Students gathered at various places around campus as they awaited the return of the election results. People watched with heated anticipation to see whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney would win this year’s historic contest.

One main gathering area included the Ashbrook Center on the eighth floor of the library. The Ashbrook Center hosted an “Election Night Returns Party,” which began at 6:30 p.m.

A variety of refreshments and snacks were provided for those in attendance.

Students, professors, staff and community members packed the Ashbrook Center to watch the election coverage on a large projection screen. The screen displayed the latest tally of votes and showed maps indicating which candidate won certain states and counties.

Excitement filled the room as people discussed the overall race and the likelihood of Romney winning the election over Obama. They also voiced their predictions and kept each other updated as they received the most up-to-the minute news.

Several students sat around the tables with their laptops to monitor the latest results, both for certain states and the nation as a whole. In addition, a large map of the United States was drawn on a whiteboard in the front of the room.

The states were colored red and blue on the map to reflect who had won that specific state. The whiteboard also contained an updated tally of the electoral votes.

People showed their support at the gathering and some even wore t-shirts that prominently showcased the Romney-Ryan logo.

Overall, students enjoyed the opportunity to view the election coverage with their peers and fellow Ashbrook Scholars.

“It’s a serious oriented atmosphere with both students who take it seriously and professors who care a lot about it and are willing to give their insight,” sophomore John Case said.

Many students in the Ashbrook Center have been closely following the presidential race and the debates leading up to the election.

“It was interesting to see how the candidates interacted with each other and how confident each one was with their abilities,” Case said.

Sophomore Amber Eastridge also watched the debates.

“I was surprised how well Romney did,” Eastridge said. “Watching Romney debate showed that he was a worthy candidate.”

In terms of this year’s contest, many people were interested in the issues at stake as well as the historic nature of the election.

“It’s truly a deeply split ideological election,” Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center Peter Schramm said. “You don’t often see that.”

Students also offered insight regarding their views of the race.

“The election signifies that there are two ways this country wants to go,” Eastridge said.

Junior Stephanie Rankin indicated that the healthcare bill served as one of the main controversial topics of this election.

“I think this is the biggest election of our lifetime because of the federal healthcare overhaul,” Rankin said.

Other students noted the tight competition between Obama and Romney.

“It’s so close so that makes it interesting,” Sophomore Jackie Horn said.

Senior Sarah Spinner agreed.

“Tonight is really interesting because of the large amount of battleground states in play. I think there will be a lot of surprises tonight,” Spinner said.

Some students voiced their opinions as who would secure the win in this year’s election.

“I voted for Obama four years ago. I really believed in his message. After four years of lies mixed with the economy and an Obamacare system where we did not know what the bill said before it was passed, I am here to support real change,” Senior Brie Diehl said.

Sophomore Hallie Carrino provided another perspective on the contest.

“As a Democrat, I am really interested in where Obama is going to compare to 2008. I think a lot of original supporters of Obama are wanting to see the country go into a new direction,” Carrino said. “It is going to be interesting to see what those voters do.”