Cast Ballots for the First Time

Sixteen years after pulling the lever for Bill Clinton on behalf of her mother, Julia E. Schlozman ’09, finally cast a ballot of her own when she stepped into the booth to vote for Senator Barack Obama.

She wasn’t the only one voting for the first time. For most Harvard students, the 2008 election marked their first opportunity to cast a ballot for president. This year’s particularly riveting race, between Democratic nominee Obama and Republican Senator John McCain, heightened their enthusiasm for the contest, which has gripped the nation for almost two years.

“This election feels a bit more pivotal,” said Mathieu J. Cunha ’11, whose statement echoed voter concerns about a deteriorating economy, a protracted military engagement, and widespread dissatisfaction with the Bush administration.

Polling stations both in Cambridge and around the country experienced high turnout as they opened their doors to an energized electorate.

The Quincy House polling station, one of three in the Harvard area, opened its doors to 20 eager voters yesterday morning, according to David W. Stafford, a volunteer. More trickled in as the day continued.

“I’ve never seen a line at a polling place before in five elections at this place since 2000,” he said.

Even with high voter turnout, the Harvard-area polling stations, at Quincy House, the Graham and Parks Alternative School located next to the Radcliffe Quadrangle, and the Graduate School of Design managed to prevent any major voting-machine errors, according to officials at the Quincy House polling station.

Aside from missing a sheet from the voter rolls at the beginning of the day, the Quincy House station did not experience any other problems, said an official at the polling station. He added that no voters were turned away.

Outside the gates of the House, shows of public support at Harvard for Obama reflected the distinct advantage that the Democratic candidate has enjoyed among younger voters. Yesterday, they dwarfed public efforts on behalf of McCain.

Shrenik N. Shah ’09, an Obama supporter, said that he thought Obama’s campaign had garnered such strong support among young voters because of the campaign’s “idealized viewpoints.”

Enthusiasm among the party faithful did not abate even as the sun set.

Steven Rozenski, a third year GSAS student, who stood outside Quincy House armed with large Obama-Biden signs, said he hoped to recruit last-minute support as potential voters filed into the polling station.

His small coterie of fellow supporters mirrored statements of support expressed by passers-by throughout the day.