# 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:** 7
**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, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/122 "2018-11-06T22:40:33Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > 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. I can see that. I smiled at the lady who gave me one, and put it on the inside of the sun visor. I voted in North Little Rock, AR. Few people were there at 3:45. I was surprised at the positions that had only a Republican and Libertarian candidate. The elderly woman who checked my registration kept the book almost closed so that I couldn’t peek, demanded my ID, and asked me name, address and date of birth. Perhaps she thought she was supposed to be accurate, but it took a while as she fumbled through the pages. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/123 "2018-11-06T22:47:38Z")
This is my Election Day shirt: [![](https://6dollarshirts.com/image/cache//data/designs/vote_candidate/votecandidate-white-750x750.jpg) ](https://6dollarshirts.com/image/cache//data/designs/vote_candidate/votecandidate-white-750x750.jpg) I’ve got this one waiting for 2020: [![](https://6dollarshirts.com/image/cache//data/designs/prestonlogan2020/prestonlogan2020-white-750x750.jpg) ](https://6dollarshirts.com/image/cache//data/designs/prestonlogan2020/prestonlogan2020-white-750x750.jpg) ---
**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, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/124 "2018-11-06T22:51:41Z")
Interesting exit polls coming out now. Among Democrats, health care was easily the top issue, but for Republicans it’s immigration at 2:1 over health care. But independents also rate health care first with immigration a distant 3rd. So it looks like independents are breaking for the Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/125 "2018-11-06T22:56:42Z")
I voted around 4:30 PM. Voter #876. 5 min, 8 seconds from the time I locked up my bicycle\* until I returned to my bike. - The polling place is about 2 blocks away ~0.7 miles round trip. Brian ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/126 "2018-11-06T23:04:12Z")
I am happy to report that after well over a decade of stickerless voting by mail, my mail-in ballot contained a sticker this year. At last! I think I’m going to stay a registered Republican so I can tell every campaign who calls to ask for my vote that I’m not voting for another Republican until Trump has been dead for a decade and there’s video of the candidate personally spitting on his grave. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/127 "2018-11-06T23:10:29Z")
_sigh_ I didn’t get a sticker with my mail-in ballot… ☹ On the lighter side, while we’re all waiting for results, I give you: [Weird polling places!](https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/gabrielsanchez/weird-polling-places-midterms) Me, I’m not expecting much in the way of results until 9-10pm US Eastern. That’s okay for me, as that’ll be about 1-2pm my time. No more staying up late for results! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/128 "2018-11-06T23:15:15Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Theoretically possible, but I can’t think of an example. > > Trump vs. Cruz in the primary perhaps. I was thinking about registering as a Republican to vote against them in the primary, but when it came around those were pretty much the only ones left, and I certainly wasn’t going to vote for the most unelectable because who knows who will be electable. But I certainly would have preferred Jeb to either of the above. ---
**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, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/129 "2018-11-06T23:18:58Z")
My mom (an Ohioan who’s proud to call herself a hippie) crossed over in the primary to vote for Kasich, so as to do everything she could to stop Trump. I considered doing so, too. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/130 "2018-11-06T23:26:33Z")
[One very early return.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/live-updates/midterms/midterm-election-updates/guam-lou-leon-guerrero-elected-territorys-first-female-governor/?utm_term=.77a7f958b59c) Guam has just elected its first female governor, a Democrat named Lou Leon Guerrero, with 50.7% of the vote. Her opponent, incumbent Republican Lt. Gov. Ray Tenorio, received 26.4%. Still an unofficial tally, by the way. For comparison, the Republican running mates Eddie B. Calvo and Ray Tenorio won in 2014 with 63.91% of the vote. ([From here.)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guamanian_gubernatorial_election,_2014) ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/131 "2018-11-06T23:33:08Z")
Voted at 11 AM in Valley Village, CA (LA County). Waited 2 mins for open ballot booth. Went all dem except for treasurer. Got sticker-- round, not oval, this year! So now we wait for some bigger results. I hope we can get an idea of the eastern states around 7:00 pm local time. And the biggest issue of all waits… If we all didn’t vote YES to stay on DST, then this election was a waste! 😃 ---
