This forum topic has already acted as a sort of open thread to discuss the election, but since today is the day we Americans are actually voting and many of us are on pins and needles and unable to think about much else, I thought I’d move the discussion to the front page so that we can be anxious together. Have you voted yet? What was your polling place like? I’m posting this from a line I’ve been in for well over an hour and I’m
Not even halfway through yet (and now Jackson has to pee, ughhhh). Really could use a Nasty Woman cocktail now!
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Wendy's Sister November 8, 2016, 10:13 am
I think it’s great when parents take their kids to vote! (I hope Jackson gets a sticker.) I’m sorry that you have to wait in such a long line, though. Four years ago, I waited until the last day of early voting, and the first line was too long, so I went to the second line, and it took two hours to get through. I’m sorry NY doesn’t have early voting!
ktfran November 8, 2016, 10:15 am
I voted! It took about 35 minutes total… from line to running my papers through the machine. I was excited to see people bringing their children to the polls! Democracy at it’s finest.
My excitement about voting for the first women president was slightly overshadowed today as I was recovering from the glass sink in my bathroom shattering into a million little pieces this morning. So, that sucked. Luckily I had on slippers and I didn’t cut my sheet to shreds.
Anyway. Fingers crossed for a favorable outcome in both the Senate our next President. I’M WITH HER!
Kate November 8, 2016, 10:17 am
Ugh! I voted last Monday to avoid the lines and there were none, just walked right in. No showing IDs, and everything on paper. Seemed weird. We’re going out with friends tonight to drink tequila, watch CNN, and hold each other. So antsy today!!!
Ron November 8, 2016, 10:19 am
I’m poll watching at our local college (it’s a regular city voting district, but in the student union nd over half the voters are college students. The students are all so thrilled to have voted. I’ve never seen such excited voters. Steady stream of voters, little wait, no problems. Now I go vote in my own district.
Ron November 8, 2016, 5:34 pm
Well, problems developed when the judge of elections refused to allow some students to cast provisional ballots, arguing with two of the most notable attorneys in the county, who had a hard copy of the state election rules in front of them. She even called the constable on us, because we talked to the students and collected information from them and encouraged provisional ballots after they had left the room where the voting was taking place. The constable basically laughed her off.
Amanda November 8, 2016, 10:29 am
My polling place is literally next door to my apartment. Got there a little after 6:30 and was home around 6:45.
I was a little more emotional than I expected. I think because I was voting for the first woman president and I am absolutely scared out of my mind if she doesn’t win.
kmtthat November 8, 2016, 3:05 pm
I legit cried a little lat night because I was so nervous and then cried after I voted, realizing that I just voted for the first woman president. And I get to see Hamilton tonight and find out the results WHILE AT HAMILTON. I’m going to cry again.
Skyblossom November 8, 2016, 10:31 am
I voted on Saturday. We walked in and didn’t have much of a wait. It was a county level place so they needed our address to figure out our precinct then printed the correct ballots for us and we voted. We basically filled out an absentee ballot and turned it in while we were there. Our son also voted on Saturday.
va-in-ny November 8, 2016, 10:32 am
I voted this morning! Last time, I didn’t get a sticker, but I’m wearing one super proudly today!
I voted in LIC and it only took about 30 minutes, and 20 of that was waiting in line to find out what Election District I was in (look this up before you go in!!)
I do hope that no matter what happens, we can get back to some civility. Society just seems really agitated these days.
dinoceros November 8, 2016, 10:38 am
I have a hard time getting up early. I set my alarm for 8 and snooze until 8:30, when I rush around to leave 15 minutes later. But today, I woke up at 7 and got to my polling place around 7:45. In my pink pantsuit. I waited for about 20 minutes to vote. Voting took longer than normal because I normally vote straight-ticket, but I had to cross party lines to try to vote out a crappy sheriff. Sadly, didn’t see any other pantsuits, but someone did leave crying, so I suspect she’s on the same side.
anonymousse November 8, 2016, 11:51 am
Ha ha! I love the pantsuit detail.
