Students took advantage of available polling booths in Holmes Student Center. The long lines proved how much the election mattered to NIU’s student body, and brought to light the different ways voting could have been handled.

“[I waited in line for] about an hour,” said Jessica Hinderson, junior public health major, “[because] every vote counts and [I] want my voice to be heard. I’m proud [of how many] students came to vote.”

“I should have registered prior,” said freshman business major Abby Gregg. “They should have more than just four computers.”

“[I feel that I] was not given prior instructions,” said freshman business major Kelsey Chope, “because I came from out of state.”

“I want to say [I have been in line for] about 30 or 40 minutes,” said Jalissa Torres, sophomore psychology major. “I guess it would be shorter if they separated the line between registered and not registered.”

“It took me 30 seconds,” said freshman anthropology major Thomas Phetmeuangmay, “[because I] went to one of the local [county] polling stations.”

“It took me two and a half minutes,” said Keith Oehlsen, junior international politics and history major. “To be able to vote, I left here at 5 p.m. and went home, stayed overnight, and voted at 7:30 in the morning.”

“I just went in on my free time last week and there was no line,” said Jessie Barnes, freshman sociology and statistics major. “I registered the day before the deadline.”