OPEN THREAD: 2012 Election Day Live-Blog, With Extra Feelings

Whiskey Kitten Photography © jmberman1 2009

Get your sticker that says you voted, even if your polling place doesn’t have one! Print out the whole sheet and stick one to your forehead with some tape. Congratulations! You’ve just participated in Democracy.

Greetings Queers, and Happy Election Day! Welcome to our Feelings Thread / Election Day Party Live Blog. Are you excited? I’m excited.

I love Election Day– I feel about Election Day the way most people feel about Christmas. And we’ve done a lot of amazing reporting on the Election so far. We taught everyone how to Vote with their VAG (and then we did it again. And again for local elections and voting while abroad.) We talked about loving your Republican family and voting while trans*. We gave you the low down on Bain Capital and we covered (I mean g-chatted) all kinds of debates, including the vice presidential one and there was freedom and justice (and an app) for all. So now it’s time for us to bite our nails and stare at the TV and have a big ole feelings party together on the interwebs. We’re going to have updates from a whole bunch of the Autostraddle staff today, and the greatest surprise is WE’RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE UPDATES FROM YOU!

That’s right. If you have a link to something you’d like covered, a picture of your Election Day Party, witty commentary or just about anything you can dream up, you’ve got two options: a) leave it in the comments below! It is an open thread after all or b) email it to ali [at] autostraddle.com to submit it for inclusion in the body of the post. Not everything may go up, but I’d love your submissions! Especially if you’re making election-themed jello-shots. Then I want pics or it didn’t happen.

So let’s have a grand time together! And hopefully this great country of ours won’t be set back forty years when we wake up in the morning.

8:08 am. Just turned on MSNBC! Who’s watching along with me?

8:14 am. I’m putting out the “pics or it didn’t happen” call for pictures of y’all voting. Send ’em to ali [at] autostraddle.com.

8:22 am. Can anyone guess where Brandy Howard is going to be sending us updates from tonight?

8:27 am. Aww, you guys, here’s a tweet from Contributing Editor Vanessa last night. She’s voted for the first time ever today! Check out her button!

8:31 am. Awww, sorry Vanessa. No “I Voted” stickers at her polling place. But I award you an imaginary internet “I Voted” sticker, complete with not-imaginary love from Autostraddle.

8:37 am. !! Reader Sarah (SugarMaple86) just voted in Ohio! Ohio is a swing state! You get an imaginary virtual internet chocolate chip cookie from me!

8:42 am. That’s right Lanie, Brandy Howard is gonna be at the Victory Party in Chicago. Here’s what she emailed me last week: “On November 6th, I am going to Obama’s victory party in Chicago!!  I’m so fucking excited- I can’t even see straight.” I’ve been trying to come up with some kinda “can’t see straight” joke, but I haven’t had my coffee yet.

8:44 am. Is it weird that I feel like heckling my TV just because Rachel Maddow isn’t on it yet?

8:49 am. Holy Election, Batman! The news anchors just casually dropped in that Biden is going to run four years from now. Apparently he announced that this morning and I missed it? Imma fact check that. Stand by. Update: I can’t find anything on the google machine about that except that he joked about it days ago. So until I can, it isn’t real. Back to fun pictures of readers voting!

8:59 am. Reader Cara voted in North Carolina. That’s another swing state, you guys!

9:01 am. MSNBC just had a great map of battleground states. Imma try to find one, y’all, because it was helpful.

9:04 am. Romney and Mrs. Romney just voted in Massachusetts. You guys, I keep finding myself heckling my TV.

9:07 am. MSNBC tells me that we’ll start to know which candidate is having a good night by 9 pm est. Which means I’m going to have an ulcer for twelve hours.

9:13 am. Politico has a great view of the swing states. Super helpful. It also includes predictions based on previous polls. Update: It doesn’t include PA, though, which is another state that both candidates are really gunning for.

9:23 am. In case you haven’t decided who you’re voting for yet, here’s a message from the Greatest Generation, via Move On. This is very much NSFW, so don’t hit play unless you’re a) at home or b) work for Autostraddle or similar cray cray liberal website. In that case, hit play and call over your co-workers.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f17fWth3YgA&feature=player_embedded’]

9:16 am. I missed Joe Biden voting. So here’s some pictures of Joe Biden voting!

9:26 am. There are so many mustache-related bets happening regarding this election. Do y’all have mustache-related bets, or is that just every MSNBC news anchor and analyst?

9:32 am. MSNBC is discussing how Obama will win without Ohio. They’re saying it seems plausible. He would need Wisconsin, Iowa and Virginia, which is not unlikely.

9:36 am. Just reminding you guys to send your voting pictures to ali [at] autostraddle.com. I want to see you brag! Send me pictures of your stickers, you with two thumbs up in front of your polling place. You dancing around like a cray cray person because you participated in Democracy today. Yeah, I want that photo too.

9:43 am. A vote against Todd Akin from reader Sherri!

9:46 am. Haley Barbour, who I fundamentally disagree with on just about everything, just said don’t believe exit polls because so many people voted early. I feel like I kinda agree with that. And now my brain is melting out of my ear.

9:55 am. Reader Mareika just voted for Elizabeth Warren and President Obama in MA. She just sent me the following email: “Hopefully you can see the sticker through all the femme in this picture.”

9:57 am. I just saw a Fox News commercial touting them as Fair and Balanced election reporting and the best place to keep up with the election. I vommed in my mouth a little. Anyone have the fortitude and/or the stomach to see what Fox News is saying and then report back to us here?

10:01 am. Hey y’all, just did some research and you’re not supposed to take pictures of your complete ballot because different states have different rules about it. So I’m going to follow the “Don’t Tweet Your Ballot” rule from now on. Only give me pictures of you and your stickers!

10:04 am. Okay, I just figured out where the Joe Biden 2016 rumor came about. Someone asked him if it’s the last time he’ll be voting for himself as he was walking out of the polling place this morning. He said, “No, I don’t think so.” Thoughts? I’d be really pumped if he ran in 2016.

10:09 am. I wanted to highlight a comment from Amanda:

I voted at 6AM and now I’m running a huge phone bank for Obama allllll day.

If anyone out there wants to make some calls into swing states and make sure our supporters get out and vote look up your local OFA office and stop in – they’ll all be going hard until the polls close on the West Coast.

Have the day off? Go make some calls!

10:14 am. Here’s a picture of Olivia’s sweet sticker!

10:23 am. Omg, my girlfriend just sent me the link to Your Fucking Polling Place. It will help you find your fucking polling place.

10:28 am. Wanted to highlight a comment from Evidux–

Guys, please remind everyone to stay in line at the polls. As long as you’re in line when the polling closes, they still have to let you vote.

10:30 am. MSNBC says “nobody knows nothin'” at this point in the day. Exact quote.

10:32 am. Just got the following email from Daneille: “We can do this, Ohio!”

10:44 am. Hey y’all, just changed the order of the live blog. The other way was too confusing for readers. Now everything is in regular chronological order!

10:47 am. Rachel Maddow just told me a lot about voter suppression in 31 seconds. You should also see this.

10:52 am. Renata voted from Edinburgh and she doesn’t get a sticker for voting absentee, so she made a sign. VOTING SPIRIT, EVERYONE!

10:56 am. HOLY ELECTION DAY, BATMAN! I pronounce this the best Election Day outfit. Becca, you win all the things!

11:00 am. Hey everyone, I’ve gotten so many emails and comments about how upset people are that their polling places don’t offer cute stickers. So Intern Geneva is going to rescue you all because she made you this:

 Click on it to make it full size and put it on your Facebook! Or Tweet that sucker! Heck, make it your profile picture on all the things.

11:05 am. Vanessa‘s girlfriend just sent her these chocolate covered strawberries and this note for voting in her first election today! We should congratulate Vanessa not only on her first vote as a US citizen, but also for her pick of human.

11:11 am. MSNBC is having Guiliani and the anchors debate the Sandy effect on voting. It’s actually kinda weird to watch, Guiliani is really panning the response. Everyone affected by Sandy, how are you voting today? Everything okay?

11:22 am. Mitt Romney arrives in Cleveland for a campaign event, says MSNBC. You guys, I hate reporting on Mitt Romney’s moves today. I never claimed to be fair and balanced. :0)

11:24 am. They’re debating the idea of popular vote v. electoral vote re: the broken system. Do y’all have popular vote feelings? Send them my way.

11:26 am. The headline on MSNBC says Ohio is the Top Prize in Election.

11:29 am. Renelle from San Francisco reminds us that local elections matter too: “Not every day you can vote to keep your English teacher from hell off the school board!”

11:33 am. Hey everyone, wanted to remind everyone not to send me pictures of their ballot. I’m following the Don’t Tweet Your Ballot rule. But pictures of your stickers, you dancing around, your election day outfit and whatever else you can think of that’s not your ballot are all welcome. Send them to ali [at] autostraddle.com and they might be included here!

11:38 am. Katlyn just cast another vote against Todd Akin! SEND INTERNET LOVE TO KATLYN!

11:39 am. Even my favorite news networks sometimes make me headdesk. They just showed footage of Obama casting his vote moments ago. But he voted early in Chicago days ago. I even covered it on AS.

11:43 am. MSNBC is running a constant ticker of poll closing times that I’m finding super helpful in terms of when to cast your vote. So I found a list online for those of y’all who don’t have access to a TV to see said ticker, via Ballotpedia.org.

11:46 am. Community, everyone! Check out yet ANOTHER adorable, voting-related thing that happened to Vanessa.

11:51 am. Funny story. When I was 18 months old, I knew every word to this song. My mother used to stand me on chairs at family gatherings to sing it. This is hundred percent true.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvk1NZDFvZU&feature=player_embedded’]

11:58 am. Xan votes for Tammy Baldwin!

12:03 pm. Check out this comment from Hansen:

My brother looked up his polling place online to see where to go and it said he wasn’t registered in the system and he started to panic about wrongly being kicked off the lists, but he went to the polling place anyway and there wasn’t a problem! It was just something like a wrong address.

WHEN IN DOUBT: go to the polling station and try to vote regardless.

THIS! There was a problem with my registration when I went to get my absentee ballot. They fixed it on the spot. GO ANYWAY. Republicans may not want you to vote, but most likely the person helping you really DOES want you to vote.

12:05 pm. They’re yelling on TV about how people who don’t vote are idiots. People, do go vote! If you don’t vote, you give up your right to complain! Talk about community, it makes you a strong part of the community you live in.

12:10 pm. Want to remind everyone who didn’t get a voting sticker that we’ve made one for you, thanks to the mad skillz of Intern Geneva. Go put it on your facebook! Twitter! Print it out and stick it to your forehead!

12:15 pm. Contributing Editor and link finding extraordinaire Kristen just found this amazing interactive graphic novel about the U.S. election on the Guardian. EVERYONE MUST SEE THIS.

12:18 pm. Jezebel reports that at least one voting machine in PA isn’t taking votes for Obama.

12:27 pm. Marni in line to vote, sent to me by Riese. It’s Marni’s first election too, everyone. LET’S GIVE MARNI SOME INTERNET LOVE.

12:32 pm. A cute story from Riese about that photo: the lovely woman at the polling place asked Marni if it was her first time voting. Riese was like, omg, can you really tell that Marni is Canadian that much? But no, apparently that poll-worker confused Marni for a 19 year old boy. Marni was all, I’m 30, even though she’s actually 29. Riese says it might be the first/last time she’s told a lie about being 30.

12:40 pm. Just received an email from the Obama campaign about making calls. Wanna make some calls?

12:44 pm. Just got the following email from Joleen: “I would much rather have Claire McCaskill in my vagina than Todd Akin!”

12:50 pm. Just got a super cute picture and super articulate email from Casey!

