On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Senator Claire Bennett (Leah Belber ‘26) emerged as the victor in the Bates 2024 Mock Presidential Election, securing both the popular vote and the electoral college majority to become the next Mock President of the United States.
Her victory marks the conclusion of a competitive and spirited campaign for the White House against opponent Senator Alyssa Lombardi-Jones (Alyssa Lowther ‘25), a race that energized hundreds across the Bates College campus. Belber won with 161 votes to Lowther’s 111 votes. Shortly after the results were announced, President-Elect Bennett accepted the victory in a personal, homemade video posted on Instagram.
At Bates, students and faculty participated enthusiastically, with the Fireplace Lounge transformed into a central voting location. A buzz of activity and spirited conversations filled the space, as students lined up to cast their ballots and discuss their opinions on the candidates. Faculty and staff, too, were actively engaged with the mock election.
For those studying abroad and members of the Bates community spread worldwide, absentee ballots made it possible for them to join in this critical election. Trustees, alumni and students sent in their ballots from across the globe.
Senator Alyssa Lombardi-Jones conceded the election in an Instagram post shortly after the results were announced. In her message, Lombardi-Jones emphasized the importance of unity and respect for the democratic process, striking a hopeful tone amid the divisive political climate.
“While today’s results are a disappointment, I believe in the power of our democracy. Elections are free and fair, and we must always honor the will of the people,” Lombardi-Jones said. “We can disagree, but we must come together for the common good, and that is what I will continue to strive for.”
This message resonated deeply with Bates students, especially as the outcomes of both the mock election and the real election did not align with the hopes of many. The mock election thus offered students a hands-on opportunity to discuss and experience democratic processes in a space less charged than the realm of real-world politics.
Within this mock election, students, faculty, staff, and others in the Bates community could discuss candidates, political policies, and social issues openly, learning to listen and engage constructively with diverse opinions without the weight of partisan divisions.
Since 2008, the Presidential Campaign Rhetoric seminar led by Professor Kelley-Romano has been offered every two years, with the Mock Election serving as the capstone of the course. This seminar is designed to give students hands-on insight into the complexities of political rhetoric by placing them directly in the role of campaign strategists, media figures and policymakers. This class is, in essence, a nine-week group project where collaboration and communication are crucial to success.
In recent elections, results have alternated between left-leaning and right-leaning candidates, mirroring the pendulum swing seen in real American presidential politics. In 2022, the left-leaning candidate Olivia Wells defeated the right-leaning James Teal for the presidency. The 2020 election saw the right-leaning Hart/Riley ticket prevail over the left Zaveri/Bennet campaign. In 2018, left-leaning candidates Gardner and Sullivan triumphed over their right-leaning rivals, Panepinto and Karlson. This consistent back-and-forth suggests that each candidate, regardless of political leaning, has a fair shot at victory.
We can only eagerly await the next mock election, much like the anticipation for the next real election four years in the future, curious to see who the next candidates will be and who will ultimately prevail.
Disclosure of Conflict: Gail is in the Presidential Campaign Rhetoric seminar and serves as a mock reporter for the media.