**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, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/132 "2018-11-06T23:33:55Z")
It looks like first-time voting youngsters in this mid-term election has increased by _ **16%** _. That… is a tsunami. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/133 "2018-11-06T23:39:21Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > It looks like first-time voting youngsters in this mid-term election has increased by _ **16%** _. > > That… is a tsunami. That doesn’t seem like a lot to me. You mean 16% or 16 percentage points? The former is a minor uptick. The latter is what you’d call a tsunami. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/134 "2018-11-06T23:41:18Z")
> [@Celidin](#): > > PS - I voted straight Dem. But not brainlessly as suggested in the Pit, with full knowledge and foresight. Ironically, the only time I’ve voted for a Republican it was brainlessly - I voted for Charles Bronson for Ag Commissioner because I assumed he’d kick my ass if I didn’t 🙂 different guy of course ---
**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, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/135 "2018-11-06T23:41:58Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That doesn’t seem like a lot to me. You mean 16% or 16 percentage points? The former is a minor uptick. The latter is what you’d call a tsunami. I’m not sure. It was something broadcast. If they re-report the statistic, I’ll pay attention to that. The broadcasters did seem to think it was significant. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/136 "2018-11-06T23:48:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …You mean 16% or 16 percentage points? The former is a minor uptick. The latter is what you’d call a tsunami. What is the difference between these two things? ETA: Explanation here: [https://www.reed.edu/academic\_support/pdfs/qskills/percent.pdf](https://www.reed.edu/academic_support/pdfs/qskills/percent.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/137 "2018-11-06T23:49:57Z")
Okay, the wine’s in the fridge, ready to go. Anyhow, my final thoughts before the results get tallied: What I expect: - Dems re-take House by 1-5 seats - Repubs gain 1-2 seats in Senate - Dems and Repubs split key governors races (Gillum takes FL, Kemp takes GA) A great night would be: - Dems re-take House by 5-10 seats or more - Dems shock Repubs and get a tie in Senate - Dems dominate Repubs in governors races A nightmare would be Republicans keeping the House, gaining in the Senate, and keeping their dominance at the state level. ---
**Author:** ![Melcalc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melcalc/32/468_2.png) [@Melcalc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melcalc)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/138 "2018-11-06T23:53:25Z")
In a minor bit of (possibly amusing) news, Brian Kemp is having a bit of trouble using the ballot system he oversees. > [@](#): > > When Kemp, who oversees elections in the state, tried to place his ballot in the scanner his voter card said “invalid” and he had to get another card, according to WSB-TV, an ABC-affiliated TV station in Atlanta. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/139 "2018-11-07T00:06:22Z")
I posted some of this in one of the other election threads that was posted before this one. I went in at about 10AM. It was about a 10-15 minute walk in the rain, I am in a urban area and no one drives for stuff like this and there’s no parking near the polling place anyway. The place was bustling, like I’ve hardly ever seen. No real lines to speak of, you go into the high school gym and find the table for your election district (there’s one for every unique combination of federal, state and local districts, some are much larger than others), sign in and get your ballot. There were 3-4 people ahead of me at sign in. Then you go to a privacy station and mark your ballot - they had about 40 of them and there were only 3 vacant ones when I marked my ballot. Then you stand in line to scan it, but there were 5 scanners so the line moved fast - and it looked like they also had a Spanish language scanner with a separate line. I was glad to see as many people as I did, especially given the hard rainfall. Luckily it cleared up some in the afternoon, I hope more people came out. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/140 "2018-11-07T00:09:07Z")
\*extends hand and wishes your side all good fortune. However, I’m sure that increased snark, warnings, and suspensions will begin in about an hour. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2018, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/141 "2018-11-07T00:12:05Z")
BTW, from my observations, turnout here was HUGE. Lines at my precinct, lines everywhere. That’s usually not good for the GOP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=8)