Voters react to election results in local bars

The bars opened their doors to viewers as the polling stations officially closed across the D.C. area. The drinks start to pour as the results pour in, as DMV area voters flock to bars in the Dupont Circle area to watch the results live. 

Madhatter, located at 1319 Connecticut Ave NW, held an election viewing party across the bar and restaurant. Patrons packed into the establishment as screens projected the results live. Cheers and boos echo across the dining room as projections come in. 

Georgetown University student Matthew Buscarino watched the results before leaving for the White House. He said watching the votes on screens can be an overwhelming experience. 

Nevertheless, as a first-time voter, Buscarino called voting for Vice President Kamala Harris “rewarding.” 

“I feel like that was a very releasing experience,” Buscarino said. 

Similarly, Maya Feron expressed anxiety as more news outlets reported the results. Another Georgetown student described the experience as a “nail-biter.”

“I’m from Ohio, and I just can’t stand JD Vance,” Feron said. “Obviously, abortion is important to me, but I just can’t stand to see that man in any sort of higher office.” 

Across the area, a line wrapped around the block for The Admiral, located at 1 Dupont Circle NW. Both the outside and inside areas cheered as Harris was projected as the winner of D.C. 

Anthony Trianis and other family members waited in the stacked line to get into the bar and restaurant. Trianis was eligible to vote in this election but opted not to. He said he would’ve voted for former President Donald Trump. 

“There’s been a lot of things as far as immigration and gas prices that I’ve been following,” Trianis said. “I agree with him as far as those.” 

Later, Loring Telleen also waited to spend the evening inside The Admiral. She said she wanted to spend the evening outside the house to continue “compartmentalizing” her nerves. 

Telleen said she voted for Harris because of Trump’s “threat to democracy” and that he “sounds like a tyrant.”

“The way he’s signaled about undermining our democratic institutions and talked about having a first-day plan is the primary reason that I didn’t vote for him,” she said. 

As bars and other local businesses open their doors, other businesses board theirs in preparation for results. Many businesses across the city have opted to prepare for the worst, which has caused tension for residents. 

Telleen said it is “disappointing” that local businesses feel the need to close up following the Capitol Attack on January 6, 2021.

“I think there could be chaos no matter what happens,” she said. 

Other Democratic voters in D.C. are preparing for potential problems regardless of the presidential winner. 

“If Harris wins, it will be exciting,” Feron said. “Then, we’ll immediately have to prepare ourselves for all of the lawsuits and challenges and potential threats.”