I voted this morning in Chicago – I didn’t get a sticker, but I did
get a receipt.  I also had to snap this in a bathroom stall at work
like a total creeper, so there’s that. Thanks for having the live blog
up today – somehow, it’s lowering my stress level to be watching this
unfold with all you wonderful ladies!

Also, you should remind people that voting on judges is also
important! If there are any other Chicago ladies who haven’t voted
yet, they can go to http://voteforjudges.org/ for more information
about who is on their ballot.  I’m sure that other cites and states
have similar resources.

Thanks!

1:00 pm. Has everyone seen Contributing Editor Cara‘s Election Day Team Pick? Head over to her post to take a look.

1:04 pm.  This tweet is relevant to our interests:

1:06 pm. Contributing editor Carmen just sent over this gallery of 92 Years of Women Voting. This needs no commentary.

1:10 pm. I really want Rachel Maddow on my TV to happen. Like, a lot. So as a result, I’m about to give you all a barrage of election-related Maddow clips, some from readers, some from contributing editors. Are you ready?

1:14 pm. Reader Jen submitted this one. Apparently Maddow says “lady time” at the 2:20 mark. About pot, marriage equality and tons more.

1:19 pm. Cara emailed me this Maddow video about all the awesome stuff Obama has done.

1:25 pm. More Maddow! Reader Jen says she likes this one because Maddow is a prop comic. This is from last night’s episode.

1:30 pm. Do you like polls and predictions? Join editor Rachel in closely monitoring FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver’s political calculus blog. Obama is listed as having a 90.9% chance of winning. Is it weird that my stomach is bubbling like a hot tub of nervousness none-the-less?

1:34 pm. Reader Arls sent this great article about voting machines and the hype over them not working correctly. It’s a heavy, but amazingly informative. Thanks for this!

1:37 pm. Joe Biden, looking swanky.

1:39 pm. Let’s all give a shout out to the interns working on this post today! Geneva, Chelsey and Naimah! Much love for finding some great tweets and making some great “stickers.”

1:45 pm. AS reader Christina, voting her heart out in California so that student fees won’t go up. The Presidential election isn’t the only thing going on today, make sure you read all the ballot questions that change state by state.

1:52 pm. Some great recommendations for Oakland voters, but it doesn’t stop there. Check out these recommendations for California voters at large, including state initiatives.

1:55 pm. Okay, y’all. I have to eat lunch. Obama would want me to eat lunch, and editor Rachel thinks you all should make me sandwich. Sandwiches for freedom. Be back soonest!

2:19 pm. After lunch, the nerves are really getting to me. I keep having to employ deep breathing techniques. But Steve Garfield has a reminder for us:

2:22 pm. It’s just talking heads right now on TV, you guys. So head on over to Laura and Vanessa‘s post on Sally Kohn, because they tell me that Sally Kohn is going to be the next Rachel Maddow.

2:27 pm. Contributing editor Kate is going to do a queer strip-tease if she gets 100 likes on this post. The catch? You can only like it if you voted.

2:29 pm. MSNBC tells me the voting machine that Jezebel reported on earlier, the one that changes Obama votes to Romney votes, has been taken out of service.

2:33 pm. Everyone send internet love to Carolyn, who is watching the election from South Africa. Here’s her election night all-nighter schedule. The time difference is a bitch.

2:35 pm. Reader Arls just drew my attention to My Fair Election, where we can gather data to give viable, legal feedback on our polling places.

2:40 pm. Reader Katie wants to remind us all to vote yes on 1 in Maine. This is voting FOR marriage equality.

2:57 pm. Kristen found this great video on what happens if the Electoral College is tied. This is not something I want to think about, but since a whole bunch of the headlines I’ve read all insist that Obama and Romney are coming into this election tied.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXzOfENI’]

 3:00 pm. The reporters on “The Cycle” look like they’re having a ton of fun reporting this. “People have many questions, like who’s running? And be specific.” If you have access to a TV, these guys at least look like they’re gonna have a good laugh about this. MSNBC, y’all.

3:05 pm. Reader Sonia sent a picture and a link to the very first California Asian American Pacific Islander Voting Guide, which is a thing I didn’t know existed until right now. Thank you Sonia!

3:10 pm. I have really strong feelings about Election Day being a federal holiday on par with Christmas. Or at least maybe we vote on a weekend? Vanessa found this great piece on the tradition behind voting on a Tuesday. It makes no sense anymore, but we keep it anyways, because TRADITION!

3:14 pm. Want a preview of what’s on your ballot? Use TheBallot.org to get a preview before you get to the polls.

3:20 pm. Contributing editor Gabrielle‘s polling district has been declared a disaster area due to Sandy. Here’s what she did to vote:

Hi friends. Just some personal voting updates: I’m registered to vote in Suffolk county, which is a federally declared disaster zone. Because of the gas shortage, I didnt have a way to get there, but was able to vote via an affidavit ballot in Queens.

3:24 pm. The MSNBC anchors are talking about how to make voting easier. They had some interesting arguments against voting on a Tuesday, and some really compelling arguments for keeping voting on a single day. The thing is, I’m not sure I agree with that. I like Election Day being more of a deadline.

3:28 pm. To piggy back off Gabrielle’s story, did you guys know that Governor Cuomo has declared that New Yorkers can vote in any polling place?

3:33 pm. Reader Stephanie got displaced by Sandy and she’s voting at the LGBT center. “I should get extra gay unicorn points.”

3:37 pm. The MSNBC talking heads are scaring me because they just said that it’s likely that Republicans will keep the House. Terrifying.

3:39 pm. Do you live in Washington? Vote to approve Referendum 74 and keep marriage equality alive and well in your state.

3:41 pm. Intern Geneva found this tweet for you guys. DO IT FOR CANADA!

3:47 pm. Reader Dena wore a Legalize Gay shirt to vote and received compliments from the poll workers!

3:50 pm. MSNBC is talking about Warren v. Scott,  McCaskill v. Akin and Baldwin v. Thompson. They just called Clare McCaskill “Claire Thank-God-I’m-Running-Against-Him McCaskill” and Todd Akin “Todd Legitimate-Rape Akin.”

3:51 pm. Polls show Tammy Baldwin up by 2 points. More on Baldwin maybe winning.

3:54 pm. MSNBC talking about how women are voting. “You don’t mess with women and politics. You just don’t do it.”

3:59 pm. Intern Geneva isn’t the only one who can make voting stickers. Reader Emily made her own too!

4:06 pm. Reader Julie voted NO in Minnesota! Don’t limit the freedom to marry!

4:10 pm. Reader Naomi wants to draw our attention to Prop 35 in California, a poorly written referendum against sex trafficking that’s actually bad for sex workers.

I’m voting to end CA’s death penalty and reform our three strikes law, as well as against an unfortunately badly written trafficking proposition (no on 35, everyone!).

4:19 pm. Autostraddle writer Rose sent over a picture and wants to direct our attention to the Warren v. Brown race in Massachusetts.

Here I am outside my polling place in Boston this morning! (Don’t worry, I didn’t put the buttons on until I was safely outside.) Voted Obama, Elizabeth Warren, yes on all the ballot questions. There was an adorable class of elementary school kids sitting on the floor watching us and talking about who they would pick; I was so happy to help show them democracy in action! After I voted I went up to the nearest Elizabeth Warren campaign office to make phone calls reminding supporters to vote.

4:23 pm. We talked about the marriage equality ballot questions on Autostraddle before, but here’s another link to The Four, a website dedicated to the four states where marriage equality is on the ballot. I always vom in my mouth a little when the majority get to vote on the minority. So let’s queer these effing elections, guys! Let’s take them back!

4:27 pm. Does anyone else think the ice rink at Rockerfeller Center turned into the map of the US is really badass? Are they gonna turn the states different colors as the night goes on, because I am going to lose my shit if that happens. #nerd.

 4:38 pm. Looks like I’m not the only one nerdy about maps! Intern Rebecca plans to color this hand-drawn map in during her election viewing party in Amsterdam.

4:45 pm. Want more internet stickers? Intern Chelsey made this one in response to a commenter from this morning. Whiskey Kitten for POTUS! Put this on your facebook and twitter machines, queermos! Happy Election Day!

4:47 pm. Breaking! NJ, you have until 5:00 to request an email ballot. Huge confusion about New Jersey’s electoral votes! Guys, that’s where my vote lives!!! I’m so nervous. Update: only people displaced by Frankenstorm Sandy can request electronic ballots.

4:53 pm. AAAAHHHAHA! Thanks reader KD15! “re: the 4:27pm comment – per MHP from this weekend, they are apparently going to color in the states in red/blue as they are called for Romney or Obama.” You guys, a giant map made of ice that is totally live updating and in color?! Please tell me you’ll all be watching MSNBC with me?!

4:56 pm. New Jersey, you still have to mail a ballot if you request an electronic one due to being displaced.

5:01 pm. Reader Nate voted in his first presidential election today and also sends us this picture from his college campus. There are no words.

5:02 pm. Intern Chelsey’s dad is gonna make me cry you guys:

so you know, i voted in florida this morning. its a battleground state! woot. my dad, an ALWAYS republican, voted for Obama because he “followed his daughters heart”. I may have cried/my heart died.

5:07 pm. Polls are starting to close in an hour! I’m blogging live on Eastern Standard time, and some polls in Kentucky and Indiana are expected to close at 6 pm my time. Check this map and get to your polling place on time. Map via Politico.

5:08 pm. On Hardball with Chris Matthews: “I’ll be shocked if we get the results from Ohio before midnight.” Then someone just said “I’ll be shocked if we get results out of Ohio in two weeks.” You guys. I can’t be doing this that long.

5:15 pm. Nine battle ground states, according to Chris Matthews. Does everyone know why we care about battleground states? Here’s a handy guide to why these states seem to count a little more. Basically, there are some states that are almost certainly going to Obama, some that are almost certainly going to Romney. Based on those predictions, each candidate needs a certain amount of electoral votes to win. So the votes from the states that are harder to call based on polling and predictions become incredibly important.

5:18 pm. McCaskill leading Akin, according to the Huffington Post.

5:25 pm. Style editor Lizz: “I’m trying to decide if I should make a “Dress Celebrate Obama Winning” article or a “Five Ways to Show Your Mourning Over Romney’s Win WIth Your Clothes” situations.” Do what the newspapers do and have both prepared? Naw, be optimistic and only have the Celebration one ready. We can do this, U.S.

5:29 pm. Thanks, reader Andrea! Colorado is a toss-up so your vote means A LOT!

5:35 pm. As we’re nearing the first poll closing of the night, I have something from Riese here for you.

on election day 2008, i was standing on a newly-assembled ikea end table/nightstand/mini-shelf-thing to hang a curtain rod because we’d just moved in to the apartment a few days earlier, and the table broke, sending me plummeting through it with a newly-exposed screw searing its way up my right leg. i refused to go to the hospital though, because OBAMA!

the reason i’m telling you this is because people who say Obama hasn’t accomplished anything over the last four years obviously haven’t seen how much progress my leg has made!

Here’s a photo of Riese’s Leg Progress.
5:38 pm. As polls start to close and we all start to watch results, I want to see the following in my inbox from all of y’all: reaction shots to states being called (youtube videos encouraged also), photos of your election watching party and SOME PATRIOTIC JELLO SHOT PHOTOS because jeez, someone has to make Election Boozey Things. Send them over to ali [at] autostraddle.com.

5:43 pm. Okay, if you are an exit polls person, Huffington Post is doing a live-updating exit poll post. But take these with a grain of salt, guys. In races that are this close, exit polls don’t mean much and races are almost never called on this data alone.

5:47 pm. And we have our first election food shot! Here are the patriotic strawberries that Vanessa‘s girlboifriend got her:

5:50 pm. Richard Wolffe on MSNBC says he thinks we will have a decision tonight. Here’s hoping, because I can’t sustain this level of stress for more than 24 hours.

5:56 pm. Chris Matthews on Hardball: “Voting is the best revenge” against people who want to stop you from voting.

