Cupcakes vs Donuts: An American election story

At the American Center in the capital's Baridhara, the morning started with Kamala having won 35 electoral votes and Trump leading with 101. 

By 7:30 am, guests — including diplomats, youth leaders, and academic professionals — began arriving in the main room, where the live election broadcast created a festive atmosphere.

The event was titled "Election Watch Party" and it truly lived up to its name. It was nothing short of a fun party, full of people, filled with chatter, laughter and an abundance of good food and beverages. 

The lively ambience, complete with spirited discussions and a genuine sense of excitement, brought people together to witness the unfolding political moment and the making of a new history.

"USA election process is a bit complicated and lengthy. With food and conversations, we keep ourselves engaged and cope with the stress," said Scott Hartmann, Director for Public Engagement at the Embassy of the United States of America.

I asked Scott what the most memorable election of his lifetime was, and he was quite quick to answer, "It was the 1980 presidential election. I was only eight then, and that was the first election I witnessed."

Republican Ronald Reagan won that election in a landslide, receiving 489 electoral votes, defeating incumbent Democrat Jimmy Carter, who received 49.

I also asked which party he was rooting for at that election. He grinned and said, "You can't make a diplomat answer that question. Good try, nonetheless."

We both laughed instantly. 

Scott also mentioned that while elections often bring anxiety and stress for many, professionals in their field experience minimal disruption, regardless of which party is in power.

The watch party offered a unique opportunity for Bangladeshi youth and participants to experience the US electoral process firsthand. 

The entire premise was full of interactive activities. A large map of the United States was on display, with each state clearly marked. Guests were given red and blue pins to mark the map as results came in. As each state announced its winner, participants placed the corresponding coloured pin on the state.

There was also a mock election where attendees voted for their favourite American sweets —  Cupcakes vs Donuts.

"Today is about democracy and voting, so we will hold our own election! You will cast your vote on an issue of significant importance: What is your favourite American food? I encourage you to strongly consider all the choices before voting — donuts or cupcakes. Personally, I endorse donuts. May the best dish win!" said Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. Megan Bouldin.

In the end, cupcakes claimed the crown as the crowd's favourite.

The event also featured two panel discussions that were held parallelly in two different rooms. One was titled "Political Engagement in the Digital Age: Shaping Democracy through Voting and Social Media" and the other one was titled "The Media's Role in Safeguarding Democracy.

I was personally more intrigued by the second, which had Journalist Shameem Ara Sheuli and Professor Saiful Alam Chowdhury as guest speakers. 

The discussion began, and we were transported back to the Bangladesh election scene for a while — particularly the last three elections. All of us, including the Americans, laughed when Shameem Ara Sheuli brought up the term "Raater Nirbachon" (an election in the dark) in her speech and explained it to us. 

After the discussion, we returned to the main hall and quickly returned to the reality of the US election. At that point, Kamala's electoral count was 112, while Trump had surged past 200. 

The atmosphere was electric, with attendees fully caught up in the moment, sharing thoughts, watching the live broadcast closely, and checking updates on their phones.

The event, which wrapped up at around 12:30 pm, concluded with a closing address from Bren Flanigan, Foreign Service Officer at the US Department of State, who invited everyone to enjoy a "winner cupcake".