Trump Is Our Next President

by Kelsey Hamlin

At approximately 7:00 p.m. last night, after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton won the state Virginia, election polls began taking a turn. In the end, that turn landed America at the front door of a Donald Trump presidency.

The Republican presidential candidate ultimately won when the state of Wisconsin swung his way, giving him a total count of 276 electoral votes — 270 are needed to win the presidency.

President-elect Trump openly stated during the first presidential debate that the stop-and-frisks strategy deployed in New York City worked well, should be legal and isn't racially biased. The impending 45th President of the United States has been involved in more than 4,000 lawsuits, which he has mostly lost.

Currently at stake — outside of foreign policy, human rights, and freedom of the press — is the Supreme Court Justice seat for which the Trump is most likely set to fill.

In congressional races of note to South Seattle residents Pramila Jayapal, the 37th District State Senator, beat Brady Pinero Walkinshaw to take the Congressional District 7 race. Jayapal's victory means there will be an appointment process to fill her 37th District Senate seat.

Voters in Congressional District 9, which contains almost the entirety of South Seattle, sent Adam Smith back to congress for a tenth time as the incumbent defeated Doug Basler in a lopsided contest.

Across the state, Initiative 1433, which would raise Washington's minimum wage to $13.50 an hour has been approved. Voters also approved Initiative 1491 which allows families of people in crisis to petition a judge to issue an extreme-risk protection order that would temporarily prevent their loved ones from having access to firearms. Voters rejected Initiative 732, which would have put a tax on carbon.

Countywide, Sound Transit 3 appears to be on track for approval by voters with a 10 point percentage lead as of press time.

Citywide I-124 which mandates enhanced protections for hotel workers also passed.

This post will be updated with more election night results later today as the public and journalists alike let information sink in, can verify facts, and are able to conduct coherent interviews.

Featured image by Alex Garland