Macon Reporter

Residents of Macon County expressed relief and joy if they were for Joe Biden, even as Donald Trump's backers continue to argue the election is in dispute.

"It has really been a nail-biter and if you look at my nails, you'll see they're a little bloody," Eric Labroo, a political science minor at Millikin University from Quincy told the Herald-Review. "I've been watching TV and I'm always on my phone and for me, I love it and, oh my gosh, it's so intense but I think it's super fun. When (Biden) finally won, I lost it and I was in my room and everybody was screaming and it was really relieving."

Some residents such as Danny Carraher, also a Millikin student, said he had favored Bernie Sanders for president but voted for Biden mainly to stop Trump.

"I am thrilled today," he said. "Biden wasn't my first choice. I was more worried about a second Trump term then I was eager about a Biden presidency, but I am pretty pleased with the results overall. I'm excited about what the future brings with that."

Laura Zimmerman, chairperson of the Macon County Democrat Party, said she never had any doubt about the outcome of the election.

"This is what I've been expecting all along," Zimmerman said. "It's nice to have the result being final. We're very excited to have Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. I know people are very excited. We're excited to have such a competent leader back in the White House, who will lead with compassion and empathy and that's exactly what we need right now."

The story was different with Trump supporters.

Macon County Republican Chair Bruce Pillsbury said he is not ready to accept the legitimacy of the outcome.

"I don't know that it's finalized yet," Pillsbury said. "I know that there are a number of court cases involving the claims of fraud and I know there are a number of ballots to be counted yet, so I'm not agreeing with that (result) until I see that it's finalized. I know everybody's ready for it to be settled, but if you have widespread fraud I don't know how Mr. Biden can claim to be the legitimate president. I don't understand how, when you see this much dishonesty and fraud in the election process, how they can settle it any time soon."

Some residents predicted chaos and possible violence in the wake of the election, although Caira Butler, another Millikin student, said she hoped for a peaceful solution.

"We're in a state in this country where we're either super divided and not going to be able to accept the results of the election on either side, or we're going to be able to work together and understand that the results of the election may not have been what other people were hoping for,” Butler said. “But hopefully we'll be able to find some type of compromise in the middle so we can get things done rather than stay divided."