THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY November 9, 2020
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Vol. 150 Issue 23
Drawn-out election causes stress, fatigue exception,” Weathersby said. Shiv Bhatia, sophomore in AHS, says he had been following the election closely by constantly checking results and updates, as well as playing a CNN live stream of the news in the background. Bhatia says the election had started to take a toll on him, resulting in feeling burnt out and spending an inadequate amount of time on homework. “You can experience a lot of emotional and psychological fatigue from having a constant news cycle of what’s going on,” Weathersby said. Bhatia says it was hard for him to not consistently check the news. “I guess you could chalk it up to (fear of missing out) in a way,” Bhatia said. Weathersby says it can be helpful to have at hand a list of 10 things to do that are healthy distractions, however simplistic it may seem. “You just need to do one small thing to stop the cycle,” Weathersby said. Jack Anderson, doctoral candidate in LAS and grad-
BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF GAGE SKIDMORE
Former Vice President Joe Biden speaks with attendees at the Presidential Gun Sense Forum at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa on Aug. 10, 2019. Biden has won the 2020 presidential race, making him the 46th president of the United States.
Joe Biden wins presidency Biden, Kamala Harris form historic ticket BY SAMANTHA ROBERSON MANAGING EDITOR FOR ONLINE
BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
BY VIVIAN LA STAFF WRITER
Former Vice President and Democratic nominee Joe Biden has earned enough electoral votes to make him the 46th president of the United States. After four long days spent waiting on results, Biden took
the lead in Pennsylvania Saturday morning, putting him at 273 electoral votes, just three votes more than the 270 needed to win. Shortly after, the Associated Press called Nevada, leaving Biden with 279 electoral votes. “I am honored and humbled by the trust the American people have placed in me and in Vice President-elect Harris,” Biden said in a statement. “In the face of unprecedented obstacles, a record number of Americans voted. Proving once again, that democracy beats deep in the heart of America.” Biden’s presidency sets sev-
eral historic milestones. Not only has he received more votes than any presidential candidate in U.S. history, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be the first woman and first Black or Asian American person to serve in her position. “This election is about so much more than (Biden) or me,” Harris said in a tweet Saturday morning. “It’s about the soul of America and our willingness to fight for it. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Let’s get started.” As of Sunday, races in Alaska, Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina have yet to be
called by most election analysts and news organizations.
With the lengthy nature of the 2020 presidential election that took four days for a winner to be officially declared, students are recovering from increased amounts of stress and anxiety. During an online University Counseling Center workshop on Nov. 3 titled “Coping with Socio-Political Stress,” attendees were asked to type how they felt about the election in one word. Words such as “stressed,” “scared,” “anxious” and “overwhelmed” quickly filled the screen. Deidre Weathersby, associate director of outreach and prevention at the Counseling Center, says this election felt especially stressful because it was experienced in the midst of “multiple pandemics,” such as radicalized violence and COVID-19. “There’s a continued rise in the level of anxiety that students that seek counseling center services are experiencing, and this year is no
SEE STRESS | 3A
INSIDE
Champaign County posts record voter turnout
As of Friday, another 3,022 mail-in ballots had been tabulated by the Champaign County Clerk’s Office after Election Day, bringing the county to its all-time record of 95,515 votes in a single election. Almost 75% of Champaign County’s registered voters showed up to the polls. New votes have given some breathing room for leading candidates in uncalled coun-
Sports: Illini sit at bottom of Big Ten
buzz: Miami-based rapper touches on musical inspiration
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LONGFORM PART 2 OF 2
Election week creates high-stakes atmosphere on campus RSOs organize to increase student voter turnout
signs, chalk in hand. Bob Chen and Victoria Casey are working together to share their message on the Main Quad. Written in bright green lettering is the phrase, “Let your voice be heard,” repeated down the walkway. The two students took to the Main Quad to spread their message to express their support for Joe Biden, who they believe has a stronger plan for the environment than president Donald Trump. “(Of the two candidates,) one believes in science, one does not,” Casey said. “Although Biden isn’t exactly where we want him to be in terms of being radical for the environment, he does have the most comprehensive plan. He’s working with people like representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who created the Green New Deal that actually addresses climate change, and he’s working to solve it while keeping in mind the economy.” With the election five
BY MATT TROHER ASSISTANT LONGFORM EDITOR
Shallon Malfeo, sophomore in LAS, took part in the sidewalk chalking of the Main Quad with Students for Environmental Concerns to raise awareness about the disparity between the two candidates’ plans regarding the environment. Stationed on the southwest portion of the Main Quad just in front of Lincoln Hall, Malfeo braved the weather to spread her message. “Climate change is a big concern for me,” Malfeo said. “I see that affecting everything from our health care to racism (to) poverty — you name it. Everything has to do with the climate, essentially. If we can’t support the wellbeing of the Earth, how can we possibly support ourselves?” Two more students from SECS are stationed at the northwest corner of the Main Quad, in front of the Illini Union and next to the cluster of campaign
days away, the two students appeared nervous about how election night will pan out. When asked about how he thinks the night will turn out, Chen winced. “Oh man, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to watch.” Casey appeared more optimistic than her friend, expressing a sense of concern for the voters. “Hopefully, everyone who goes out to vote is able to do so in an efficient manner, and they’re not waiting in long lines across the Nation, and there won’t be any fear mongering or anyone intimidating them out of voting,” Casey said. “I hope that they can count all the ballots that are mailed in as they’re coming in. Hopefully it turns out for the people, and no one else.” Months before campaign signs for the presidential election appeared in Champaign-Urbana, protest signs were a common sight. Slogans such as “Black Lives Matter,” and “No justice, no peace” filled
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
Students stand in line to vote at the ARC polling place on Tuesday. Joe Biden was declared the winner of the Presidential race on Saturday.
the air through chants, as well as displayed on signs placed in yards and the windows of businesses. The murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin sparked a summer of mass protests. The
streets of every major U.S. city were filled with protesters marching against police brutality and systemic racism. Numerous activists called for an emphasis on education regarding the history of systemic racism in America.
Protests began in the Champaign-Urbana area soon after initial protests broke out in Minneapolis. On June 1, thousands of peaceful protesters marched from the ChamSEE ELECTION | 3A
Combine your love of sports with a Media course Spring 2021 | Earn 3 credit hours | courses.illinois.edu
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