6:02 pm. RACHEL MADDOW IS ON MY TELEVISION! MSNBC! GO GO GO!

6:05 pm. You guys, I’m such a Maddow fan girl. It’s embarrassing. And! And they’ve promised Melissa Harris Perry will make an appearance as well. MHP is wonderful!

6:06 pm. NBC news poll: 46 % believe the country is going in the right direction, 52% in the wrong direction.

6:09 pm. Six of the battleground states will be closed by 8 pm.

6:11 pm. Florida voters beware, you’re in two different time zones! Your polls close at 7 pm local time. Ignore coverage that says your polls close at 8 pm.

6:13 pm. I just noticed that Rachel Maddow is the only female commentator on this panel. At least she’s in charge of it.

6:16 pm. Lizz sent over video of the PA voting machine that magically transformed votes for Obama into votes for Romney.

6:19 pm. Intern Naimah in her post voting blazer!

6:20 pm. MSNBC is calling Paul Ryan a deadbeat running mate. Stand by for a good Paul Ryan video.

6:23 pm. Like I promised. Bad Lip Reading does Paul Ryan’s video diary.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewP01X5x9Nw&feature=player_embedded’]

6:26 pm. Maddow is talking about Edith Childs, who turned down going to an Obama rally with the President because she was knocking on doors in North Carolina. Are you all fired up?!

6:28 pm. You guys, Melissa Harris Perry is the Chicago correspondent tonight! MHP all the way!

6:37 pm. A great graph that actually outlines what the world thinks about this election. The only country that wants to elect Romney: Pakistan. And not even by that much.

via http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/602324_10151302741592990_1627228818_n.jpg

6:44 pm. Ha, omg, reader Briana hitting us with some XKCD election love. Sometimes I feel like this. Like when I’ve been in this post for almost 11 hours.

6:50 pm. Commenter Sophie wins all the things. Super true:

I think the tumblr posts from non-Americans are evenly split between “If Romney wins you can all come live in my country” and “If Romney wins I’m coming to your country to punch you all”.

6:52 pm. Chris Hayes was just going through the Akin and Murdock rape commentary. It just makes me so, so angry to hear. I just can’t get used to it.

6:55 pm. We’re starting to get tickers across the bottom for Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indiana. But I refuse to report on them with only 1 and 2 percent in.

6:56 pm. You guys, my girlfriend brought me snacks! All I’ve had today is veggie sausage and coffee. So. Much. Coffee.

6:58 pm. Reader Lynne emails: “I voted! Time to start drinking!”

7:03 pm. Polls closing in Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Vermont, Georgia, South Carolina, New Hampshire and parts of Florida.

7:05 pm. Indiana and Kentucky predicted to go to Romney, Vermont predicted to go to Obama. The media seems to be pretty sure about it, but Imma say predicted because they’re saying things like 4 percent counted.

7:07 pm. Virginia still too close to call. No shit, sherlock. Polls closed 7 minutes ago.

7:13 pm. Looking at Virginia data from 2008 in specific counties. Saying we should be paying attention to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Am I the only one that just can’t be optimistic until we see real numbers from this year?

7:16 pm. Rachel Maddow reminds us that if you’re in line when the polling place closes, they still have to let you vote. STAY IN LINE, QUEERS!

7:18 pm. This comment by Riese. This. This. “seriously thank jesus for rachel maddow, her presence is so comforting to me”

7:19 pm. Aaaahhh! My first glimpse of the ice-map in color. You guys, I’m so excited about this ice-map.

7:21 pm. Y’all, Ellen also wants your stickers. Send her the Autostraddle ones!

7:25 pm. Another contribution from Brianna. This may perhaps fuel your panic, however.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1kIGa31HR8′]

7:27 pm. Polls close in Ohio at 7:30 pm. Maddow says this one is the most important for Romney. Her sources say they don’t see much of a path to the White House without it.

7:30 pm. 

7:31 pm. Polls just closed in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina.

7:34 pm. West Virginia predicted to go to Romney. As of right now, it’s Obama with 3 electoral votes and Romney with 24. Remember, a candidate needs 270 to win, so we’re still super far away.

7:35 pm. South Carolina projected to Romney. Bringing Romney to 33 electoral votes.

7:40 pm. Reader Piper emails:

i’m having a lot of feelings right now, ranging from exhausted cause i’ve been running around boston like a crazy person for the past two days and only got an hour and a half of sleep last night, to excited/proud to have voted for obama and warren, and SCARED FUCKING SHITLESS of the possibility of a romney win.  it’s all somewhat confusing for me. OH GOD OHIO POLLS JUST CLOSED.

7:45 pm. Autostraddle editor Laneia voted for the first time in person: “a little old lady put a sticker on me and ali, it was like being knighted.”

7:56 pm. Commercial break! Time to beast this Indian food I ordered!

8:00 pm. Polls close in Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tenn, Maryland, Alabama, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Mississippi, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, DC, New Jersey and Missouri.

8:05 pm. Called for Obama: Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois.

8:07 pm. Romney has a projected 82 electoral votes, Obama 64. Here’s an online version of the map I’m looking at on MSNBC.

8:09 pm. Too early to call, but McCaskill and Warren are in the lead in their states.

8:11 pm. “Chuck has been replaced by an animated map.” I love Maddow.

8:17 pm. Florida elected a democratic senator!

8:19 pm.

8:24 pm. 

8:28 pm. Apparently you can send a pizza to the polls? Helping people stay in line, one pie at a time.

8:30 pm. FUCK YES! DOWNTHEWATERSPOUT MADE PARTISAN JELLO SHOTS! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE!

8:31 pm. Arkansas to Romney. Chris Murphy wins the Senate in Connecticut.

8:34 pm. That puts Romney up to 88, Obama still at 64.

8:36 pm. A quick primer on the Electoral College for those of us who are a little fuzzy from four years of forgetting about the Electoral College.

8:43 pm. A color your own Electoral College map, submitted by reader Cary, who hopes it will calm some stress.

8:49 pm. Contributing editor Malaika sent over this video of the American electoral system as explained by  Canadian sketch comedy show “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.”

8:51 pm. Since all that’s happening right now on MSNBC is men yelling at each other, here’s a hand-drawn Autostraddle badge from Kristen!

8:53 pm. You guys, if I sound panicked it’s just because there’s a lot happening at once and I’m trying to keep up with everything. It’s not because I think we should panic yet. Yes, Romney is in the lead right now. But the really important states haven’t been called yet. So it’s not time to panic. I’ll tell you when it’s time to panic.

8:55 pm. Tons of polls closing in the nine o’clock hour. Too many for me to list. I’m going to list them as they’re called for one candidate or the other by MSNBC.

8:59 pm. From my girlfriend, re: Massachusetts going to Obama. She says she found it on her Facebook.

9:00 pm. Rachel Maddow describes this as “a giant batch of poll closings.” Michigan to Obama. Texas to Romney. New York to Obama. Louisiana to Romney. Kansas to Romney. New Mexico to Obama. Nebraska to Romney, but they split electoral votes in Nebraska so 4 out of 5 electoral votes go to Romney. North Dakota to Mitt Romney, South Dakota to Romney. Arizona to Romney. 114 to Obama, 153 to Romney.

9:04 pm. Ugh, MSNBC projects the Republicans hold the House. If that’s true, that’s more John Boehner. Ugh ugh ugh.

9:06 pm. People are still in line in Virginia. STAY IN LINE, EVERYONE!

9:07 pm. Jersey is projected to Obama! MY VOTE HELPED WITH THAT!

9:09 pm. Katlyn made some white wine with patriotic fruit.

9:10 pm. Bob Casey wins for Senate in Pennsylvania. My girlfriend: “Oh Bob Casey, you’re not really much better than Republicans. But at least you’re a Democrat.”

9:14 pm. A screen shot of the MSNBC map that I’m looking at, if you don’t have cable.

9:15 pm. MSNBC projects Obama as the winner in Pennsylvania! You guys, both candidates really wanted that one. This is a good thing!

9:17 pm. Kirsten Gillibrand projected to win in New York.

9:19 pm. As per some of the commenters, keep in mind that these are ALL projections. They’re probably pretty accurate, but they’re still projections.

9:22 pm. Malaika sent us more This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Thank you, Canada, for this Big Bird sketch.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNmPNiYT4tI’]

9:23 pm. Commenters! I have two rules for you! One, NO PANICKING! It is just not that time yet. Two, you must be sober enough to recognize a concession speech.

9:27 pm. Guess what everyone?! It’s Intern Grace’s birthday! We will probably win in Ohio because it’s Grace’s birthday.

9:28 pm. Wisconsin called for Obama! *”On Wisconsin” plays in my head / on the live blog*

9:32 pm. Style editor Lizz trying to bake cookies for all the donors to Autostraddle’s new website, but instead watching the election. I feel you, Lizz.

9:34 pm. Reader Lauren checking people in to the Democratic Victory Party in Nevada.

9:36 pm. Maddow just told me that, while her race is too close to call, Tammy Baldwin is in the lead. I WANT A LESBIAN IN THE SENATE!

9:38 pm. See? No panicking yet please! 158 for Obama, 153 for Romney.

9:42 pm. Voters Don’t Care That Tammy Baldwin is Gay.

9:43 pm. ELIZABETH WARREN PROJECTED TO DEFEAT SCOTT BROWN! THEY JUST CALLED IT.

9:45 pm. Joe Donnelly defeats Richard Murdock, the guy that said children born of rape is God’s will.

9:46 pm. Some Elizabeth Warren worship:

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htX2usfqMEs’]

9:50 pm. Reader Katlyn summarizes all our feelings about Rachel Maddow in one picture.

9:51 pm. New Hampshire goes to Obama!

9:52 pm. Obama 162. Romney 153.

9:55 pm. Same-sex marriage in Maryland is hella close.

9:56 pm. Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah. All closing in the 10 o’clock hour.

10:00 pm. Utah and Montana to Romney.

10:01 pm. Obama and Romney are tied in electoral votes.

10:04 pm. Chris Hayes tells us that the Senate promises to be more polarized than it is now.

10:06 pm. Clare McCaskill projected to win against Todd Legitimate Rape Akin. Rachel Maddow says McCaskill wanted to run against Akin so badly that she ran ads for him.

10:08 pm. What some of us feel like right now. (Even/especially the person who’s been live blogging this shit for fourteen hours.)

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1-xK3eDHrw’]

10:09 pm. “The war on women is breaking for the Democrats.”

10:11 pm. MSNBC: Chris Murphy’s victory speech. The new Democratic Senator from Connecticut.

10:12 pm. Mitt Romney wins entire state of Nebraska, all 5 votes.

10: 15 pm. Chloe voted for the first time today too! I’m so proud of all you queermo first time voters!

10:16 pm. Romney would have to get 5 of 6 remaining battleground states to win.

10:18 pm. Here’s where we can all keep up on the Maine marriage equality initiative. Question 1 is too close.

10:20 pm. The Tammy Baldwin race is still too close, guys. I know some people have called it but I’m not comfortable with that yet.

10:22 pm. People are still in line in Florida! Laneia hopes that someone had “stay in line” in their drinking game.

10:25 pm. A big shout out to my girlfriend, who has played a huge role in keeping me watered and fed while I obsessively follow this election. Thanks honey!

10:28 pm. Just putting out the MSNBC map again.

10:31 pm. Massachusetts appears to have legalized medical marijuana.

10:32 pm. Good point, MSNBC. Where are the concession speeches? We’re hearing from victors before concession speeches have been given.

10:34 pm. Romney gets Arizona.

10:37 pm. Romney 174, Obama 162.

10:38 pm. Differing accounts of whether or not the Romney campaign remains optimistic. “Based on what?” Guys, even though it looks like he’s leading, Romney literally has to sweep the remaining battleground states to win.

10:42 pm. Reader T-Bone showing off his election pride with reader Mary’s sticker.

