MACON, Ga. — Early this morning, former president Trump was declared president-elect. It's the first time in two decades a Republican presidential candidate has won the national and popular vote.
After claiming victory, the president-elect thanked his voters and said it's time to move forward as a country.
Trump will return to the White House early next year for his second term in the Oval Office. During his victory speech, Trump said he's putting the past behind him.
"It's time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us. It's time to unite, and we're going to try. We're going to try," Trump said.
In central Georgia, 13WMAZ talked with several people to hear their thoughts about this presidential election. People like Rebecca Haley from Madison, Georgia were pleased with the result.
"I was maybe a little surprised because I was wondering there a little bit and I knew it was going to be a close race so I had joy," Haley said.
Eleanor Lamb from Warner Robins hoped Kamala Harris would take the seat in the Oval Office.
"I wanted to keep our democracy intact and I liked what she stood for," Harris said.
Lamb says what's next is to look towards the future.
"I just hope that we can stay together. My first thing is to pray, just keep us together and we just have to move forward," Lamb said.
13WMAZ, also spoke with two people who told us they didn't vote. Leroy Booker from Macon told us he is a Jehovah's Witness and he was staying neutral. He says he hopes democracy will change for the better.
"I'll just be glad when the old system is done away with. A kingdom can be a government. I'll just be glad when this kingdom can be done away with and in God's new world, it'll be honest, fair, and just for all people," Booker said.
Cornelius Cooks is a student at Fort Valley State University. He says he didn't think either candidate had his best interest in mind.
"I just look at it like both of them tried to prove a point to be in office. They can say this that and a third but at the same time, they just saying that to get into office but is they going to put it into motion," Cooks said.