# Election Day \[Week\]\[Month\[s\]\] \[Year\] 2020 follow-along thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 3, 2020, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618 "2020-11-03T05:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 182
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3628 "2020-11-06T17:54:55Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I think the news networks should announce/call the winner of the election at 3AM Eastern so that people wake up to it and perhaps the immediate reaction will be less violent. > > That’s the kind of world we are in right now. I dunno if I can wait that long. 😳 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3629 "2020-11-06T17:55:58Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I hate to even being this up, but putting nothing past the chimp-in-charge and his minions, what happens if Biden is assassinated (or dies for any reason) before the EC vote, or before inauguration? If it were to happen before the electors vote, they would be instructed to vote for Harris as president, and a replacement candidate for vice president. If it happens after the electors have elected Harris as vice-president, she would be sworn in as vice president and then immediately after sworn in as president. She would then nominate a replacement vice president. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3630 "2020-11-06T17:56:08Z")
Re the Senate, if the 2 Dems lose the runoffs, will it be 50-48? How often have Bernie and King to voted with the Dems in the past couple of years? ---
**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, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3631 "2020-11-06T17:56:15Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > **I hate to even being this up** , but putting nothing past the chimp-in-charge and his minions, what happens if Biden is assassinated (or dies for any reason) before the EC vote, or before inauguration? My bold. Then DON’T! 😡 Addressed upthread anyway. > [@nelliebly](#): > > I know this is the political equivalent of my sitting in the back seat incessantly asking, “Are we there yet?” but my nerves are shot now: When do we expect the various state ballot counts to be concluded, or at least far enough along to be called by at least some credible media outlets? Me, too. Can DJT still pull it out of the fire? Somebody hold my hand!! 😱 ---
**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, 2020, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3632 "2020-11-06T17:58:02Z")
I suppose the PA legislature could say screw the voters we’re going to substitute our own electors. But I don’t think they would. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3633 "2020-11-06T18:00:35Z")
Lindsay Graham is saying that he [will be fair](https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/06/graham-biden-deserves-a-cabinet-434712) with regard to Senate confirmation of Biden’s cabinet, which is strange because cabinet positions no longer require Senate confirmation. Did Republicans forget the precedents that they set the past four years? ---
**Author:** ![tingbudong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tingbudong/32/520_2.png) [@tingbudong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tingbudong)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3634 "2020-11-06T18:01:39Z")
It goes without saying they will conveniently forget everything about the past four years. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3635 "2020-11-06T18:02:00Z")
The 50/48 is counting the two independents. Without them, it would be 50/46/2. A lot of the issue isn’t even the individual votes – it’s who gets to control the discussion. Majority leader decides what gets brought to the floor. The independents caucus with the Democrats and are considered part of them for purposes of deciding who’s the majority. I don’t think either of them is considered remotely likely to switch; though herding 50 votes on any particular issue may be interesting, not only because of the I’s, but because of differences among the Democrats. [eta correct 60 to 50] ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3636 "2020-11-06T18:02:04Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > Lindsay Graham is saying that he [will be fair](https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/06/graham-biden-deserves-a-cabinet-434712) with regard to Senate confirmation of Biden’s cabinet, which is strange because cabinet positions no longer require Senate confirmation. Did Republicans forget the precedents that they set the past four years? There’s nothing strange about what he says because he is a liar and his words mean nothing. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3637 "2020-11-06T18:02:58Z")
The Senate is currently 50 R, 48 D (assuming Alaska remains R). If the Democrats win both Georgia runoffs, it would be 50-50, but the Democrats would be considered the majority because (a) the 2 independents “caucus with” the Democrats for majority-counting purposes and (b) VP Harris breaks the tie. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3638 "2020-11-06T18:08:21Z")
Wonder if there are any not-insane R Senators from states w/ D Governors, who might be well suited to a cabinet post or somesuch… ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3639 "2020-11-06T18:09:05Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > (assuming Alaska remains R). According to the Democrat nominated Independent running in Alaska, you shouldn’t count him out yet. That could put the senate at 50/50 with just one GA race going our way. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3640 "2020-11-06T18:09:12Z")
I think Susan Collins should be rewarded for all of her “concern”. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3641 "2020-11-06T18:10:12Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > So for the downer post - the Blue Wall at this point is kinda a faded blue, waist-high picket fence with a few slats missing. Yeah, the old Solid South is showing holes as well, but what these last couple of elections have shown is that the old playbook if not dead, at least needs some serious amending. Biden is taking WI with ~20,000 votes. That’s not solid - it’s a clingfilm barrier at best. That’s why the next four years of President Biden (God willing) need to be a strong campaign in those states. Yes, there will be a LOT of work just undoing everything Trump has fucked up, but he needs to _really_ make a point of doing good things for the people in those states. He, and his surrogates, need to be Santa Claus for the people in the Blue Wall states if they’re going to rebuild that wall. ---
**Author:** ![Wrenching\_Spanners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecb155/32.png) [@Wrenching\_Spanners](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wrenching_Spanners)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3642 "2020-11-06T18:12:20Z")
If you take Ford out of it, since his failed election campaign, there were six chances for the incumbent not to be re-elected:1980, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2004, and 2012. Two out of those six elections resulted in the incumbent losing. Do you really believe that rolling either a 1 or a 2 on a six-sided die is very rare? ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3643 "2020-11-06T18:12:40Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > A lot of the issue isn’t even the individual votes – it’s who gets to control the discussion. Majority leader decides what gets brought to the floor. This point can’t be stressed enough. There’s some early hopeful talk that a Susan Collins or Lisa Murkowski, or maybe even another Republican or two up in 2022 in a purple state, might be willing to work with Democrats in the Senate to advance Biden’s nominees and maybe even some bipartisan legislation. But the truth is that these Senator will only cast one voter that matters this session – who to name as Majority Leader. And they’ll all vote for McConnell. And then he’ll decide if, when and how Biden’s nominees will come up for a vote. He’ll decide if legislation makes it to the floor, and what amendments will be allowed to be offered. Collins will be free to wail about the incivility of it all, but she’ll have no say in the matter at that point. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3644 "2020-11-06T18:13:13Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I dunno if I can wait that long. 😳 Rush Limbaugh just called the election, apparently. 538 was reporting it. I mean…is Limbaugh admits it is over…it’s time. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3645 "2020-11-06T18:14:41Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Wonder if there are any not-insane R Senators from states w/ D Governors, who might be well suited to a cabinet post or somesuch… Why would Mitch McConnell allow a vote on a nomination that would remove him as Majority Leader? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3646 "2020-11-06T18:18:04Z")
Senators can override the Majority Leader with a majority vote. If, for some reason, they wanted to be rid of McConnell they could force the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/3647 "2020-11-06T18:21:15Z")
Barring some big surprise in the votes coming in that absolutely no one expects the race is essentially over and everyone knows it. But the media needs to appear to be careful so they are leaving it open (and it probably gets the media more viewers). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=181) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=183)