Downtown Lawrence became a place of celebration on Saturday after former vice president Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.

Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris were declared victorious over President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence after Pennsylvania’s electoral college votes pushed Biden and Harris over the required 270 electoral college votes needed to win. 

Drivers honked their horns as pedestrians cheered from the sidewalk. People waved American flags and held Biden and Harris campaign signs. 

“Downtown felt like a movie,” junior Reed Parker-Timms said. “Everyone was just together for a bit. Everyone felt like family.”

Parker-Timms was among the students who were excited about the results.

“I felt amazing about the election results,” he said. “I’m proud to be American again. When I found out the result, I jumped and cheered and called a lot of friends and family.”

Harris will be the first woman to hold the job of the vice president. 

“I feel happy to know that we are welcoming our first woman vice president who is also a person of color into office,” sophomore Julia Barker said. “I think this is a big step for our country.”

Not all students celebrated the election results, as some hoped for Trump to be declared the victor and to serve a second term. 

“I was disappointed at first, but I respect that he is now our president,” senior John Green said. 

Supporters of the current president may be disappointed with the election results but said they accept Biden will be inaugurated into the presidency in January. Trump has yet to concede.

“My hopes are that Republicans like me and others around the country understand that fighting everything he does is not going to solve anything,” junior Kevin Honas said. 

Most students, regardless of their stance on the election, have high expectations for the next presidency. Biden’s handling of issues, including COVID-19, the economy and polarization, will be closely examined by his supporters and by those who supported Trump. 

“I hope that the next four years there is more unity,” junior Izzy Paradis said. “I really admire how in his speech he talked about how even if you didn’t vote for him he still wants to work for you. I hope that there isn’t so much hate in America.”

Kenna McNally, Tessa Collar and Arien Roman Rojas contributed to this report.