President Bush was re-elected to serve another four years in the White House, while Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry conceded defeat after a grueling fight for the presidency Wednesday.
Kerry acknowledged Bush's victory without challenging the vote count in determinant state Ohio.
Criminal justice junior Merle Mathews said the elections re-established his belief in the government system because the decision over the presidency was more professional.
"These elections were 10 times better than the last election, where it took forever to find out who the president was," he said.
Kurt Belknap, a management senior, said he was glad there were no issues with determining the winner this year.
"They figured it out, and it was done the day after the elections," he said. "That was probably the best thing for everybody."
Cledwyn Jones, a political science senior and Undergraduate Student Government senator for the Barrett Honors College, said he has mixed feelings about Kerry's concession.
"On the one hand, I certainly wish that they would carry this out a bit further; I think not just in Ohio, but in many of the close races," he said. "At the same time, I recognize that in many ways, for the greater good of the economy, a concession the day after the election is necessary because otherwise it would cause issues with the stock market and other economic indicators."
A liberal rally held at the state Capitol on Wednesday at 11 a.m. drew only about 30 people by noon.
Chicana/o studies senior Brenda Aguirre said she went to the rally to advocate peace.
"The struggle continues, and we still have the power to mobilize," she said.
Shana Quinn, an undeclared sophomore who campaigned for the election, said she waited three hours in line to vote.
"[The outcome] is depressing, upsetting and frustrating," she said. "It seems like the [young] people here just vote the way their parents vote."
Chris Chalfant, a business and communication senior, said he is not particularly pro-Bush, but he voted for Bush because he disliked Kerry.
"[Kerry] makes a lot of promises that he's not going to convert," he said. "I find him to be extremely fake and not really genuine with his ideas."
Reach the reporter at shaina.levee@asu.edu.
