Several Tack photographs canvased the Buena Vista University campus on Election Day 2012 to find voters who got to vote for the first time on Nov. 6. Some wore red, white, and blue, and others dressed like it was any other day, but all were enthusiastic about the chance to join in the national vote for the first time. Read their mini interviews below the photo slideshow and learn more about these now-veteran voters!

Senior Seth Lindokken
He prefers not to discuss his political preference because he wants to keep his voting decision to himself, but he did have good reasoning for voting for the person he chose. “He was most in line with my views on economic and social policies,” Lindokken stated about his preferred candidate. “This stuff is always exciting to me,” Lindokken said, being the “political nerd” he sees himself as. Voting was encouraged in his home when he was younger. His parents always voted and encouraged him to vote as well. Since Lindokken is on campus, he had to vote absentee. He didn’t find the experience much different because he still felt involved. “My vote counts,” he said. Lindokken said he was the most excited over all of his friends. “I live tweeted most of the debates,” he said. He was most surprised within the last month of the election cycle because of recent events. “Terrorist attacks and Hurricane Sandy threw a wrench in the overall process,” he believes.

Juniors Caitlin Hof and Beatrice Biedenfeld
“I voted because people have sacrificed so much to give us this opportunity,” says junior Caitlin Hof (in blue skirt). “You’re not losing anything by voting; the only thing you’re losing is 15 minutes,” says junior Beatrice Biedenfeld (in red shirt).

Junior Kylie Peterson
She is a music education and vocal performance double major who voted for the first time today. Her major had a great influence on her reasoning for voting for Obama. “Being a music education major, I preferred his education policies. I thought they were more supportive for kids,” Peterson said. She was excited to vote in this election because she had missed the last election by only four days. Voting made her feel grown up because it was such a big step. “It was a little anti-climactic.” When she was younger, she was encouraged to vote. “I remember my great grandma telling me about the first time she voted,” Peterson said, “We always had family votes for movies.” The atmosphere on campus has made her even more curious to know the final results for the election, but the social media coverage by her peers has been much more effective. “It’s more evident on Facebook than it is in person,” she stated. Peterson doesn’t believe the election has had many surprises this season. She believes the slander wasn’t as harsh as it was last time.

Sophomore Taylor Jaquith
He voted for Obama because he believes he is the right person after being put into a tough situation. Jaquith also believes that Obama has put America on the right track after Bush left office. He doesn’t believe Romney could do what Obama is doing right now, and he believes Obama needs four more years in office to continue his plan. “I was pretty sure of who I was going to vote for,” Jaquith stated after voting for his first time today. The voting process wasn’t at all what he was expecting. “I thought I would just sit there, vote, and leave.” Voting wasn’t necessarily encouraged in his family when he was younger, but his family always votes. “I’ve been to elections when I was younger,” he stated. “All the discussion I heard today was about the election,” Jaquith also added. The closeness of the election results has surprised him most about this particular election season.