Pantsuit Nation FTW!
SLS November 8, 2016, 10:42 am
We waited about an hour this morning. We don’t have early voting in my state, quite honestly I was impressed to see so many people out at 6am (when the polls opened) to vote! Especially those already dressed for work( over achievers 🙂 ) We had about 20 other elected officials (mainly state level) and then an abundance of amendments to vote on as well which is why it took longer than anticipated.
SpaceySteph November 8, 2016, 12:11 pm
Ugh we had like 20 district judges to vote on and it took forever. Researching all those barely-anybodies took forever, too.
gigi November 8, 2016, 10:51 am
My son is voting for the first time today – he hates Trump but was pretty apathetic about voting in general. He was spouting off some rather violent thoughts about what needed to happen to Trump, & I said “Honey, you cannot hurt other people, even him, but you can do something about it, its called voting!” The next week a voter registration card came in the mail for him – we are going together at lunch time! So excited & scared & hopeful all at the same time UGH!
Lianne November 8, 2016, 10:54 am
I brought my son with me to vote this morning. There were no lines, but MA has early voting so maybe everyone already voted? I was actually surprised I didn’t have to wait at all.
Another Jen November 8, 2016, 11:15 am
Couldn’t sleep a wink last night, so I got to my polling spot just when it was opening and was in and out in 15 mins. Stayed up all night watching comfort movies (BBC Pride & Prejudice among others). Now, I’m trying to get through my workday so I can go home, crash on the couch, and wait for the returns. Luckily, I’m too anxious to be tired, but I’m anticipating a sleepwalk of a Weds.
AJ
RedRoverRedRover November 8, 2016, 11:53 am
I couldn’t sleep either, and I’m not even American! I felt sick to my stomach. I think it really hit me yesterday that Trump could actually win, and what that would mean for women.
Dear Wendy November 8, 2016, 11:37 am
It took us two hours, but we made it. We don’t have early voting here in NYC and I had to wait for our sitter to vote and then come watch Joanie since she needed to nap and I didn’t want to drag her to the polls not knowing how long it would take. We hit the pre-work crowd and got stuck in the slowest-moving line I’ve ever been in (and thats counting all the long TSA lines I’ve stood in in my life). Jackson was a total trooper — even when he had to pee. And when we finally finished, I asked if he had fun at all or if it was just boring, and he said he had fun (I suspect part of that was having me all to himself). It was a proud moment.
Lianne November 8, 2016, 11:47 am
Bringing my son was my favorite part voting…even if he is only 5 months old, to me, it’s never to early to demonstrate important acts. I am sure it was super interesting to Jackson, even if it did take a long time!
kmtthat November 8, 2016, 3:08 pm
I absolutely love when people bring their kids with them to vote! Get them into the idea early 🙂 I always used to vote with my dad and for years we were voting for opposing parties (this year, he’s back on my side). Made me pretty sad not to be able to vote with him this year as I live 2,000 miles away. Hopefully someday Jackson will vote with you!
Lianne November 8, 2016, 8:51 pm
That’s awesome. I legit cannot remember my parents ever voting when I was younger. That doesn’t mean they didn’t do it. But if they did, I wasn’t exposed to it. And in turn, I didn’t vote for the first time until the Bush / Kerry election. I want to instill its importance at an early age.
girltuesday November 8, 2016, 11:44 am
I haven’t voted yet – going after work. I’m very anxious and nervous, y’all.
Classic November 8, 2016, 11:48 am
I voted by mail about two weeks ago, and my son mailed his ballot about a week ago. My son and two of my nieces, ages 21-31, registered to vote, for the first time, because they think it is important to stop the most awful presidential candidate ever.
muchachaenlaventana November 8, 2016, 11:54 am
Took my under 5 minutes to vote, from entering to exiting, I went at the money time, like 9:45 — I got incredibly emotional in the little booth and started to cry and then cried a lot in the parking lot, voting for the first woman president, just I cannot express the way it makes me feel, I am sure many of you understand. I am really hoping beyond a shadow of a doubt, she wins.
