# 2018 Election Day Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079 "2018-11-06T15:43:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/102 "2018-11-06T21:22:42Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > So what do you do if you feel both of your choices are equally morally corrupt? . Theoretically possible, but I can’t think of an example. Trump vs. Cruz in the primary perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![EscAlaMike](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/escalamike/32/4177_2.png) [@EscAlaMike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EscAlaMike)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/103 "2018-11-06T21:26:34Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That would be pretty damn hard to pull off, both of them being equally corrupt In my experience, it’s not usually a matter of degrees of evil, but _types_ of evil; and it’s hard to determine which is preferable. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/104 "2018-11-06T21:26:58Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I find the strong opposition to the stickers on the part of some people here a bit shocking. In many countries of the world, where being able to vote is not something a person can take for granted, the inked finger that indicates you’ve already voted that day is a mark of pride, showing that you got to exercise this basic right. I see no reason that we shouldn’t be just as proud of the fact that we got to exercise that right. > > Of course, in such countries, voter participation often leaves our own anemic efforts in the dust. :mad: I don’t even wear shirts with designs on them. I will support things verbally, but I refuse to support them with imagery, because a shirt/sticker can’t explain my reasons for doing what I do or liking what I like. That said, I doubly dislike vote stickers, because they strike me as a potential method to identify and target non-voters for criticism. And while you might think that non-voters _deserve_ criticism, I dislike peer pressure as a motivation even for a good cause. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/105 "2018-11-06T21:30:50Z")
This Dem guy is putting out exit poll results on twitter [https://twitter.com/mikehtrujillo](https://twitter.com/mikehtrujillo) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/106 "2018-11-06T21:35:35Z")
Voted at 10am at my blue precinct in Michigan. I had to wait over 1/2 hour, longer than I have for any election ever. I’m reading the tea leaves and predicting a bluenami. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/107 "2018-11-06T21:38:18Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That would be pretty damn hard to pull off, both of them being equally corrupt-I would suspect in that case that either someone is just looking for an excuse not to vote, or they are looking to promote a third candidate whose only attribute is that she/he is not those other candidates. Too late to edit: The third reason is because you support one of the candidates, and convincing people not to vote works in that candidate’s favor. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/108 "2018-11-06T21:53:00Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Theoretically possible, but I can’t think of an example. > > Trump vs. Cruz in the primary perhaps. In Republican primaries it happens all the time. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/109 "2018-11-06T21:55:31Z")
[They can take away our door hangers…but they can never take away…our freedom!](https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/election-day-2018/h_0b229ea692d17fb4099bfc5389a41cb4) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/110 "2018-11-06T21:56:34Z")
I just do not understand the confusion and chaos with voting machines. Our voting machines here are pieces of paper and Sharpies. Works great. Not everything needs a machine. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/111 "2018-11-06T22:00:10Z")
This is the time when all the pundits begin to sound like John Madden… “Well, to be honest Jane, it all depends upon turnout.” “The secret to getting elected is getting the most votes, that’s all there is to it.” “Candidate X put his best effort into it. Candidate Y put his best effort into it. This is why we hold the elections!” “I talked to Beto the other day and he told me his strategy was to get more voters in the booth than Cruz. And, really Pat, that’s the true secret to this competition. That’s why Beto’s a genius!” ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/112 "2018-11-06T22:03:45Z")
MSNBC is getting ready to talk exit polls. Might could be the first indicator of how things will go tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/113 "2018-11-06T22:12:12Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That would be pretty damn hard to pull off, both of them being equally corrupt-I would suspect in that case that either someone is just looking for an excuse not to vote, or they are looking to promote a third candidate whose only attribute is that she/he is not those other candidates. SHRUG, most thought that the position we find ourselves in would be pretty damn hard to pull off. I’m not to satisfied by it would be damned hard to pull off anymore. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/114 "2018-11-06T22:12:34Z")
> [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](#): > > So what do you do if you feel both of your choices are equally morally corrupt? Then by voting you are legitimizing a corrupt administration that you did not want? How important is legitimizing the election if there literally isn’t a better choice? It would seem better to not vote so you can show your disapproval to both choices and disgust with the process. > > See, this is another reason I can’t say it’s a moral duty to vote. In this example, I’d say it would be more immoral to vote than to abstain. No one is restricted to only the candidates on the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/115 "2018-11-06T22:14:04Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Too late to edit: The third reason is because you support one of the candidates, and convincing people not to vote works in that candidate’s favor. I’m lost. What is this referring to? Trying to post from work and based on this and your past post I’m not getting what this is referring to. I’m talking about a case where you specifically do not support either candidate. I’m not sure you’re morally required to. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/116 "2018-11-06T22:15:35Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > No one is restricted to only the candidates on the ballot. True, but I guess I never thought waiting in line to vote for Snoopy would be a productive solution but I can actually see how that is a valid option as well. Still, not mandatory surely. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/117 "2018-11-06T22:25:42Z")
Heck, if completing the tutorial in a video game can be considered an achievement, then so can voting. And I’ll wear my badge of that achievement with pride. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/118 "2018-11-06T22:26:30Z")
[Here’s a map of poll closing times across the country](https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1059544577399500805). All times below are EST. 7pm is when things get interesting: polls close in FL, GA, VA, and IN, where assorted House and Senate seats, and a couple of governorships, are on the line. (Plus a few other states where little change is expected.) At 7:30pm, polls close in OH, WV, and NC. By 8pm, polls will have closed everywhere east of the Mississippi except NY and WI, plus MO, OK, and most of TX, KS, and SD. By 9pm. voting will be over in the six Great Plains states and everything further east, plus AZ, NM, CO, and WY. NV closes at 10pm, and the West Coast states close at 11. Look at the map for anything else. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/119 "2018-11-06T22:31:31Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > This Dem guy is putting out exit poll results on twitter > > [https://twitter.com/mikehtrujillo](https://twitter.com/mikehtrujillo) Has there been a time when early exits have been reliable? I remember in 2016, there were early results from FL that made a bunch of people think it would go Dem. I remember the early exits in 2004 had a bunch of us (because that year, I was one of them, but never since!) thinking that Kerry was going to win after all - even the betting markets were fooled for a couple of hours. When they start projecting winners after the polls have closed, that’ll generally be accurate. But I wouldn’t believe jack shit before they close. ---
**Author:** ![Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@Disgruntled\_Penguin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disgruntled_Penguin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/120 "2018-11-06T22:34:48Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Theoretically possible, but I can’t think of an example. > > Trump vs. Cruz in the primary perhaps. I’m not strictly discussing America here. I don’t have any examples but my knowledge of the history of every countries elections to see if they’d qualify but I find it hard to believe it has never happened and even more that no voter in history has ever felt it was which caused him not to vote which is really what I’m getting at. Moral imperatives are not country specific after all. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/121 "2018-11-06T22:35:30Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > MSNBC is getting ready to talk exit polls. Might could be the first indicator of how things will go tonight. A likeable uneducated guy who was the security guard at the library where I worked remarked to me about an election, “I wanted to vote for your man, CP, but he wasn’t going to win, and I wanted to back the winner!” I imagine he voted for Trump in the last election. That mentality is one of the reasons that I don’t believe election results should be released until after the election. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=7)