10:43 pm. Minnesota for Obama!

10:44 pm. Romney 174, Obama 172.

10:47 pm. Voters on Staten Island vote by flash light.

10:48 pm. My girlfriend re: Todd Akin’s concession speech– “He should have lost on that comb-over alone.”

10:49 pm. Missouri for Romney.

10:50 pm. “I’m so tired of listening to old white men talk.” – Marni

10:54 pm. Brandy Howard with the queers at the Victory Party in Chicago.

10:55 pm. Elizabeth Warren on MSNBC!

10:56 pm. She’s really wonderful. “We’re gonna fight for a level playing field and we’re gonna put people back to work.”

10:56 pm. “i hope todd akin walks into a concrete pillar tomorrow on his way to get a coffee” –laneia on g-chat just now

11:00 pm.

11:01 pm. California, Washington and Hawaii for Obama. Idaho for Romney.

11:03 pm. Obama 243, Romney 188.

11:04 pm. North Carolina to Romney.

11:08 pm. 

11:10 pm. Iowa for Obama!

11:12 pm. Oregon for Obama too!

11:13 pm. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? DID OBAMA JUST WIN!?

11:14 PM.  IT’S REALLY HAPPENING! HE’S AT 274! OBAMA’S GOT IT!

11:15 pm. He got Ohio, guys, that’s what did it!

11:17 pm.

11:19 pm. “tbh i’m mostly glad ohio didn’t ruin everything forever” –Intern Grace.

11:21 pm. I’m now adding a purpose to this open thread: we are now also an internet birthday party for Intern Grace.

11:22 pm. We even got this despite Citizens United! Unlimited money doesn’t always win. Sometimes humans win instead.

11:24 pm. MHP in some big ass headphones tells me how wonderful things are. The night is lovely, queermos! Let’s get unsober!

11:28 pm. “i’d like to thank my grandmother in ohio for voting obama” – Riese.

11:30 pm.

11:34 pm. Colorado legalizes recreational use and commercial sale of marijuana. You guys in CO, please enjoy your celebratory Obama party tonight with this extra special news in mind.

11:38 pm. Oy, Romney, concede already. I need to sleep.

11:41 pm. Romney campaign is not conceding Ohio, doesn’t believe that Ohio is decided.

11:44 pm. 

11:47 pm. You guys, if marriage equality wins in all four states and Tammy Baldwin gets elected, Imma die of perfect.

11:52 pm. When everyone at Intern Naimah’s house heard that Obama won:

12:00 am. MAINE!!!

12:07 am. Mainers United says thank you to everyone for winning equality for all families.

12:10 am. For what it’s worth, Colorado for Obama.

12:14 am. Huffington Post has a live updating post full of marriage equality ballot referendums.  Who’s getting married in Maine?

12:18 am. Maddow tells me Maryland has legalized same sex marriage!

12:22 am. Still no concession from Romney. Lesbian Jesus, doesn’t he know I need to go to bed?

12:37 am. Tammy Duckworth wins her race!

12:38 am. Minnesota, do the right thing and oust Michelle Bachmann.

12:44 am. Obama is winning the popular vote too, y’all.

12:45 am. Cory Booker on MSNBC! Fuck yeah Cory Booker!

12:46 am. Cory Booker tells me that Washington is leading in our favor, re: marriage equality. When Cory Booker says something, I believe it. Still too close to call though.

12:47 am. Romney allegedly speaking in 7 minutes. Concession?

12:51 am. Romney has called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory.

12:54 am. TAMMY BALDWIN WINS IN WISCONSIN!

12:55 am. We have a lesbian in the Senate and Romney is conceding. I might die of perfect.

12:57 am. Well queermos, I am signing off for the night. We have a concession from Romney, now we’re waiting for a victory speech from Obama. But you don’t need my commentary to enjoy that. Just sit back and cry wildly at everything President Obama says. Don’t fight it, you know it’s going to happen. And thank you. Thank you to everyone who voted today, because we all made this happen together. As a community. Pat each other on the back, buy each other some beer. Because yes we did. Good night everyone.

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A.E. Osworth

A.E. Osworth is part-time Faculty at The New School, where they teach undergraduates the art of digital storytelling. Their novel, We Are Watching Eliza Bright, about a game developer dealing with harassment (and narrated collectively by a fictional subreddit), is forthcoming from Grand Central Publishing (April 2021) and is available for pre-order now. They have an eight-year freelancing career and you can find their work on Autostraddle (where they used to be the Geekery Editor), Guernica, Quartz, Electric Lit, Paper Darts, Mashable, and drDoctor, among others.

A.E. has written 542 articles for us.

473 Comments

  1. I love election day. Like, a lot. Even though this is the first election I can legally vote in, I’ve always loved election day. I love it so much, I woke up at 530 and stood on a street corner in downtown Northampton and held signs urging people to vote. And am skipping classes to do election-y things all day. I might be a crazy person. But I believe that is perfectly okay.

    • I too love election day and I am real jelly that you get to go campaigning all day! My first time (lol) was in 2008, but I have been knocking on doors, making calls and taking voters to the polls since 2004. I know what it is to have a winning candidate and to have a losing one and I have all the feelings right now, but I hope you have lots of fun. BTW Election Night might be my favorite holiday of the year after Guy Fawkes, Bastille, and Arbor Day. It is the one night where the PARTY gets to PARTY like we won the super bowl, or it’s 1999, or we saved abortion rights, or whatev.

        • I am also not sure why this is something we haven’t mandated. I mean…all the other national holidays make sense: I love Tofurkey, I love getting to (read having to) see my family for a few days at a time, I love fireworks and beer. I also love civic duty and living in a representative democracy where my vote matters. It’s 12 hours (most places) once every four years (if you only vote nationally) why can’t we all be off? Stupid. *steps of soapbox* *brushes off shoulders*

    • I will be voting in Northampton as soon as I get out of work! Too many people think their vote doesn’t matter. GET OUT AND VOTE. or move to a place where you don’t have the option.

      • I actually can’t decide if I want to see that or not. I mean, it would be a really impressive achievement.

      • I’m doing sets of jumping jacks to keep from anxiety-exploding and plan on going for as long a run as I can sustain later this evening. It’s kind of helping? At least the vom is not happening in 8 directions for me yet.

  5. AHHH Brandy is going to Election Night in Chicago?? Shut Up! I love this place. Also I’ve voted and now I am at work even though we had the day off to take my mind off of how stressful this day already feels. Sorry I didn’t get a pic Ali, but I did get the coolest sticker in the world.

  6. I just voted, and I have SO MANY FEELINGS. Mostly about the election, but some about breakfast. I don’t remember 2008 being this terrifying.
    Chances are good that I’ll spend today hitting refresh on this page instead of getting literally anything else useful done…

    • “Chances are good that I’ll spend today hitting refresh on this page instead of getting literally anything else useful done…”

      Me too gurrrrl and I will be making hot chocolate to deal with my feelings today.

      • I read this as I stared wistfully into my empty hot chocolate cup, trying to decide if it was too soon to be making more hot chocolate. Clearly we’re on to something.
        For anyone else with FEELINGS, I recommend the hot chocolate!

    • Basically all I’ve done since I got to work (after voting!) is read election-y things and eat. I’m so nervous.

    • i voted! i’ve had seaweed salad and three rolls of sushi and about five glasses of juice! my head hurts! hot chocolate sounds the best right now.

    • i got offered a free beer if i wear a boobie shirt to an election night bar situation. i think i might be too depressed to go! i have a headache still! i ate a lot more since the last time i posted! i have two phone dates but one is with my brother who voted romney and made me cry twice after i already agreed to call him tonight! idk what to do. free beer. boobie shirt. but i’m sleeeeppyyyy

  7. Vooooted! Woke up early so I would be there when the polls opened. Was first in line. And am tired. Not banking on productivity today. Also did not get a sticker, am sad, wanted a sticker.

      • I was going to stick it on my cheek and then everyone who came by my office today would be reminded to vote! Granted, the first floor of the academic building I work in is also a polling location, so they’ve probably been reminded by the time they reach me, but I still wanted a sticker.

      • I don’t think they had them at my location! It was not cool. But the Autostraddle sticker is even better so that will do. ^^

  8. brandy is so cool! i’m so excited to have voted! really genuinely a little sad i didn’t get one of those neat stickers to put in my journal, but it’s okay, and thank you very much for the virtual sticker, ali! i’m having so many feelings!

    you guys, in 2008 i was 19 so you’d think i could vote, but no…because i wasn’t yet a citizen of the usa! but this year i am! i became a citizen in june (thanks to the april a-campers who helped me study for the test!) and i can’t begin to explain how thrilling it was to wake up this morning and vote. i woke up at 6am (crazy early for me) and quickly got ready and then i walked down the block (i was lucky, my polling location was ON MY BLOCK) and the sun was shining and a mom with 3 kids pointed me to the right entrance and said “go vote, honey!” and then i did! I VOTED! i really do feel like a dork but my heart was pounding when i filled in the little bubbles it just felt SO GOOD! i think because i wanted to vote for obama SO BADLY in 2008 but legally could not, i have a special respect for the fact that i can vote for him this year. like, not only am i glad i got to vote, i am glad i voted for OBAMA, ya know?!?!?!

    okay whew also in 2008 i watched the election with my big and my little (yes i was in a sorority, yes that’s a story for another time) and another one of our good friends, and tonight after work i’m gonna go watch it with them again! in 2008 when obama won we ran from our dorm (on 23rd and 3rd) to union square and then took the subway up to times square and rockefeller center and it was madness, just the happiest i have ever seen new york ever ever ever, we took a cab home at like 2am and our cabbie was SO HAPPY, and it was just so wonderful and joyous.

    so basically i’m hoping that by watching coverage with the same people this year, i can insure that we replicate the joy of 2008. it’s like wearing lucky underwear before a big sports game, right? i dunno. i’m excited and happy and nervous and anxious and hopeful and just filled with anticipation…

    so now i’m gonna go to my day job. and work. and obsessively check this thread. and hope and pray and all that good stuff.

    AND THOSE ARE ALL MY FEELINGS!!!!!!!!!!

    • Hey, congrats on your citizenship! Sorry you didn’t get a sticker. I’m in Ohio and ours are really cool. Also, thanks for the ‘Republican Family’ article you wrote over the summer. I too have an awesome little brother who I wish weren’t voting (R) today, so thanks for helping me sort out those feelings. Anyways, yeah, CONGRATS ON YOUR FIRST VOTE! :)

      • THANK YOU! and i’m glad my article about my little brother helped you sort some feelings…it’s a thing i am constantly working on, and it’s always nice to hear other people are dealing with similar issues <3

    • Congrats on your citizenship and first time voting! I always get really excited for people when they get to vote for the first time, especially people who understand how important it is and don’t take it for granted.

  9. I was so excited to vote that I voted a week ago! And I live in Wisconsin- a swing state! We saw Obama and Bruce Springsteen yesterday afternoon (well, I saw a sea of people and Obama on a Jumbotron, but still. It counts.).

    I also got to vote for Tammy Baldwin, who would be the first openly gay Senator if she wins.

    Sad that I didn’t get a photo of my ballot- I wanted to take a picture but I wasn’t sure if that was allowed.

    Tonight I am going to an Election Watch Party to either celebrate with champagne or drown my sorrows with Democracy Bombs.

  10. So are we allowed to take pictures of our ballot then?

    I’m voting in Massachusetts, which is SO not a swing state, but we do have a close Senate race, which is pretty darn important for LGBT and women’s rights on a national level.

    About to go Election-Day canvassing with the Warren campaign and then vote myself! I love Election Day (when I don’t have poll-related anxiety about it)!

    • Voting in Massachusetts, too.

      Voted yes to all 3 proposals. It was interesting I only saw “no” to question 2, picketers.

