More than 200 people have gathered at AUT University to watch the results of the US presidential election between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama for the world’s powerful political job.

US Consulate General politics-economy officer Jeremy Slezak at the AUT watch party.

Organised by AUT and the US Consulate General in Auckland, the “watch party” includes US State Department Officials, New Zealand academics and media, and the politically motivated from all quarters.

Also present are postgraduate journalism students Katie Shepherd and Mahvash Ali, who are writing for TWN, tweeting results and comments and soaking up the atmosphere.

“It’s great,” said Shepherd. “It’s fascinating watching the battleground states. Obama’s currently leading Colorado and it looks like he’s got that. But Florida is 50-50 at this stage.”

More stories from TWN soon …