I just saw this and think it is really apt and sums up a lot of the way that I view/filter HRC : http://theslot.jezebel.com/samantha-bee-reminds-us-how-hillary-rodham-became-mrs-1788696213
Also I am legit obsessed with Samantha Bee.
RedRoverRedRover November 8, 2016, 12:01 pm
Omg I just recently started watching her on YouTube. Her show doesn’t seem to air here, that I can find. It’s awesome! I didn’t like her on Daily Show, I found her “fake reporter voice” annoying. But I love her now!!!
Nett Rando November 8, 2016, 1:32 pm
Sam Bee has definitely turned into a comedy force I didn’t realize she was capable of when she was still on the Daily Show. I always found her Daily Show routines to be too low-brow but now I wonder how much was her input and how much was the show’s producers, because she really kills it on her own show.
angelsiris11 November 8, 2016, 1:47 pm
Samantha Bee is amazing. That is all I wanted to say.
kmtthat November 8, 2016, 3:09 pm
Ok I feel better knowing I’m not the only person that cried!
anonymousse November 8, 2016, 11:54 am
I really wish the entire country would adapt vote by mail. I voted a week or two ago with a nice beer in the comfort of my own home. I’m so nervous about this election, I could barely sleep last night. It’s been really nice seeing all the posts from Pantsuit Nation. Sometimes, it makes me cry a little.
girltuesday November 8, 2016, 11:56 am
Where’s your favorite source to watch election coverage online? I want to have a window open at work.
angelsiris11 November 8, 2016, 1:46 pm
I am a big NPR fan for political coverage.
girltuesday November 8, 2016, 2:29 pm
Thanks!
TheRascal November 8, 2016, 11:58 am
I voted this AM in Brooklyn. Waited almost two hours! I’m rocking a pantsuit to work today…
In 2012, I waited until after work to vote and waited more than three hours, and didn’t cast my vote until after 9 pm.
Dear Wendy November 8, 2016, 12:01 pm
Speaking of brooklyn, we’re having a dw meetup in brooklyn next week. Come if you can!
http://dearwendy.com/topic/nyc-mid-november/
TheRascal November 8, 2016, 12:32 pm
Ooooh! I love Hot Bird! If I’m not working late, I’ll be there.
honeybeenicki November 8, 2016, 12:14 pm
I voted early, but I’m kind of sad because I wanted to bring the kid with. But the main early voting location is literally one floor up in the building I work in.
Mango November 8, 2016, 12:43 pm
I love voting in person and am so bummed that I had to vote absentee this year. But a 6am cross country flight meant I couldn’t vote in person. It was probably a good election to go absentee. California has so many propositions on the ballot that I imagine it will take people a very long time to vote, which means lines will be very long.
Bubbles November 8, 2016, 1:11 pm
We did early voting so I voted last week (go HRC!!!). When my kids were little we’d take them with us to vote. Now we all do mail-in ballots. We have four registered voters in my household and on Sunday October 30th we all sat around our dining room table and filled out our ballots then they signed me off as their agent to deliver their ballots to the Registrar of Voter which is down the street from where I work and received our four I Voted stickers which we’re all wearing today to work.
We’re in the west coast, so the numbers won’t be coming in for the nation until our polls close at 8:00 p.m. PST. I. CAN’T. WAIT!! OMG it’s like nothing I’ve ever been through before (and I’ve been voting since 1976!!) WE ARE WITNESSING HISTORY IN THE MAKING!!
