Madison Reporter

Residence halls, student unions, and dining areas at the University of Wisconsin-Madison were transformed into polling places for the 2024 general election on Tuesday, November 5. The event marked a significant occasion for many students who were voting in their first presidential election.

Reese Jaramillo, a freshman and UW basketball player, expressed her enthusiasm about participating in the electoral process for the first time. “Honestly, I’m excited just to get out there and vote for the first time,” she said. “And it’s such a crucial time too, so it’s exciting that I get to be part of this.”

First-year student Will Hatfield shared his experience voting at the Gordon Dining and Event Center. He noted how efficient the process was: “It was good - very quick. I was surprised how fast things were run. I thought the lines were going to be really long, but It was really easy to get in and out quick.”

Students also cast their votes at other campus locations such as Holt Commons and the Chazen Museum of Art. Charlie Canell and Brett Lachtman proudly displayed their "I Voted" stickers after voting at Chazen.

Law students Madison Polack, Taylor Sunke, and Isabel Batley voted on Library Mall. Undergraduate Lilianna Munoz submitted her ballot at Smith Residence Hall, noting her relief that everything went smoothly despite needing to re-register in Wisconsin.

Reese Jaramillo described her voting experience as straightforward: "Voting was an easy experience," she said. "I looked up where to vote at vote.wisc.edu. The line wasn't too long, so I just walked in and voted."

First-year undergraduates Lucy Slominski and Noah Frankel also shared their experiences after submitting their ballots at Gordon Dining and Event Center. Frankel remarked on how different it felt compared to past experiences with his mother in Los Angeles: “It was weird! I’m from Los Angeles, and I went with my mom every time she voted, and it was always such a big ordeal.” Slominski added humorously about her nervousness: “I was like, shaking!”

The day saw many registered voters filling out ballots across campus locations like Gordon Dining and Event Center.