# 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:** 298
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5950 "2020-11-14T00:57:50Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > There’s going to be a moment - probably soon - when Trump realizes, his time in the White House is nearing its end, and with it, his time as a free man and a really rich man may also be nearing an end as well. He knows this. I know he knows this. You wanna know how I know that he knows this? Because if he actually thought he’d won, he’d never have shut up about it. We’d be seeing tweets a thousand times a day about how wonderful he is and how he’s going to be POTUS _forevfefe_. But he isn’t doing that; he knows he lost. ---
**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 14, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5951 "2020-11-14T00:58:33Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I am too lazy to look it up but I recall a Kansas(?) election where some people felt there were some statistical irregularities and wanted access to the ballots. They were prepared to pay all costs associated with that. Kansas told them to go pound sand. Does Kansas not have observers appointed by each party? – googling this rapidly: yes, they do. There have been cases in which random people with an ax to grind were forbidden access to ballots; but I haven’t seen any cases in which properly appointed people from both/multiple sides were forbidden access. Proper custody of ballots, both during counting and in storage afterwards, is important. > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I don’t know if any states do this, but random spot checks also sound like a good idea. Seems to be pretty common in some form, though I had trouble sorting out from this article how many states are actually doing that. > **[Post-Election Audits](https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/post-election-audits)** > > Summary of state laws on post-election audits, processes that check that voting equipment worked properly and that the election yielded the correct result. ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5952 "2020-11-14T01:04:27Z")
He is eerily silent and when he does speak, he seems somewhat resigned. It’ll be interesting when the little light bulb flickers on in the heads of his sucker fanboys. ---
**Author:** ![yarblek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/71e660/32.png) [@yarblek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yarblek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5953 "2020-11-14T01:07:43Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Somebody asked Gorbachev, in an assembly, why more people didn’t stand up to Stalin. Gorbachev roared back at the room, in his best dictatorial-type voice, “WHO SAID THAT??!” > > The response was dead silence. Gorbachev listened to the crickets for a moment, then nodded and said, normal voice, “Now you know why.” Ooh! I have a story (that may or may not be true). During a speach or rally by Stalin, a spectator started criticising him. Then someone else responded to the tone of _how dare you critize Stalin! Know your place!_ They would _both_ be “disappeared”. It would be absurd to even acknowledge that criticism of Dear Leader exists. Best to pretend it doesn’t, lest bad things may happen. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5954 "2020-11-14T01:17:56Z")
Not Gorbachev, but Kruschev. The version is that this happened after Kruschev gave the [Secret Speech to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Cult_of_Personality_and_Its_Consequences) in 1956. John Rettie was the British journalist who broke the story to the western media, probably with Kruschev’s approval, says this is the version he heard: > [@](#): > > SIMON: I’ve heard a story that somebody sitting in that chamber who heard Khrushchev’s remarks that day had the effrontery, audacity, even courage to shout at Khrushchev, where were you? > > Mr. RETTIE: I have heard that somebody had stood up while Khrushchev was listing the torture systems and the murderings that had gone on and shouted well if he was so bad, why didn’t you get rid of him? And Khrushchev stopped and said, Who said that? And there was silence in the hall. So he repeated himself. Who said that? And there was still silence, and he said, Well, now you understand why we didn’t do anything. > **[Telling the Story of Krushchev's Anti-Stalin Tirade](https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5233399)** > > Fifty years ago, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev gave a startling speech to Communist Party delegates, denouncing his predecessor Josef Stalin. Reuters correspondent John Rettie was the first foreign correspondent to learn of the secret speech. He... ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5955 "2020-11-14T01:19:18Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Not Gorbachev, but Kruschev. Thanks! It makes more sense with Kruschev, actually. ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5956 "2020-11-14T01:23:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > [@DavidNRockies](#): > > > > Focusing on CFSG’s newly white hair … I can’t help but wonder … > > Maybe he wants to look more like Joe Biden. Maybe he wants people to think he IS Joe Biden. That’s all I got. I just assumed they couldn’t restrain him for long enough to slap the goop in his hair. ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5957 "2020-11-14T01:23:37Z")
The fact that Ohio and Florida both stayed red yet the Democrats still passed 300 electoral votes should make the Republicans worry a lot. The electoral map is shrinking for them in order to get to 270. When is the last traditionally blue state that is now solidly red in presidential elections? ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5958 "2020-11-14T01:24:32Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Does Kansas not have observers appointed by each party? This was after the election by a long shot. It was some researchers looking for data. ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5959 "2020-11-14T01:27:46Z")
