For five days, the 2020 presidential election left Brea Olinda High School students on edge for the results that were slow to arrive due to the counting of an unprecedented number of mail-in ballots. But on Nov. 7, Joseph R. Biden was elected to be the next president of the United States. 

Biden won the election by over five million votes against Donald J. Trump, and is currently on pace for over 80 million total votes, an all-time high.

Biden’s victory resulted in celebrations for his, and vice president-elect Kamala Harris’s voters, but also dismay, and accusations of fraud, by Trump devotees.

The Wildcat asked BOHS students how they felt about the election’s outcome: 

“Words cannot express how happy and relieved I am,” Maggie O’Dea, senior, said. “We can finally rebuild our nation, make amends with our allies, and get this pandemic on track. We will prevail. The United States of America has stood for 300 years and will continue to stand.”

Sophia Renfro, junior, said, “I feel happy that a homophobic, xenophobic, misogynistic, and racist president like Trump is out of office.”

Danielle Ebby, senior, is “stressed” about the results: “The media is going to love everything Biden does, even if it’s going to put the economy in shambles.”

“Our world is gonna go into a useless lockdown again and the economy is gonna go down the toilet,” Brandon Godde, senior, said of Biden’s win.

Ryan Ozasaki, freshman, “feels very happy and proud.” He added: “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will reunite our country again and get this pandemic under control.” 

JohnPaul Simental, senior, feels “relieved” that Biden and Harris won, and is glad that the results calmed the chaos from the election. 

Alyssa Olona, junior, said that she is “very happy” and that “this is the change America needed.”

 “Biden is not fit for president and has mental disabilities due to his age,” Christian Ramirez, sophomore, said. “There has also been evidence with the election about the signs of voter fraud. If it’s false, then [Biden] is my president. I don’t like him, but that’s how it works.”

“It’s an incredible win for us whose rights were being threatened by Trump. I am overjoyed that Biden won, and I can breathe knowing my rights are in a good man’s hands,” Isabella Lara, sophomore, said. 

Ben Yates (‘20) said, “This country is divided and I’m glad that we can finally make the year 2020 stand for something good.”

Amanda Perez (‘19), said that she has become hopeful for America’s future.

“I am excited, especially since this was my first year actually being able to vote. I wish [Biden] the best of luck,” Paris Luna, senior, said. 

“This transition of power was needed,” said senior Logan Khan. 

“It is what it is,” Chris Landreth, senior, said. “Sometimes we have to move on in life, and there are times when the president decides on what to do and what it results in. Biden won, and I wonder what he would do as president.” 

“I do not mind since whoever would get elected would benefit in some way,” Jeremy Meza, sophomore, said. “But with Biden’s victory, it can help the COVID-19 situation, so I will be very pleased if he follows through with it.” 

“I am relieved and happy. I feel like both candidates weren’t the best America has ever seen, but it was picking the lesser of two evils,” Sophia Thompson, freshman, said. “I didn’t want someone like Trump in the office because of his racist, misogynistic, and homophobic beliefs, and I didn’t like what he stood for. I feel like much more of president Biden’s beliefs matched with my own.”

“I feel satisfied with the result of our election, but I know that Biden and Kamala winning will not end the many unresolved issues within our country,” Makayla Huerta, junior, said. “With this win, I think we are on the path to tackling each of those issues one by one, as well as gradually making progress to a more free and democratic system for everyone.”

Biden and Harris will officially begin their four-year terms during the inauguration ceremony held on Jan. 20 in front of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.