After months of bitter divide amongst the major party candidates and plenty of negative political ads, the 2016 Presidential Election is finally here. Polls are open until 7 tonight.
Voter turnout has been steady today in Springfield. One person taking time to cast her ballot at Delaware Elementary was Eileen Llewellyn. She said she’s hopeful the political divide in the U.S. can be bridged no matter who wins the election.
"That we can be sane. I think most people are decent and will accept the changes. We'll see," she said.
Paula Pollard was getting ready to cast her ballot at the Southside Senior Center. She said, she, too, is hopeful the country can heal from the negativity that has surrounded the election.
"We're a good country, and we're a strong country, and the only way we can get anything done is when we do learn to compromise and work together and listen to each other," she said.
Rebecca Brien, however, who also was getting ready to cast a ballot at the Southside Senior Center, planned to vote for third party candidates.
"I don't want to end up with 1940's Germany or, you know, with a murderer for the president, so," she said.
She was not optimistic that the country can come together after the election and feels that the divisiveness will only be worse.
Get national and local election results starting tonight at 7 on Ozarks Public Radio.