a young female voter poses for a picture after voting for the first time
First-time voter and VCU student Toulson Buddendeck leaves the University Student Commons after voting. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)

Nov. 4, 2020

In photos: Election Day at VCU

With their masks on, students went to the polls to make themselves heard.

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By James Irwin

Virginia Commonwealth University students and millions of Americans on Tuesday made their voices heard by voting in the 2020 presidential election — both in person and by mail.

At VCU, which was recognized earlier this fall as one of the best colleges in the U.S. for student voting, the student-run, nonpartisan network VCU Votes spent the months leading up to the election promoting voter registration drives in Richmond and sharing information about how people could register and find their polling place. On campus Tuesday, students cast ballots at two polling places: the Institute for Contemporary Art and the University Student Commons. 

Votes in several key battleground states that will affect the result of the contest between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden — and which party controls the U.S. Senate — were still being counted Wednesday morning. Biden and Sen. Mark Warner have been declared winners in Virginia, and Virginians overwhelmingly voted in favor of establishing a bipartisan redistricting commission.

VCU’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture will host a virtual panel discussion analyzing the election on Thursday from 6-7 p.m.

A glance at some images from campus on Tuesday:

VCU students prepare to vote at the University Student Commons.
VCU students prepare to vote at the University Student Commons. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)
A poll worker sitting behind a protective barrier helps a student voter on election day.
Poll worker Niki Nunn assists a VCU student at the Student Commons. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)
Two young women, both VCU students, post for a photo with their ballots as they prepare to go vote for the first time.
First-time voters and VCU students Isabella Nascimento, left, and Toulson Buddendeck prepare to go into the University Student Commons to vote. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)
a poll worker helps a voter as they prepare to vote.
Nunn assists Buddendeck as she prepares to vote. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)
People voting at the VCU Institute for Contemporary Art.
Voting at the ICA. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)
A VCU student casts her vote.
VCU student Ireolu Orenuga casts her vote at the ICA. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)