> [@Boycott](#): > > When is the last traditionally blue state that is now solidly red in presidential elections? Hmmm…I can’t think of any that are solidly red. I will say that Florida has dropped off the Blue-radar a lot more recently. I never figured Trump would win it the second time since it goes back and forth and did go for Barack Obama. Nope, Trump. I think the Republicans can at least somewhat put Flordia in their “leans” pocket for 2024. It used to be a real battleground. Dems will still try big-time for it, but if Trump can take it in 2020, I don’t know what it will take to turn it back to Blue. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5960 "2020-11-14T01:35:04Z")
March for Trump, arranged at short notice. [https://trumpmarch.com/](https://trumpmarch.com/) This is going to be a fiasco. Any guesses as to what will go wrong. I predict an embarrassingly low turnout and multiple arrests. And those that turn up will be banging on the Supreme Court doors, demanding to be heard. (It’s closed on Saturdays) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5961 "2020-11-14T01:38:38Z")
It’s not a march. The buses won’t show up. Again. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5962 "2020-11-14T01:41:34Z")
One thing I have to thank Trump for is that watching him has really helped me learn to suppress my gag response. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5963 "2020-11-14T01:41:42Z")
Low turnout will be blamed on Trump supporters finally practicing responsible social distancing by not showing up. ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5964 "2020-11-14T01:42:59Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Thanks! Thanks from me too. I have a great interest in Russian history, pre and post revolution. Here are a couple of Russian sayings, can’t remember where I heard them In Russia, everything is secret, but nothing is unknown On average, we live pretty well: worse than last year, but definitely better than next year ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5965 "2020-11-14T01:44:57Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > March for Trump, arranged at short notice. > > [https://trumpmarch.com/](https://trumpmarch.com/) > Democrats are scheming to disenfranchise and nullify Republican votes. It’s up to the American people to stop it. Isn’t this what Trump’s been doing with all the court filings? Will he ever stop projecting? ---
**Author:** ![Boycott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boycott/32/6741_2.png) [@Boycott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boycott)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5966 "2020-11-14T01:45:35Z")
The socialism angle seems to have cost Biden dearly in Miami-Dade because he totally collapsed from how Hillary performed there in 2016, whereas mostly everywhere else in the state he improved on. I guess there was some merit to the attacks due to the fact the Obama-Biden administration did open up diplomatic relations with Raul Castro which was protested by the Cuban American community at the time and Trump leant heavily into the radical left tropes. Still even if they keep Florida, the Dems are now firmly ahead of states like Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, New Hampshire which went for George W. Bush before Obama flipped them. Adding Arizona and Georgia to the column is a pretty big deal now. Maybe those two states Biden flipped will be a one-off like Indiana was for Obama in 2008 but if those two states stay blue that’s a massive change to the electoral map. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5967 "2020-11-14T01:46:27Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > > I agree as long as anyone (read all sides) can count the paper ballots. > > I don’t know if any states do this, but random spot checks also sound like a good idea. Order that some random subset of counties or districts have to do a hand recount after the electronic one. Investigate if there’s a discrepancy greater than some very small value. Most counties in Arizona have already completed audits where (1) random batches of mail in ballots are manually counted and compared to machine counts and (2) random hand comparisons of Election Day voting at 2% of precincts (chosen by random drawing). Three small red counties did not do audits because the local Republican leadership did not bother to appoint representatives. ---
**Author:** ![JaneDoe42](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/janedoe42/32/14104_2.png) [@JaneDoe42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneDoe42)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5968 "2020-11-14T02:03:03Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > Three small red counties did not do audits because the local Republican leadership did not bother to appoint representatives. OMG, I fucking love this! ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2020, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618/5969 "2020-11-14T02:04:38Z")
I just learned that Joe Biden has officially won every state in which Steve Miller was Rock’n: I went from Phoenix, Arizona All the way to Tacoma Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A. Northern California Where the girls are warm So I could be with my sweet baby, yeah Keep on rock’n me, baby [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=297) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-day-week-month-s-year-2020-follow-along-thread/924618.md?page=299)