      • I actually did not know there were 3! Looked at the other one, voting “yes’ on that too!

        I saw a “No on 2” sticker someone put on the T and rolled my eyes.

  11. Also how is everybody voting on the ballot proposals in their states that aren’t marriage-equality related?

    I will be voting YES to both medical marijuana and assisted suicide here in MA.

  12. When I look at my fb I get sad because I keep seeing my “friends” trying to make Romney happen and I’m like “Stop trying to make Romney happen, it’s not going to happen!” Then my friend knew Romney from living in from Mass. she was like,

    “Let me tell you something about Mitt Romney. We were best friends in middle school. I know, right? It’s so embarrassing. I don’t even… Whatever. So then in 8th grade, I started hanging out with the current President Obama who was totally gorgeous but then he moved to DC, and Mitt was like, weirdly jealous of him. Like, if I would blow him off to listen to Obama speak, he’d be like, “Why didn’t you support my idea?” And I’d be like, “Why are you so ignorant of America’s needs?” So then, for my birthday party, which was an all-Democrats pool party, I was like, “Mitt, I can’t invite you, because I think you’re a Republican.” I mean I couldn’t have a Republican at my party. There were going to be Democrats there with their human rights. I mean, right? He was a REPUBLICAN. So then his mom called my mom and started yelling at her, it was so retarded. And then he dropped out of politics because no one would talk to him, and came back in the fall for the presidential election, all of his hair was cut off and he was totally weird, and now I guess he’s trying to make airplane windows roll down.”

    Seriously guys voting it so fetch! DO IT IF YOU CAN!

  13. On the picture of the ballot, I really, really wished it said Gay Party Voting…

    And I voted a solid week ago. Yay for early voting in Colorado!

  14. Whiskey kitten for POTUS!

    Good luck America, the world is watching you with hope today. My friends and I went out to an ‘American’ restaurant and toasted Obama over buffalo wings with cheese mayonnaise since it’s the closet we can get to voting. I might have to break my no-Straddling-at-work rule tomorrow (time difference) because I will seriously need somewhere to discuss all my feels as the votes start to roll in. So many feels. So many nerves, so much hope.

  15. I’m in Edinburgh, UK right now. Voted weeks ago. So excited to party all night long…hopefully out of a desire to celebrate than to forget. Won’t sleep until the results have been called!

    But also, y’all, vote vote vote vote vote. Rachel Maddow would be proud. And you know how much you want Rachel Maddow to be proud of you.

  16. so many #electionfeelings

    i got so stressed last night i made my friends skype me at 1 am so i could go to sleep

  17. I voted at 6AM and now I’m running a huge phone bank for Obama allllll day.

    If anyone out there wants to make some calls into swing states and make sure our supporters get out and vote look up your local OFA office and stop in – they’ll all be going hard until the polls close on the West Coast.

  18. Thinking of you guys over there!
    Election night here starts in roughly four hours, I am both excited and mildly afraid, but until there are any results I’ll eat a bunch of vegetarian hot dogs, wear my camp-bandana and cross my fingers…

  19. I wish I could vote today (curse being too young), but luckily, my parents voted for Obama this morning in Virginia.

  20. Europeans are freaking out just a bit. It’s like watching your overgrown and slightly bumbling kid playing on a seesaw with one end tipping toward solid ground and the other into a dark abyss of snakes and broken beer bottles.

    We just want you guys to be safe and you know, have health care.

    • You are awesome. This is all my feelings, as I sit here in Amsterdam at my desk, hitting refresh like some kind of nut. Have health care, USA. Good luck!

    • I sometimes wish they let other countries vote in our presidential election; it’s not like the choice for POTUS doesn’t affect everyone.

    • I have lots of friends in the UK and all week they’ve been messaging me wishing me luck and stuff. Tomorrow I’ll have all kinds of congratulatory messages. Like I had much to do with all the great things that have happened tonight!

  21. I voted early, but today I’m driving some classmates to the polls, and later going to an election party.
    Louisiana isn’t exactly a swing state, but it would be cool if our parish went blue this year. It’s kind of a toss up.

    Oh and this was my first presidential election I could vote in! So, yay!

  23. I won’t have a chance to vote til tonight, and I’m not in a swing state, so it won’t have as much impact. But I’ve been a nervous wreck all week and I just want to lay down until this is all over. It’s the first election I’ve been old enough to vote in, so I’m super extra excited.

  24. I’m so anxious, guys. Polls opened and I started drinking.

    I’m really thankful I’m in China and it’s an appropriate time to drink. And by the time the election is called it’ll be afternoon (hopefully unless Ohio decides they need a recount and leave us all drunk/ taking far too much Xanax into December).

    Also for those of you who have unfortunate manarchist who insist voting is legitimizing a corrupt system:
    http://marc4marc.tumblr.com/post/35123008735/everyone-i-know-who-doesnt-vote-because-of-an-ideology

    • THAT LINK. SO MUCH. Trans Griot has been making this point on her blog for ages.

      (although ftr I do know one person of color who is voting third-party because she thinks both parties don’t represent POC and LGBT people well, and who lives in a red state – she said she would vote for Obama if she lived in a swing state. but the people NOT VOTING AT ALL because “omg the system is so broken” who I know? all white. and mostly straight and male, too. It’s easy to not give a fuck if it’s not YOUR rights on the line this election.)

  25. Ha the headline on Fox News is “First Votes Cast, Romney Battles On, Obama Goes Home”.

    That doesn’t sound fair and balanced.

      • I ALSO HAVE AN “ELECTION DAY OUTFIT.” if you click through the instagram link on my tweet above, you’ll see it. it’s very patriotic, with a side of lgbt obama love ;)

        • Speaking of outfits, when I was in NOLA over the past weekend I saw some family checking in where their teenage son had a big ROMNEY/RYAN hoodie on.

          I felt a bit sad for the youth until I remembered hey, he can’t vote! I can!

          And maybe by the time he can vote he’ll be thinking more critically and not (I’m assuming, from the fact that he was wearing this with his family) just following what his parents think.

        • But make sure that anyone who has an outfit doesn’t wear anything that could be construed as supporting a particular candidate or party (or covers it up with a jacket when you actually vote)! Just putting that out there.

        • the main requirement for me was to wear floral doc martens. also i love your LGBT for Obama pin!

  27. Voted in VA with my parents this morning, whose votes always cancel each other out. Luckily I was there to tip the scales in favor of socialism and the homosexual agenda!

    Then we went to breakfast at the Corner Deli and the rednecks next to us were having a good ole time accusing one another of voting for Obama:

    Redneck woman: “Anyone you talk to around here didn’t vote for ‘im the first time around.”
    Older, burly redneck: *suspiciously” “Well they said he got 50% of the vote, so outta the two of us, one person musta voted for him.”
    Younger, scrawny redneck: *quickly, boastfully* “Sure as hell wasn’t me!!”
    Rednecks in unison: *laughter*

    I also learned that “Women <3 Romney" is a banner that exists on the Facebook pages of actual human beings, and that they are voting in Virginia. Coupled with the barn-sized Romney signs blanketing the tri-country area (right between central and Northern VA), this election is going to be a serious nail-biter that I will feel personally responsible for as someone without the gall to confront my relatives on what their Romney vote means for me and my queers in a swing state.

    God help us, homosexies.

    • “Well they said he got 50% of the vote, so outta the two of us, one person musta voted for him.”

      yes, because that’s exactly how statistics work. i mean, full disclosure, i don’t actually know how statistics work, but i’m pretty sure that’s not how…

      • Speaking from my expertise of getting a 5 on the AP Statistics exam back in high school, I can definitively confirm for you, Vanessa, that is not how statistics work.

      • LOL my thoughts exactly. i just quietly thanked lesbian jesus for verifying the stereotype of uneducated Romneytrolls before my very eyes. and thx vanessa <3

        • Well, anybody who thinks trickle-down economics work is uneducated. What’s more annoying than the people you mentioned are those who flatter themselves into thinking they’re educated, imo.

          • Too true. Even MORE annoying are those who actually ARE educated, but vote republican anyway (my dad, for example). Beyond my understanding.

    • but also — don’t beat yourself up re: your relatives. you voted, you made your voice heard, you are doing a good job! talking to relatives about politics is HARD SHIT and sometimes it’s just not something we are capable of doing, and that is OKAY. <3

    • This is precisely why, as a Northern Virginian, I feel the rest of Virginia is the bain of my existence.

  28. Guys, please remind everyone to stay in line at the polls. As long as you’re in line when the polling closes, they still have to let you vote.

  30. One of my Republican Facebook friends decided not to vote.

    Is it okay to be happy about this? She’s one of those people who just parrots what her parents say anyway, despite being something like 25 years old.

    • I actually just a conversation with a friend yesterday about how much it annoys me when people don’t vote because I think it’s really important for citizens to exercise their rights and also participate in the systems that govern our country, regardless of how I feel about an individual’s political leanings. However.

      I’m gonna say yes, you can totally be happy about this because I’M JUST SO NERVOUS ABOUT THIS ELECTION AND OBAMA NEEDS TO WIN OMG.

      • I think it’s important to vote, but I also think it’s important to vote informed.

        I think people like my Facebook friend or like some of the women my mom would talk to in our neighborhood who would say things like “well, I don’t know politics, but my husband is SOOOO SMART and so I just vote how he tells me!” are taking their right to vote for granted as much as someone who doesn’t vote, because they aren’t taking it seriously.

        Giving someone an extra vote because you basically vote how they tell you rather than doing your own research? That’s the reason we don’t let kids vote. If you’re a grown adult you need to get over that shit and create your own opinions.

  31. Ah voting feels amazing! My relatives back home in China are super jealous since they had no say at all in deciding who would lead their country for the next 10 years. So happy to be American!

  32. So after being a lurker on autostraddle for the past forever I am overcome with frustration that I am currently 17 and cannot vote, especially since i can’t leave the house without seeing at least a million Romney signs. That being said EVERYONE WHO CAN VOTE, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EQUAL RIGHTS AND RACHEL MADDOW, GO VOTE!!! that is all, feelings rant over

    P.S. everyone who didn’t receive a sticker after voting, i feel your pain and i send you internet hugs

    • I understand your frustration, I was 17 during Bush v Gore and had to watch the fallout in government class. Pretty much solidified my determination to vote in every election no matter what.

      • I was only 10 that year, and even at that age I probably had a better clue of how to pick a president than 90% of the adults in my conservative hometown. Super depressing, man.

  33. Man I almost wish I were voting today instead of having sent in my absentee ballot like 3 weeks ago. I feel like I’m missing out on the Election Day spirit. Oh well, at least I know I’m helping out the Dems in Pennsylvania!

    • Same (except in California)! I voted weeks & weeks ago and was really satisfied with this decision until today & this thread of election feelings.

  35. Any other expats feeling especially homesick today? I voted absentee already (in Illinois, so it doesn’t matter), and now I’m a total wreck of nerves and I just wish I could be surrounded by other people feeling the same way. I can’t take this day. I just want to go home and drink.

    • same. found a way to watch results with other americans and bought a bunch of on-sale beer though so i’m ready

  36. This post is going to consume my whole day!!! And possibly keep me from consuming a ton of Xanax…possibly. Keep it up! Ohio, Obama needs our help!!

    Also, Ali, you are super fast with these updates! Thanks for posting my email :)

    • i’m not going to lie to you, i am having pretty much the best first-election-i’ve-ever-voted-in day ever!

  39. Just voted in MA! Didn’t get a cute sticker or anything, but it’ll be okay once our potus is re-elected! Does this seem like the longest day ever to anyone else, or?

  41. My brother looked up his polling place online to see where to go and it said he wasn’t registered in the system and he started to panic about wrongly being kicked off the lists, but he went to the polling place anyway and there wasn’t a problem! It was just something like a wrong address.

    WHEN IN DOUBT: go to the polling station and try to vote regardless.

