Pitt students head to the polls with protecting abortion access, limiting fracking on their minds

Across Pitt’s campus, hundreds of students flocked to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in Pennsylvania’s heavily watched midterm elections. Many students reported voting for all democratic candidates, saying protecting abortion access and promoting clean energy were their deciding factors. 

At about 9:30 a.m., Katie Gallo, a sophomore business major, voted at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum. She voted blue all down the ballot because she wanted to protect abortion rights, especially in the close Senate race between Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mehmet Oz. Fetterman has vowed to protect abortion in Pennsylvania, while Oz has said he wants to “[protect] innocent life.” 

“I think, with what I’ve been hearing about Dr. Oz, a lot of the freedoms I have in my life will be taken away,” Gallo said. “I take those for granted a little bit, but not in this election.” 

Gallo said she preferred the Democratic candidates’ stances on climate change and clean energy to their Republican counterparts, which factored into her decision. 

“Climate change and clean energy are two things I care a lot about as well,” Gallo said. 

Students also chose between Democrat Josh Shapiro and Republican Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial race, between Summer Lee and Mike Doyle for the District 12 U.S. House seat and between Dan Frankel and Jay-Ting Walker for District 23 in the state house. The Home Rule Charter Amendment was also on the ballot, which, if passed, would allow members of county council to run for other elected positions within local, state and federal government without having to first resign from county council. 

Fetterman, Shapiro, Lee and Frankel won their elections, the Associated Press reported early Wednesday morning.

Early in the morning at Soldiers & Sailors, there were essentially no lines when Chloe Scharf, a sophomore psychology and law, criminal justice and society double major, went to vote. She said she voted for all Democrats because she feels more confident in their abilities to fight for women’s rights, lower the cost of college, protect voting rights and make health care more affordable. 

“I know that [the Democratic candidates] will try to do what they can for all of the people they represent,” Scharf said.

At the William Pitt Union, students separated into two lines based on last name — A – L on the left and M – Z on the right — and waited outside of the brown double doors of the assembly room to cast their vote. Students also voted at Posvar Hall, Bellefield Hall and more. 

Niobe Tsoutsouris, a sophomore law, criminal justice and society major, said she voted for Fetterman because she believes in many of his policies, such as funding for public education, protecting reproductive rights and gun reform. She voted at the WPU at around 8:30 a.m.

“I think there should be stricter laws for who can purchase a gun,” Tsoutsouris said. 

Andrew Vanacore, a senior biological sciences major, also said he voted for Shapiro and Fetterman because he shares similar views and values with the two. 

“Some of the important issues for this election were a woman’s right to make decisions over her own body and supporting LGBTQ rights,” Vanacore said. 

Sophia Traczek, a first-year psychology and law, criminal justice and society major, said she thinks it’s important for people to get out and vote because voting is one of the founding principles of America and its democracy. She also voted for Shapiro and Fetterman at the WPU due to their stance on abortion. 

“That is the single biggest way for your voice to be heard and for you to potentially make an impact,” Traczek said. “I know it seems kind of small, you’re just one person, but every single vote does count at the end of the day.”