Vathena November 8, 2016, 2:18 pm
I took my 3.5-year-old daughter with me to vote this morning – I very seriously told her that I wanted her to remember it, even when she’s an old lady, but she was mostly just excited about getting a sticker. (I hope that voting for a woman is as unremarkable as a flag sticker by the time my daughter reaches adulthood!) It took us about 20min at 8am, even when we lost our place in line because she had to go potty.
LisforLeslie November 8, 2016, 2:20 pm
Explaining how NYC votes is almost more painful than voting. I started my meetings at 7 am and knew that even if was in my polling place at 6 I wouldn’t make it out in time. Last meeting is at 5pm. I will be walking over and it gives me 4 hours until the polls close. That should just about do it.
Dear Wendy November 8, 2016, 2:31 pm
Hey, fellow New Yorker, join us for a DW meetup in Brooklyn next week if you can:
http://dearwendy.com/topic/nyc-mid-november/
KMJ November 8, 2016, 2:44 pm
I voted a week ago Saturday and it took two hours in my little town in NC.
My mistake for going on a Saturday, but I wanted to take my 8-year-old daughter. I got to take her, as well as my boyfriend’s daughter (who’s also 8), and they behaved miraculously well considering the long and boring wait. I am so happy they were with me to vote for our first female president! *crossing fingers* Totally worth the time.
I am anxious to know the results. Even with everything I’ve read saying HRC is strongly favored to win, I have just been in disbelief that Trump has been taken seriously as a candidate. That, along with signs (admittedly only two I’ve seen) that say “the silent majority stands with Trump” make me anxious!
quark November 8, 2016, 3:20 pm
Trumpkin already filed a lawsuit in Nevada challenging election results:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/08/politics/nevada-voting-lawsuit-donald-trump/
Here we go….
RedRoverRedRover November 8, 2016, 3:23 pm
He’s probably going to do one in every flippable state. Idiot. Hopefully they’re all as spurious as this one.
anonymousse November 8, 2016, 3:34 pm
I hate this man so much. I wish someone would just ship him off to…Mars?
quark November 8, 2016, 4:43 pm
Yea Judge Sturman!
http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/08/politics/nevada-voting-lawsuit-donald-trump/index.html
“A Nevada court judge forcefully denied a request Tuesday from Donald Trump’s campaign to direct a county registrar of voters to preserve and segregate ballots from voting machines in four early voting sites in the Las Vegas area where Latino voters showed up in record numbers.”
Skyblossom November 8, 2016, 3:42 pm
The thing I dislike most about Trump is his tendency toward fascism. Things like saying once he was elected he’d have Hillary put in jail and his statement that the election should be suspended and him appointed president. I could see a president Trump try to prevent elections in four years. I could see a president Trump try to arrest anyone who spoke out against him or any policy he was pushing. I could see a president Trump try to take away freedom of speech. I could see a president Trump decide we don’t need any Supreme Court justices.
There is so much else that I don’t like and don’t trust. The misogyny. The short fuse on his temper. His having no understanding of why using nuclear weapons is a bad idea. He is so easily goaded and distracted that foreign leaders would make it a sport to taunt and insult him just to keep him derailed all the time. When he is feeling humiliated he can’t focus on anything else.
Cleopatra Jones November 8, 2016, 3:55 pm
Well, I woke up super early this morning and couldn’t go back sleep (normally I can), so I suspect it was the Universe telling me to get my arse outta bed to go vote, NOW! It only took an hour to vote which was time well spent.
.
There was one guy in line, who made a comment to someone else in line that no one should be allowed to vote until they can read and understand all of the issues on the ballot. I said really loudly , ‘dude, did you just say the we should enact literacy tests to vote?’ No comment from him and I couldn’t give him the lecture on how literacy tests were used for decades to keep people of color from voting.
.
Ugh, I so wanted to rain down fire on him but didn’t want to get kicked out of the polling place and he was 3 people ahead of me, so I would have been arguing over other people’s head.
