The Leopold Hotel hosted an election party open to the public on November 5th from 5-10 p.m., providing free entertainment and offering a luxurious space for locals to gather and chat about the presidential election as results started to pour in.
This election party included complimentary food, election-themed drinks, and live music by Bellingham’s soul*drift.
The hotel’s first floor was open to patrons with a previously-registered ticket, and hosted various rooms broadcasting news channels streaming the presidential election. More than 200 people attended throughout the event, celebrating in the Crystal Ballroom, connecting with friends, chatting about the election results, and rooting for their chosen representatives.
When asked about the issues they cared the most about this election season, patrons had a wide variety of answers, with the most resounding being topics such as women’s reproductive freedom, climate change, immigration rights, elder and child care, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Many interviewees held an inclination towards the Democratic party, with one interviewee, who asked to remain anonymous, voicing concerns about increasingly limited choices if Republicans were to be elected.
Another patron added that they were “worried about going backwards,” and that “democracy backsliding” was a major concern for them.
Despite these strong concerns, voters remained hopeful for a better future, and saw many preferred constituents elected throughout the duration of the election party.