  42. i’m just going to refresh this page through class all day until it’s time to uncork the wine at 7pm EST when polls start closing!

    sadly there is no “i voted!” sticker for absentee ballots, but I’ve had an LGBT for Obama sticker on my bag since pride :)

  43. I voted! No exciting proposals in NY, just another vote for Obama. Later I get to go to work at a bar, where we will be watching the returns NO MATTER WHAT.

  44. It is this day every 4 years that I struggle the most with wanting to delete my mouthbreather friends from college. I am reminded that you never throw anyone away because everyone has value, but when d-bag Kenny from Econ class who posts pictures of the girls he hooks-up with so their friends can claim them the next day tries to talk to me about fetus rights…I just become so intolerant.

  46. I DIDN’T GET A STICKER IN INDIANA. Fuck you, Indiana.

    BUT I voted against Richard Mourdock and his rape babies are God’s will stance, so. I feel better.

  47. I woke up in the middle of the night freaking out about the fact that I saw no one celebrating when I got out of work yesterday so I was convinced at 3am this morning that Romney had won. Then I realized yesterday was Monday. What I’m saying is go make sure my nightmares don’t come true. In the meantime, I’ll be baking cookies for my voting friends. Happy voting!

    Also! FYI: “If you or anyone you know in the U.S. encounters ANY problems voting today (November 6, 2012), please call the Civil Rights Division (US Dept. of Justice) Election Day Hotline at 1-800-253-3931. The hotline opens at 6am EST.”

  48. Sweet, my picture made it! I was so happy to vote for Tammy Baldwin in Wisconsin- hopefully the rest of my Wisconsinites will do the same!

  49. I’m so glad this live blog is up. I usually lurk, but my election anxiety >>> my social anxiety today. Even though most of the predictions have Obama winning today, my stomach is still in knots. I’ve already blocked out my evening for drinking, watching Rachel Maddow report election results, and probably stress crying until we’re sure it’s not Romney. (Also, please someone confirm for me that Rachel Maddow will be all over my TV tonight. That’s a thing that I need to be happening.)

    Also, a PSA: If you’re in the Chicago area and haven’t voted yet, check out http://voteforjudges.org/ to get the down low on the 80 bajillion judges up for retention. Some of them really need to be ousted. If you’re not in the Chicago area, please seek out your local version of that site – judges matter!

    • ” I usually lurk, but my election anxiety >>> my social anxiety today.” Ditto; my feelings exactly!

      Thank you for posting that link… I wish I’d found it when I early voted!

      *waves from a fellow Chicagoan lurker that’s waiting for the Maddow*!

      • I was lucky to have friends in the legal profession who’ve been tweeting that link pretty heavily for the past few weeks.

        Man, it’s amazing how much better I feel, just seeing Rachel Maddow’s face on my TV. Hopefully Chicago is in party mode tonight. Fingers crossed.

  50. You guys, my college roommate (who had never met a gay person before me and is a youth pastor in Long Island and basically the best person) just texted me saying, “This Autostraddle reader voted!” and it was really sweet.

  51. My mom wasn’t able to vote this morning due to screw ups in the system with her address. She went online and found out where to go this morning to vote, but when we got there, even though they had her name on the list, they said she couldn’t vote there, but had to vote in another District. She was not on the list in the other District, so she couldn’t vote there either.

    For the record, that would have been one for Obama.
    Luckily, at least there were two from my brother and I.

    • “If you’re turned away at the polling place for any reason, ask to file a provisional ballot, ask for the name of the person who turned you away, and call 866-MYVOTE1.”

      • Oh, we did all that (after they handed her a form to vote in the next election and she promptly flipped.) We also talked to the advocates/lawyers? that were there. Provisional ballot given, but she’s not happy about it.

  53. I’m in Oregon so I dropped off my ballot a few days ago at my local library. I am way nervous about some of the state races here though.

  54. I voted!!! You guys you guys you guys, if you live in California it’s SUPER important that you do your research if you haven’t already and vote today because if Prop 30 doesn’t pass, brokeass grad students such as myself are going to have to pay even MORE thanks to the mid-year fee raises that will happen if it fails.

    • Real talk, this here fellow brokeass grad student approves this message. Grad students in humanities don’t get federal funding, ya’ll.

    • It was doing poorly for a while but now it’s pulled ahead! They’re not calling it yet but Sec of State has it at 51.8% with about 60% of precincts in, I think we’re going to make it!!!

  55. There was a post not long ago pointing out a few same-sex issues to look for in various states, from the marriage initiatives to the Supreme Court judge in Iowa, along with several others. Can somebody point it out to me? I can’t find it after looking all over here!

  56. You guys, if Todd Akin wins in Missouri I will have lost faith in my state and probs all of humanity! There are also some important ballot measures being decided in Missouri. This is all too much to handle! I’m glad this post exists so that I can refresh all day and know that I am not alone in my anxiety about all the things :)

  57. Everyone is adorable and I’m so excitant but also really nerveous and FEELINGS FEELINGS FEELINGS.

  59. not being able to vote in an election that WILL affect my life & future in many ways despite living far far away on another continent is one of the most frustrating things ever aagghhhh

    also to make it worse, i posted a FB status about my frustration and how i hope the guy who won’t tell american ladies that they have no right to their own bodies will win, and my aunt commented to say “well, it can be discussed whether it’s really THEIR bodies we should care about” and i wanted to punch her in the face a little bit even tho we’re family AND THIS IS A REALLY LONG SENTENCE SORRY

    but seriously oh my god please let obama win this fucker

  61. Ahhh I can’t vote because I’m Canadian, but I can wear my lucky underwear to help the voters of America make the right choice and reelect Obama!!

      • Awesome!!! I’m at my campus glued to this post in all of my classes hahah. I kinda want to print off some autostraddle “i voted” stickers but feel like people will ask me questions to which i can only say: no i’m not american but harper is a pathetic lap dog and I’d rather he sit in obamas lap than romney’s.

  62. I definitely checked my ballot like 10 times to make sure I voted for the right person…*cough* Obama *cough*

    Anyway, first time voting! Obviously I was super excited, but was saddened by the lack of stickers…

  63. thanks for putting in the picture of my election sweater!

    smith college campus is fired up about the election today. they are giving away free cake in the campus center – take a piece from the candiate you’re voting for. here’s romney’s cake:

  64. Guys, I haven’t voted yet because of work and I have gone from being totally decided back to not sure because my gay-lady parts (and general human parts) are screaming Obama but my small-business-Texas upbringing is telling me Republican in a nagging sort of way. It doesn’t help that I’m sitting in the office of my dad’s restaurant talking about how shitty business has been the last couple of months and how it is only sort-of, kind-of picked up. Oy. I just keep refreshing this page to help remind me that my rights are more important than, um, anything and that’s why I’m voting for Obama. Three more hours until I can get to the polls.

    • Hey Steph. From a very objective point of view (you know, if i were not gay point of view), i don’t think putting a Republican in the White House will actually put a positive spin on the economy. The economy does not act in an insular manner at all. It might be jolly for Bain and Co. et al with all the tax breaks, but for small-businesses, nothing much besides luck.

      Your rights are more important at the end of the day.

      (If it helps, try to read this in an authoritative voice. If it helps, i did economics+political science back in college..)

  66. I’m so anxious, and the terrible Internet connection my phone/at work is not helping. Somebody bring me a suffragette kitten!!

  67. California voters!

    KCET has this excellent cheat sheet on today’s ballot measures: http://www.kcet.org/news/ballotbrief/ballot-measures/california-propositions-guide-2012-cheat-sheet.html

    It gives the full text and a condensed version, AND names key backers for each. It was especially helpful for understanding conflicting measures 30 vs. 38, and explaining what will happen if they both pass.

    ***

    In 2008, toward the end of the tabulations, I flipped back and forth between MSNBC and Fox News because I figured if Fox News was reporting Obama had won then it was real. I plan on doing the same tonight.

    ***

    SO MANY FEELINGS.

  68. To y’all who’ve voted:

    if you live near a neighborhood with long line ups, why don’t you try persuading your local stores to donate water+snacks and take a bunch of friends with you to distribute it to the likely tired and grumpy would-be voters in the line up? Don’t talk politics, just be friendly. Your good deed of the day!

  69. SO FUCKING ANXIOUS. And secretly glad that I’m not the only anxious person out there?

    It’s interesting to hear folks’ happy 2008 election stories about Obama winning; for me, there was about an hour of super-duper excitement when the election was called for Obama, which was tempered almost immediately by extreme sadness & all kinds of anger & then days of rallies because fellow Californianas (and out-of-state bigots with money!) passed Prop 8.

    Also, California folks: this election has a TON of really, really important state propositions that you should make informed decisions about — if you have not done so already, please, please take the time to do some research into each of the eleventy-billion measures up for vote.

    The League of Women Voters is a great place to start getting to know some of the measures, what they mean, who is funding them, etc: http://ca.lwv.org/ballot-recommendations

    Also, re: Prop 35 — Jezebel has a succinct write-up of reasons to vote no on this measure; it’s not aiming for impartiality like the LVW, but, in my humble opinion, is well reasoned. http://jezebel.com/5957894/trafficking-in-wrongs-why-californians-need-to-vote-no-on-prop-35-and-why-the-rest-of-us-should-care

    Also also, for non-Californian-folks, check for your state’s chapter of the League of Women Voters for their run-downs of your state propositions if you haven’t already.

  71. My minor was political science, and four years ago on election day, i was actually in class with a great professor, and all we did was follow the news online. Back then, i supported Obama for different reasons. Of course, there is the warm fuzzy feeling about “change”, and also the possibility of how having him as president could actually be beneficial for foreign policy etc etc.

    Four years later. Different people have different versions of what really happened, and how he has fared as POTUS. I do care about fiscal policies, in the long run. And maybe even more so, if i were as wealthy as Romney et al.

    Four years later, I’d still put the vote in for Obama. Did he deliver what he promised four years ago? Again, different people have different answers. Even economists disagree on statistical analyses. But four years ago, i did not predict that “the new guy in the white house” would be so vocal about his support for marriage equality. We might be in communities and schools, and even states that are very supportive and open. But there are many many people in the country who are still stuck in 1912. And Biden speaking on trans rights: again, a small gesture but a long awaited move.

    There are many people who might not care about politics, and underestimate how their one vote could signal anything. And there is at least an equal number of people who might actually think about putting Romney and Ryan in the white house (states that are so stubbornly republican it is scary). We have not even discussed how ultra-conservative they are on every single economic and social issue.

    But as a person, as a decent human being, and as someone who is gay and who has important people in my life who are also gay, i really hope every single person who has the right to vote, go out today, bear the excruciating queue, and make their vote count.

    (i will save about 12389131 other words i would write in the shoes of a political science minor because the answer would remain the same.)

  73. I’m sorry guys, but I am officially That Person who wasn’t actually registered to vote, despite my memory of filling out the form when I turned 18 in 2009. I should’ve double checked like a responsible adult. Before anyone skewers me, at least I’m not in a swing state?

    So I wasn’t sure which polling place to go to because my address within my town changed recently and my new address is in a different precinct with a different polling place. I figured I’d go to the polling place for my new address and see what they say, mostly ’cause the polling place for my old precinct is the church I went to as a kid and that’s just awkward. Had to talk to three different people about the situation and finally a woman called and found out I wasn’t even registered, but not before completely misunderstanding everything I told her and making stuff up. For example, she started saying something on the phone about “my husband” – huh? what? huh?

    ANYWAY I filled out the voter registration form again. Next time.

    • Also, the real question is why my town (population: 3 humans and a goat) has more than one polling place.

    • It’s okay. I missed the 2010 midterm election because I’d just moved and had waited too long to change my address. Happens to the best of us.

    • This worries me…are you sure you trust the info you’ve been given? If you can brave your old church see if you’re on the rolls there!

      also, i don’t like that they have voting in a church, wth.