Rangerchic November 8, 2016, 6:15 pm
My husband and I voted about a week ago. We are from Arkansas and moved to Colorado 18 months ago so our ballots were mailed to us which I found strange (didn’t know they did that here!). But, I really enjoyed voting this way. Also got a booklet explaining all the local issues to vote on and we could take our time looking up any of the people running for offices. So nice and easy! Then just mail them out 🙂
I don’t think people should have to pass any kind of test to vote but I do wish more people would research what they are voting on/for or against. Probably wishful thinking. It does look like people are getting out there and voting though…just hope it goes to Hillary.
ac_iris November 8, 2016, 6:17 pm
That is so great that you took Jackson with you, Wendy. I remember going to vote with my parents when I was younger. I live in New Jersey and voted today too. After living in Nevada for most of my life, I am used to being able to vote early. This was the first time I have voted on Election Day since I first registered to vote after turning 18. Looking forward to seeing the returns coming in tonight and am avoiding watching the news until some of the polls start closing.
girltuesday November 8, 2016, 6:40 pm
I know it’s only 1% reporting, but it’s not looking good. Trump’s leading NH. I’m getting kinda nervous, y’all. Someone hold my hand.
Kate November 8, 2016, 8:15 pm
NH is fine! 🙂
Lianne November 8, 2016, 8:53 pm
Kate’s parents locked it in!!
Anonymous November 8, 2016, 9:30 pm
Gary Johnson is going to fuck us.
ktfran November 8, 2016, 9:43 pm
We’re fucked. Johnson isn’t helping. I’m not optimistic and I’m praying I’m wrong.
ktfran November 8, 2016, 9:47 pm
I take it back. The FBI has done way more harm than Johnson.
RedRoverRedRover November 8, 2016, 10:00 pm
What the fuck is going on? Racist, sexist assholes!!!
RedRoverRedRover November 8, 2016, 10:01 pm
I bet the Republicans get a record percentage of the white male vote. Jesus Christ.
Taylor November 8, 2016, 10:23 pm
Husband says: cities have more people, tend to run blue, and take longer to count. Fingers crossed. JHCOAC this sucks.
Dear Wendy November 8, 2016, 10:29 pm
I;m so fucking depressed right now. I can’t believe this is actually happening.
muchachaenlaventana November 8, 2016, 11:05 pm
Are people still up? I can’t even bring myself to look at the news. I am seriously petrified. I am alternating between crying and having a panic attack.
TheLadyE November 8, 2016, 11:11 pm
I’m up but I had to stop watching it.
Taylor November 8, 2016, 11:19 pm
I don’t even know. NYT is projecting a 95% chance for Trump to win. High rural turnout + 3rd party candidates. What the fuck. Fuckety fuckety fuck fuck fuck.
MissDre November 8, 2016, 11:21 pm
CNN saying she has the lead but it’s tight.
TheLadyE November 8, 2016, 10:49 pm
I’m so terrified.
Classic November 8, 2016, 11:05 pm
California has 55 electoral votes still to come. I am horrified that this election is even close.
Dear Wendy November 8, 2016, 11:28 pm
This is sickening.
Girltuesday November 8, 2016, 11:43 pm
Sorry y’all, I think she’s toast. I’m so upset.
anonymousse November 9, 2016, 1:37 am
WTF. This is the end of times.
Keyblade November 9, 2016, 1:47 am
Definitely drinking time…
Bostonpupgal November 9, 2016, 3:28 am
I feel physically ill. I keep asking myself “is this really happening?”. Is our county so ignorant, so full of hate? I’m terrified for the future in a way I never was before. Truly, honest to goodness afraid. For our rights, the future of our earth…I am so incredibly sad
hazel November 9, 2016, 5:24 am
I am so sorry guys. Pretty much all of Britain is grieving too.
MissDre November 9, 2016, 7:07 am
My condolences guys… so sorry this happened 🙁
Taylor November 9, 2016, 10:45 am
So…any contacts for renewable energy tech jobs?