As ballots were counted, the United States hung in an unprecedented election limbo for results that would define political, social and economic landscapes for the next four years. In the midst of national uncertainty, President Donald Trump made an announcement on Wednesday, Nov. 4 that would further complicate the future of national and global action: the official withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement.
Biden Is the Projected Winner of the 2020 Election
On Saturday, Nov. 7, media reports called the 2020 presidential race for former Vice President Joe Biden after he won the electoral votes from Pennsylvania, pushing him over the 270 electoral vote mark needed to win. The outcome of the election took four days to be determined. Although mail-in ballots are still being counted in Pennsylvania and a number of other states, there were so many votes for Biden that it would not matter if the rest of the votes were for President Donald Trump. As of Nov. 11, Georgia, North Carolina and Arizona were still counting their mail-in ballots, with North Carolina leaning toward Trump and Georgia and Arizona leaning toward Biden.
Presidential Race Remains Tight as States Count Early Ballots
“I am really looking forward to the possibility of finally exhaling for the first time in four years,” said Adam Hilton, professor of politics at Mount Holyoke College.
“This is certainly the highest-stakes election of my lifetime, and I think it might be one of the highest stake elections in American history,” he continued. “I will be very relieved to see Trump gone because I think he is a threat to American democracy.”
With issues such as COVID-19, equal human rights, voter suppression and intimidation at play, as well as actions taken by Republican politicians to undermine nationwide confidence in mail-in ballots, the 2020 presidential election has been a political race full of controversy. Due to the drastic divide between supporters of President Donald Trump and Joe Biden, this election is said to be one of the most important in American history. Lynn Morgan, a history professor at Mount Holyoke, compared the 2020 presidential election to that of 1860, which resulted in the secession of the South from the rest of the U.S.
South Hadley Residents Discuss New Voting Format and Divisive Election
Whether lined up outside of the public library or following the signs to a ballot dropbox, South Hadley voters participating in the 2020 presidential election have seen processes greatly adjusted to fit the new standards required in a pandemic.
In a video released by the South Hadley Office of the Town Clerk, Registrar Nicole Casolari spoke on behalf of the department explaining the new protocols for the election. While the town continued to offer the option to vote in person at South Hadley High School on Nov. 3, other avenues were also created for citizens to participate. Early voting began Oct. 17 at the South Hadley Public Library and the application for mail-in ballots was open until Oct. 28. Voters who decided to mail their ballots were also able to bring them to a dropbox behind the police station, according to Casolari.
Mountain Day Scheduled During Finals Period Sparks Controversy
On the final afternoon of Module 1, the student body received an email announcing the immediate beginning of a “24-Hour 2020 Mountain Day Experience.”
“It’s noon in South Hadley, 4 p.m. in Accra, 5 p.m. in London, 10 p.m. in New Delhi and midnight in Beijing,” read the email from College President Sonya Stephens. “This year’s Mountain Day is a 24 hour, self-directed and physically distanced adventure that begins for students once you’ve finished your Module 1 assignments and exams today, and goes from 4 till 4 EST.”
Two Students Mistakenly Given Positive COVID-19 Test Results
On Oct. 20, Karen Engell, director of Health Services, and Paul S. Kandel, Strategic IT Project Management Lead and COVID-19 Testing and Tracing Project Manager, sent a message to the Mount Holyoke community about two falsely reported COVID-19 tests. Both students involved were told they had tested positive, but had in actuality tested negative for COVID-19. The mistake was made between Oct. 16 and Oct. 17, and the corrected reports of these two tests were issued within 12 hours of the false reports being sent out.
Mount Holyoke Tentatively Prepares to Bring 60 Percent Student Capacity to Campus in the Spring
President of the College Sonya Stephens wrote a letter to the Mount Holyoke community regarding the College’s preliminary plan for the spring 2021 term on Wednesday, Oct. 28. Stephens wrote that the College is preparing to welcome up to 60 percent of the student population to campus in the spring.
“Our goal is to safely accommodate as many students wishing to return as we possibly can, and to continue to ensure that those for whom Mount Holyoke is their permanent address or who need to be on campus can remain in residence,” Stephens said in the letter.
Hortense Parker Celebration Keynote Speaker Calls for All To Be a ‘Permanent Fixture’ in Activism
“Don’t just bring in speakers, make real change,” said Patrisse Cullors, this year’s keynote speaker for the College’s 11th annual Hortense Parker Celebration. Cullors visited Mount Holyoke to honor the legacy of Hortense Parker, the first Black student to graduate from Mount Holyoke in 1883. This celebration was started in 2009 by graduating seniors Ahyoung An and Camila Curtis-Contreras to raise awareness of the history, struggles and achievements of women of color at Mount Holyoke.
Trump Says He Will Continue Campaigning Despite COVID-19 Infection
President Donald Trump announced that both he and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19 just before 1 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. During a news conference the next day, however, White House Physician Dr. Sean Conley said that Trump had tested positive “72 hours ago,” which would have placed the positive test on Sept. 30 — 36 hours before the public was informed. The White House has yet to disclose when Trump last tested negative for COVID-19, drawing speculation from politicians, contact tracers and journalists about when and how the president contracted the virus.
Mountain Day 2020 To Be Held Virtually During Module Break
On Sept. 30, Mount Holyoke announced that Mountain Day, a tradition nearly as old as the College itself, would be held during the fall break between Module 1 and Module 2. This decision was taken by the administration to “best maximize the academic schedule for curricular content and the break for time to rest and rejuvenate,” according to the College webpage. This year, like with all of the challenges of remote school, the much-awaited tradition will look different.
Guneet Moihdeen ’21 expressed sadness about how her last Mountain Day is happening during the module break. “I’m kinda sad. The whole point [of Mountain Day] for me is dropping everything and having fun or self-care,” Moihdeen said.