      • I know, right? It’s a catholic church. Bah!

        I emailed my mom and she was like “yes, I swear you signed up!”
        I might head down there after all.

        • No dice. And I found out the voting doesn’t happen inside the church itself, but in the church’s thrift store building next to it, which is still weird considering the 10 Commandment posters and things like that…

          • But you know what? Good on you for going down and double checking! That’s practically as good as voting in a way!

  74. Can I just say that Obamacare let me go back on my mom’s insurance and I really don’t want to go back to shelling out $300/month for my own plan? GO BARACK GO!

  75. I consider this election a personal victory because I: finally grew some ovaries and told my father to back off because I was going to vote for my preferred candidate, voted early and avoided seeing people from high school, and converted my mother to a liberal.

    Here’s hoping we end up on the right side of history when Election Day is over, y’all.

  77. Good news everyone! According to the Huffington Post, the racist “True the Vote” election monitors are getting ousted from a bunch of polling places in Ohio!

    Would post the link, but I’m on my phone.

    The irony is that they claim to be fighting “voter fraud,” and yet the reason they’re getting in trouble? Voter fraud…

  78. Aw yay! Thanks for posting my pic and the link to the California AAPI Voter Guide! I was so pumped to turn in my mail-in ballot in person. But then it was kinda anticlimactic. I don’t know what I was expecting, but yayyy for voting.

  79. having exams, watching football (champions league) and keeping up with this open thread..

    so much anxiety!

  80. I vote by mail each year[1], but I used to sleep with a cute girl who was a poll worker, so I get to take pictures of stickers too: http://images.capelis.dj/random/as/stickers.jpg

    Oh! Also San Francisco people should totally check out the San Francisco League of Pissed Off Voters Guide! It’s at: http://theleaguesf.tumblr.com/post/33451097404/nov2012

    Also remember to read Prop 35 carefully. It screws over sex workers and other vulnerable women instead of protecting them. Which is ironic and entirely disheartening for a measure designed in theory to protect women from human trafficking.

    [1] It always seems odd when there’s a big uproar on election day and I discover so many people that I would have expected to vote already are rushing off to go stand in lines to do it… I’m really thankful California

    • … that was supposed to end “California allows people to vote early and by mail with very little problems.” but apparently I forgot to type that last bit.

  82. VOTING RANT OF VOTING:

    So I can’t vote. Anywhere. Never been able to (asides from a university election which was kinda pointless anyway but YAY voting?). Up until last year I was a Bangladesh citizen living anywhere but Bangladesh, so voting in their elections wasn’t an option for me.

    Last year I became a Malaysian citizen, but there’s a lot of corruption and arcane messed up law stuff about overseas voting and how it’s nearly impossible (see myoverseasvote.org for more backstory) so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to vote for the upcoming yet-to-be-announced general elections. I really want to, though. When I did my citizenship interview the lady asked me “what’s your most important duty as a citizen?”. I hemmed and hawed an answer about being a good community answer. She replied “your most important duty as a citizen is to vote for the ruling party (Barisan National), because they gave you the gift of permanent residency”. I wanted to throw a chair at her.

    I lived through 2 federal elections (And a bunch of local ones) in my 6 years in Australia, which has mandatory preferential voting. In the most recent election my boyfriend at the time wanted my input on who to vote for, because he recognised that people like me (international students, migrants in transition) were being screwed over a zillion ways by every party ever but have no advocacy because we can’t vote. We went through every party on the ballot, about 20+ of them, and sorted our preferences. I think there were two parties I was really happy with: the Australian Democrats, which had the BEST POLICIES EVER but no real clout, and the Australian Sex Party, which later disappointed me a year after with their transphobia (long story). As someone who had spent AGES lobbying the Government (whichever side) to take migrants like us seriously, this was really a big thing for him and I deeply appreciated that. Things are still craptactular for int students/migrants there, in fact they’re getting WORSE in some ways. It doesn’t matter if you’re Labor/Liberal/Green whatever. they’re all fucked.

    I just arrived in the US a few months ago. I’m somewhat annoyed that everywhere else in the world has to care about the US, but you don’t exactly see US pubs having viewing nights for, say, the Australian elections or whatever. But what gets me most annoyed, angry even, are the people that are all “oh I’m not going to vote, it’s pointless, boo”. Fuck if there was a way to transfer your vote to someone who wouldn’t otherwise be able to I would be ALL OVER IT. At least as a voter if you write to your representative or sign a petition or something YOUR VOICE COUNTS. Politicians CARE because you are able to affect their ability to be in power. People like me? We don’t matter. The Government gets to screw us around all day long and we can’t say anything about it because we have no power, no way to protest. The local activists are not protesting on our behalf because sometimes we are a threat to them (e.g. unions in Australia are apparently very anti-immigrant). Locals aren’t affected by us and have been told that we make their life worse (migrants steal university space! jobs! homes! social security! partners! all BS of course but who cares?!) and we’re only here at the mercy of The Powers That Be.

    For the love of God, if you can vote, VOTE. Vote for me if you need a reason to. Vote for people like me, the ones who wish we could say “no taxation without representation” but end up paying the highest taxes and fees. Vote because so many people can’t and we have to suffer the largest burdens. Vote, please vote.

  83. This election has me stressed, and I didn’t plan properly in the even that I have to move out of the country to protect my vagina if Romney is elected.

  84. This post! I will be refreshing all day! Thanks for the mention about prop 35 in CA.

    This election has me so scared you guys.

  86. Watching the results at the pub tonight and taking a shot every time we hear results in Obama’s favor! I love election day

  87. Greetings from Canada, nervous straddlers!

    I also share great anxiety and excitement and an overabundance of restrained feelings. And mostly fears of tears pouring down my face as I await tonight…Mom and I even started crying prematurely yesterday just talking about all the struggles and compromises and good things that Obama’s done in the White House!

    If I could vote I would, so please vote! Do it for the change you want to see the in the world. Mostly do it BECAUSE YOU CAN.

    Cheers,
    Julie

  88. My polling place in Brooklyn was a bit of a clusterfuck this morning at 7am. The wait itself wasn’t too long (an hour and 15 mins from getting in line to casting my ballot) but it was kind of a chaotic mess. But I made it through, and voted!

    Also because my wife is the cutest she’s making us an “all-American” themed dinner tonight – veggie chili dogs, french fries, and collard greens.

    • where in brooklyn were you? i went at 7am in williamsburg and it was way easier than i anticipated — walked right in.

      also you and your wife sound like the cutest and when can we double date?! is this awkward i don’t know.

  90. Wait! Shay Mitchell is Canadian? Crap! I didn’t know that! She should be able to vote in Pennsylvania…

  91. re: the 4:27pm comment – per MHP from this weekend, they are apparently going to color in the states in red/blue as they are called for Romney or Obama

  93. So this year, someone in my neighborhood kept ripping up our LGBT for Obama signs until I left a snarky post it explaining how I donate another $12 or whatever to the president’s campaign every time they destroy a placard. I voted a week ago, then accompanied my partner to vote and mad-dogged the poll worker who asked him several inappropriate questions… after that, both of us shut down. I’m sort of avoiding poll results and think I need a separate open thread composed of hugs and anti-nausea medication.

  94. Also re: Electoral College tie, it’s not very likely:

    Scenario Analysis from FiveThirtyEight puts it at only 0.2% chance. Here are all the chances of things happening:

    Scenario Analysis
    How often the following situations occurred during repeated simulated elections.

    Electoral College tie (269 electoral votes for each candidate) 0.2%
    Recount (one or more decisive states within 0.5 percentage points) 6.4%
    Obama wins popular vote 86.2%
    Romney wins popular vote 13.8%
    Obama wins popular vote but loses electoral college 0.6%
    Romney wins popular vote but loses electoral college 5.3%
    Obama landslide (double-digit popular vote margin) 0.3%
    Romney landslide (double-digit popular vote margin) <0.1%
    Map exactly the same as in 2008 0.1%
    Map exactly the same as in 2004 <0.1%
    Obama loses at least one state he carried in 2008 99.6%
    Obama wins at least one state he failed to carry in 2008 4.2%

    As the image says KEEP CALM AND TRUST NATE SILVER.

    Everyone should watch that CPG Grey video anyway, and his other election-related videos. Or really, all of his videos. He makes you smarter, and that is always awesome!

  95. I think that poll closing time map will be the only time I see my state (Arizona) go any shade of blue.

  96. Ack! My father is the cutest sometimes. All these updates are really making me procrastinate my anxiety about the results. Also also also I definitely cried while voting today guys! Democracy is so cool / I am terrified of other peoples votes.

    • OMG I called my dad this morning and he told me the same thing! He was doing it for his kids and their lives!

    • OMG I called my dad this morning and he told me the same thing! He was voting for Obama for his kids and their lives!

  100. OMG, I texted my mom to make sure my dad voted and found out that my dad got a commendation from some agency for being a more active voter than any of his neighbors

  102. Reading The Miseducation of Cameron Post & this open thread is the only thing keeping me from bursting out of my skin with anxiety.

  103. awww Chris Matthews just joked that Mitt left Christie at the altar :) I sure hope that comes back to haunt him.

  104. I feel proud of my friend who is on exchange in NC

    http://www.dailydot.com/culture/student-gif-romney-possessed/

    Please Please don’t let mittens win guys…

    I think it should be reiterated how the rest of the world is slightly counting on this too, Just because a lot of the policy doesn’t directly affect us doesn’t mean that we a) don’t care about you’re well-being and b) don’t get affected by anything to do with this.

  107. MADDOW IN CHARGE! Nothing finer than that, y’all.

    I am ridiculously proud of my picture in the post! Although I don’t live in sf. But it’s all good.

  108. Watching MSNBC inform me about the Senate races…. anyone feel like there is a Chuck Testa meme joke to be made about Montana’s Democratic Senator Jon Tester?

  109. I think the tumblr posts from non-Americans are evenly split between “If Romney wins you can all come live in my country” and “If Romney wins I’m coming to your country to punch you all”.

  110. States have started coming in!

    Rachel Maddow talking about a “TEENY TINY TOTAL” in terms of which states have been called already made me almost die just now.

  114. I got home from school at 4.30pm, had dinner at 5.30, went to bed at 6, got up at 10.30, and election coverage started here at 11.30 GMT.

    BASICALLY I’m fucking up my sleep schedule on purpose so I can watch this stuff. It’s now just past midnight and WOO C’MON OBAMA I need more coffee

    • ME TOO.

      It’s not fair, you would think that with a 5-8 hour time difference between UK and US, we would get to see some election results in daylight hours, but no, both countries’ results come in around 3am GMT (if you’re lucky). Good job I have cookies to counter the sleep deprivation.

  117. I just got online. Been at school all day. Can anyone quickly tell me how many states we have won thus far?

  118. Voted in Philly with my Dad (it’s his birthday too!) around 3 today. I just wanna say that the old ladies who were working the polls were ADORABLE and so enthusiastic and I loved it. Didn’t get asked for ID, no problems, no lines. I was lucky! And now I’m gonna turn on the cable news coverage after avoiding it all day…FINGERS CROSSED!!!

  120. I love watching Rachel Maddow warn Michiganders about the time we vote and “make sure it’s correct!” when it’s only a tiny sliver of the UP that is on Central Time and the UP as a whole is only about 4% of the population. But Rachel is so awesome, it doesn’t matter if it’s only a small slice of people, she makes sure they know!

  122. Romney just won my hometown of South Carolina. Not surprising but still…I thought the few people who I know back home could make a difference. HA.

  124. Fun fact, courtesy of my cousin:

    “Does anyone else see the irony in the elephant being the symbol of the Republican Party? Elephants live in matriarchal groups where males are excluded except to breed. They’re herbivores and are known to be highly empathetic to other elephants as well as their dead; if one elephant in the group is in trouble, all the other elephants will pitch in to help it out. They also practice collective raising of the young, with young elephants being tended to by all members of the herd.

