Upon entering the Elks Club in Pulaski, a tall staircase carpeted in red led to a room filled with chatty, excited and nervous members of the Democratic Party as they restlessly watched the election returns. Although the outcome was unknown, they were optimistic in their chants of “Yes we can!”

Radford University student Elizabeth Chitwood has waited for this historical moment for a year and a half. From knocking on doors to making telephone calls, and even having a seat at the Democratic National Convention, Chitwood has been through every nook and cranny of the race.

“We’re either here to celebrate or commiserate,” Chitwood said.

Chitwood was cautiously optimistic that Obama would win and said she would be glad when the election is over so that her life can get back to normal.

Pam Austin has never been so involved in an election before in her life. A retired U.S. Army chief of staff trainer, Austin volunteered for the first time to canvass and make telephone calls for a presidential campaign.

“I volunteered because I’m still able to do it,” she said. “It made me feel like I wasn’t just watching history being made, I was part of it.”

Walter “Jingles” White also chose to volunteer for his first time at the polls. For White, working a long day at the polls was rewarding because he felt he was making his ancestors proud.

“It’s a wonderful thing to know that my ancestors died so that I could have a chance to vote, but to actually have an opportunity to freely be a poll worker, that is great,” White said.

White has been an Obama supporter since the senator from Illinois announced his nomination for president. White said that he believes Obama has the composure, intelligence, and fight that it takes to run this country.

Democratic Party members planned to stick it out and watch the battlegrounds in hopes that their candidate will prevail.

Karaneese Payne is a media studies student at Radford University.