North Texas Daily

Maritza Solis

The North Lakes Recreation Center parking lot was packed at 5 p.m., as eligible voters in Denton County were getting off work and getting ready to vote.

Waiting outside the doorway, there were not many people coming out of the recreation center. Some people were there to pick up their kids from a daycare or after-school program, while others were there for a fitness class.

The line to vote was kept at an even pace, was not packed and people were pretty quick to cast their vote.

Elizabeth Eaton, a 26-year-old University of Dallas student, came with her mom to cast her vote in the presidential election, although she was not able to do so for the primary election.

“Well, I think everybody thinks it’s pretty crazy,” Eaton said. “I know a lot people say they really dislike both candidates, but I’ve always liked my candidate, Hillary. I think she’s always been a supporter of equal rights for women and children, those in poverty. She’s got a really track record of that.”

Denton resident Cierra Graves did not vote according to the experience of the candidates but how this can ultimately effect the Supreme Court with the new justices that will be elected by the president.

“Hillary can navigate conversations [between people] better than Donald Trump can because he’s new to the presidency,” Graves said. “He does not know how to navigate that private sector with a lot of policies that are implemented.”

A few people who came to the recreation center were not able to vote because they did not register to vote before Oct. 11 in Denton. Karol Moren, 27, just moved from El Paso about three weeks ago.

“I would have voted for Hillary, because you can’t trust Trump,” Moreno, a behavioral analyst, said. “Not only that, but how he degrades women is just not a go. Women are beyond powerful creatures. It’s just degrading on our behalf on how far we’ve actually gone through all these years.”  

Her partner, John Baez, 26, does not want a candidate who has a prejudice, hatred and mentality of Hispanics.

“Trump didn’t know what he was getting himself into,” Baez said. “He’s like an old school ruler that says, ‘I’m going to do everything for you guys’ while Hillary is more presentable as a president. He doesn’t give a damn.”

Annette Darlow, whom graduated from UNT in 1986 with a degree in anthropology, has lived in Denton most of her life. Darlow said her decision was an easy one.

“I voted for Hillary Clinton, not because I liked her, but because I’m eighty-nine and I’ll probably die pretty soon.” Darlow said. “I wanted to vote for a woman and I’m kind of a swing voter.”

Darlow said she doesn’t appreciate the way Trump acts and could not see him as a suitable president.

“I couldn’t vote for Donald Trump, he’s too scary and off the wall,” Darlow said. “He’s a misogynist. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

James Smith, 50, felt more aligned with Trump’s ideals and plans than he did with Clinton’s.

“National security, the economic plan he’s got…we have got to get jobs back and border security [tight],” Smith said. “I think he has Texas sewed up, the national election depends upon polls. I just believe that the enthusiasm is for him.”

Physics and chemistry major Donovan Sharp thought the election has been somewhat of a joke.

“‘South Park’ put it pretty well,” Sharp said. “They said that it’s a competition between a giant douche bag and a turd sandwich.”