This article has not been updated. Circumstances mentioned in the following article may have changed. 

Voters across the nation cast their ballots in the midterm elections on Tuesday. Nationally, the election decided which party would control both chambers of Congress, but local elections saw a variety of races on the ballot. 

Some issues on ballots across the country included gun safety, reproductive rights and immigration. On local ballots, key races included the Goshen Community Schools (GCS) School Board race and the special election for Indiana’s 2nd District U.S. Representative. 

The seat of Indiana’s 2nd District was previously held by Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, who died in a car accident in early August. For the GCS School Board, there were two seats at large.

Some Goshen College students voted in person, while others opted to vote absentee. Elkhart County has 29 polling places, with Greencroft Goshen Community Center being the closest to GC. Some students saw long lines, while others were able to move through the process quickly. 

“I voted at Greencroft at 2 PM, [and] it was a very pleasant and quick experience,” said Naomi Klassen, a sophomore history and criminal justice major.

Caleb Shenk, a junior accounting major, also voted at Greencroft, noting he “was in and out in 10 minutes … It felt very well-run and smooth.”

Across the GC campus, groups got together to monitor numbers late into the night, while some tuned in digitally to see what races looked like nationally. While some races will not be called until days after Election Day, voters across the country remained attentive toward numbers and projections reported on Election Day.

GC alum Paul Steury (D) was on the ballot for Indiana’s special election. “I was really excited to vote for Paul Steury in this election,” said Ana Yoder, a sophomore environmental science major. 

The election was called on Tuesday evening, with Steury’s opponent, Rudy Yakym (R), prevailing. On Twitter, he wrote, “I am humbled and honored to be the 2nd District’s next representative and look forward to delivering meaningful results for Hoosiers. Thank you!” 

On Tuesday, Steury released a statement on the result, including hope for voters, stating: “We can never lose sight of the mission before us.”

As for the school board race, Goshen community members were on edge as they waited for results. Diego Torres, a senior physical education major who is currently completing his student teaching semester, expressed concerns: “This election had a lot at stake for teachers and students. Certain candidates want to eliminate concepts such as social-emotional learning and Critical Race Theory from curriculums.”

“Students would be missing out on critical concepts that will shape who they are as learners and as members of society for years to come,” Torres added.

For some GC voters, races at home felt different. Mia Graber, a sophomore accounting major from Kalona, Iowa, said: “Being here makes me feel disconnected from the election at home. I hear about what happens here but not as much about home unless I seek it out. I knew about issues as I filled out my ballot, but didn’t feel like I knew all of the candidates.”

Following Election Day, some Senate and House races have yet to be called, and solidified results likely won’t be reached for weeks due to mail-in procedures from state to state and re-counts. It is still unclear which party will have the majority in the U.S. Senate, but the House is currently leaning toward a Republican majority.