    You guys, elephants are socialist vegan feminists who support public education.

    It’s also worth mentioning that most elephants are bisexual.”

  125. If presidential candidates were voted upon by how beautiful their wives were…I’m pretty sure Obama would win. I’m still a feminist you guys.

  128. Freaking out right now while watching cnn and msnbc and eating blue jello shots (the red ones are sitting in the fridge are being spurned by the awesome dems in my living room).
    Let it be known that it’s really hard to cut states that have been called, out of a sugar cookie united states while drunk.
    Also, if anyone wants to liven up an election party, I heartily recommend pin the flag on the democratic donkey.

    So nervous for results right now.
    Also, why does nobody give out “I voted stickers?” SO disappointed.

  129. I know I’ve been posting inane comments all day, but I just want to say that this open thread makes me want to be friends with everyone here in real life.
    Can you have that much awesome in one place?

  131. Does anyone know if you can stream the MSNBC broadcast online? I don’t have cable and all I want is to see Rachel Maddow!

    • Also, I’m getting emotional because she was the newbie at the last election and now she’s the best in MSNBC, rocking the election night, is the only woman at that table and is the best of the best.

  134. Switching between the local news and MSNBC – wish the former would shut up about the same Congressional race over and over and tell me about the ballot proposals…

  137. I think the only reason I’m handling this well at all is because I’m winning my party bets on what color ties and suits the pundits are wearing. Distractions = some slight chance of not hyperventilating.

  138. I have a bad feeling about this, guys.

    I have a sinking feeling Romney is going to win.

    I hope I am wrong.

    Come on America prove me wrong.

  140. Damn you MSNBC web coverage! Why isn’t Rachel Maddow on my screen? If the world is going to end I at least want a hot butchy lady to break the news to me.

  141. WHY THE FUCK DID OAKLAND COUNTY IN MICHIGAN GO FOR ROMNEY? seriously. also i was just there and saw mostly obama signs

    • I hate it when they call states when 1% reporting, or when they call the states a minute after the polls close. It’s not like the ballots have actually been counted at that point.

  145. You guys, when would it be appropriate to panic? Cause I’m pretty sure I’ve been doing that in incrementally increasing amounts over the past hour or so…

    • don’t panic! romney is “winning” because more always-red states have been called than always-blue states so far. we still know nothing

    • ME TOO ME TOO

      and I have like every paper and research proposal due in a few days but I can’t concentrate at all knowing the election results are going like this.

    • don’t panic. lets have a group hug.

      this happened in 2008. i was dying. but then i am glad i survived. but i know. it is hard to breathe. try to watch some funny stuff on youtube, may i suggest.

    • WTFlorida is just about right.

      i’m actually trying to get drunk. i am usually not an emotional drunk i fall right to sleep. but i don’t know if i can handle the nightmares of being in limbo.

  148. How many of you are aware of 538? Nate Silver is all that’s keeping me level headed at this time.

  149. You guys, i just want to vote for Tammy Baldwin. If she doesn’t win I’m going to cry and punch babies.

      • Punching babies is sort of my default expression for events that will drive me over the edge to do terrible terrible things out of sheer frustration.

        I don’t know any babies or GOPs so it’s really a moot point, but if you send some GOPs my way I’ll gladly punch them.

    • Ryan = Douche douche douche douche douche douche douche douche Douche douche douche douche douche douche douche douche.

      Sung to the tune of Mario.

  152. AP calls it for Tammy Baldwin. She will be the first openly gay senator to be elected!

    AP calls it for Tammy Baldwin. She will be the first openly gay senator to be elected!

    AP calls it for Tammy Baldwin. She will be the first openly gay senator to be elected!

  155. You’ve got some numbers coming in from Maryland. Yes on Question 6 leads 54-46 with 4% of the vote in.

  156. CNN is playing needlessly dramatic music, but I’m listening to Rachel Maddow on my laptop and she’s making everything better.

  157. MASSACHUSETTS SENATE RACE JUST CALLED FOR ELIZABETH WARREN!

    I think I just scared my neighbors with how loud my cheer was!

  159. Rachel Maddow needs to have 100% on air time. Or at least her own channel where she has reruns for 24 hours a day.

  160. I’ve been having nightmares about Jon Husted and provisional ballots since Saturday. Ohio was a mess today. It was worse than 2004 at the polls.

  162. if obama wins in ohio, someone should send intern grace a card. I will send her a card. keep fighting the good fight!

    • Does anyone think that video of that statement is hilarious like I do? He tries to sound so weepy in it!

  166. caryoln i got home and had three screwdrivers with a LOT of codka and youd have such beautiful hair and i just loev your eyebrows have fun in africa. mabye a have had too much to drink, prolly not

  169. Did anyone else start ugly crying when MSNBC predicted victory for Elizabeth Warren and Tammy Baldwin? Lots of tears here.

    • I am slightly inebriated. But the tears will be certain when I wake up tomorrow.

      It is okay to start ugly crying. (hugs)

  176. AHHHH!!!
    Thank you so much for doing this!! I’m trying to do homework and simultaneously watch EVERY THING on the TV and the internet, but it’s not working well, so this is amazing!

    P.S. I am also hearing “On Wisconsin” in my head! Finally, we’ve done something right!

    • I totally almost posted “on Wisconsin” as my status, even though I’m not from there (but I like their football team).

  178. i’m going to give the same speech elizabeth warren is giving right now on the first night of a-camp may 2013

  179. Holy crap you guys. Florida is killing me. And making me super glad that I know I (and most of my friends, family) voted for Obama here! I cannot tell you how stressful living in this state is!!!

    “Obama 49.7%, Romney 49.5% with 91.5% reporting in Fla.” RE: Politico. AHHHHHHH.

  180. Warren’s win is especially satisfying considering all the Brown signs I saw today. I haven’t seen anything but those signs in my area.

  189. Omg! Guys! We did it! All of us. Every single one of us who went out and cast our vote today and made our voices heard. WE DID THIS!

    I just want to hold all of you to my bosom and cry and sing America the Beautiful.

  198. YES!!!!!! Tears of joy here, can a newbie-poster get a virtual hug? :*)

    Thank you to everyone @ Autostraddle & in the comments for this awesome liveblog tonight!

  199. democratic control of the senate and we get to keep obama and probs more texts from hillary and YOU GUYS WE DID IT.

  202. THANK GOD, YOU GUYS, BECAUSE #AMERICA WON A THING AND WOMEN AND QUEER PEOPLE AND OMIGOD I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU PEOPLE!!!!!!

  205. DYING OMG GUYS YES!!!!!!!!!!!
    PLEASE be right, please be right please be right. Crying right now. PLEASE.
    Woooooooo!!!!!!

  211. Also love how the Paul Ryan pick ended up doing absolutely…. nothing. for Mitt Romney’s chances.

  212. I must say following all of this from North of the border was incredibly stressful, so I can only imagine how you guys are feeling. Thanks Autostraddle for keeping us queer Canadians updated <3

  213. Good stuff that has happened:

    – Todd Akin was defeated
    – Mourdock was defeated
    – Tammy Baldwin is the first gay senator
    – Marriage equality is passing in Maryland and Maine

    Ohio has gone for Obama. OBAMA IS IN.

    Also I’m all for Clinton/Baldwin 2016 please let’s have this be a thig.

  217. I am a Ohioan, AND it is about to be my birthday in 26 minutes!!! I am so proud of Ohio and so excited that I will spend my birthday celebrating!!!! WE DID THIS, GUYS! Four more years!!!!

  218. you know what, this just proves it. from now on no candidate can win without the non-white, non-straight, non-male vote! get with the times jawns

  219. Elizabeth Warren + Hil Clinton 2016.

    Elizabeth Warren + Hil Clinton 2016.

    Elizabeth Warren + Hil Clinton 2016.

    Or is Maddow going to run? A girl can dream.

    GROUP HUG.

  220. The only thing that could make this any better for me, is if I got to make out with Rachel Maddow.

  227. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

    Also, thank you so much AS for this liveblog, it helped me keep my sanity today.

  231. FOLLOW UP ON MY ARTICLE FROM THIS SUMMER RE: MY BROTHER VOTING REPUBLICAN — IT IS WAY EASIER TO KEEP LOVING MY BROTHER WHEN HE VOTES FOR ROMNEY WHEN ROMNEY LOSES.

    JUST AS I SUSPECTED!

  233. OMG!! I wish I was there celebrating with some of you…any of you! I live in a house with really conservatives roommates (which is really awkward since I’m just a littleee queer) and it’s definitely putting a damper on my celebrations :(

    WOOOOOO OBAMA AND BALDWIN AND AMERICA!!!

    P.S.- Happy Birthday Intern Grace! What a great day for a birthday :)

  234. ALSO CAROLYN FROM SOUTH AFRICA: SENDING SO MUCH LOVE! (my parents are south african and i lived there for 3 years and south african straddlers make me happy and you’re a badass for staying up!)

  235. promised myself i would try to get some actual sleep tonight because SCHOOL but i’ve given up on that, i need to see romney concede before i’ll be able to sleep…oh god it’s 6am here, 4 hrs until my lecture starts

  240. Congrats, Maine! We’re still biting our nails here in Washington. The good new is, if gay marriage doesn’t pass here, at least we’ll be able to legally drown our sorrows with weeeeeed:P

  241. WASHINGTON RESULTS WHERE ARE YOU
    i see responses on facebook but i don’t trust them so far.

  242. Colorado means a lot! It means even without Ohio Obama still wins so Romney can just stop whining already.

    I’d also like to mourn a moment for the Collective Bargaining ballot initiative in Michigan.

  248. So far I prefer McCain’s concession speech, what do the rest of you think? His was a lot more sincere; there is so much sour grapes in this.

  250. I’m so happy for you, America! The UK says congratulations!

    And I’m happy for myself at finally watching Rachel Maddow be her awesome self for longer than 3-minute long youtube clips.

  254. Gay marriage and marijuana reform pass here in Washington! WOO!

    It’s amazing how much less I hate life now that I live in WA, compared to when I lived in Idaho and Wyoming.

  255. We had an election party and now it is 7:30am and I haven’t been to bed. Ahahaha. I didn’t need a sleep cycle anyway.

    Well done guys, I can’t believe yous got so many people to look past the short term and make good choices. I legitimately got goosebumps when Obama talked about a future for children of undocumented workers and there was a huge cheer. Think of all the evil that would have been done and now won’t. Think of all the good that will occur. This is a beautiful thing. Congratulations.

  256. So just got home from the democratic party election night shindig, saw Tammy Baldwin speak. Saw Mark Pocan accept his US Congress win with his husband beside him. Cheered with a room full of supporters as Obama won re-election. Celebrated 3 out of 4 wins on marriage equality (last 1 still too close to call). Got interviewed by a Wisconsin newspaper and Channel 13 news. Best. Night. Ever. We did it!

  257. If only I could be 100% happy about all of the good things that happened tonight, like all the victories and Rachel Maddow’s amazingness. Unfortunately there was an openly gay mayoral candidate here in San Diego who I couldn’t vote for due to his assholery, and he might win, and we won’t even know until tomorrow. But, you know. The victories, and Rachel Maddow being so dreamy.

  258. So glad we had a good election day. My only beef is that Kentucky doesn’t look enough like a pixelated chicken leg in the whiteboard map, and that is a tiny beef.

  259. Are you going to do this much in deepth blog posts for the Australian Federal Election in 2013 and 2016? Because you should. There is only seven states and two terriories in Australia instead of 50 in the US.

    • Sorry six states:
      Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania (TAS), Victoria (VIC), New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD)

      Also two territories:
      Northern Territory (NT) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

  260. Part of me wishes I still lived in Maryland (so I could help make same sex marriage legal there).

    So glad America proved me wrong.

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