I feel much more relaxed now that I’ve voted. Also not paying so much attention to what’s going on in the news. It’s pretty nice.
Another really cool thing: THERE WERE DEMOCRATS ON THE BALLOT. I mean, there were still a few uncontested Republican-only elections (and there were some local non-partisan-only elections for which one actually had to research the candidates), but there was a democratic congressional candidate and for the first time in my memory, multiple democratic candidates for other elected offices.
The most demoralizing thing is going to vote (for example, in a non-presidential year) and having to decide between the fake libertarian* and the tea party republican for any contested election. Occasionally with a green party candidate thrown in as a third option. This is (at least partly) why turnout is low. And with turnout low, the democratic party doesn’t even bother. But it should bother, because when voting is demoralizing democrats will not turn out, and that’s bad for the state and for the country. Even if the democratic candidate isn’t going to win this time, being able to vote for him or her provides hope and a reason to go vote which means that someday in the future democrats may start winning again. That’s the hope.
I still feel like I should be doing more. I’m probably not going to volunteer in the short time remaining. But I did throw some money towards contested house/senate races.**
*a fake libertarian is a social conservative/tea party republican by another name.
**What are some good candidates to throw money to, you ask? According to the Sam Wang website, Cortez Masto in Nevada, Hassan in New Hampshire, Kander in Missouri, Ross in North Carolina, and McGinty in Pennsylvania are all in close races. YMMV for best use of donation dollars depending on how awful you believe the Republican candidate to be (IMO, a Republican that supports gun control and isn’t going to try to destroy the supreme court isn’t as bad as one who works for the NRA and agrees on filibustering all nominees for the next four years). I will note that Ross’s opponent in NC just suggested assassinating HRC, so Ross definitely got some of my $$.
If you’ve voted, how did you feel after voting? (If you haven’t voted yet, are you feeling anxious?) Which contested elections do you think are worth donating to? How happy will you be when this whole thing is over?
Grumpy Rumblings (of the formerly untenured) 
November 2, 2016 at 4:27 am
Boy, you do live in a horrible place. We at least have Democrats on the ballot. I have voted, and while it choked me up a little to finally vote for a woman for President, I am a wreck. What will we do if that horrible, horrible man is elected? I keep getting calls to volunteer but I’m not because I can’t be nice. I am sending dribs and drabs of money as I can to Hillary and to Patrick Murphy.
November 2, 2016 at 4:53 am
I haven’t voted yet…..I plan to wait until Election Day. Not sure why I’ve never voted early??
I live in Massachusetts so things generally sound a bit different here…tho I’ve heard curt schilling is going to challenge Elizabeth Warren in a couple of years (go Liz).
I am suddenly very anxious about next Tuesday. I had allowed myself to feel safe in Hillary coming through and then this damn internet!! I’ve read the wrong blogs, comments and poll results and well…….I’m scared again. Very scared.
November 2, 2016 at 5:12 am
Maybe if you vote today you’ll feel better?
November 5, 2016 at 8:36 am
Unfortunately this is some of the “garbage” I can’t seem to look away from. Also in my area of Mass which is pretty liberal, there are many trump supporters that wear their support loud and proud. Ugh!
I’ve decided to donate a little bit more money to Hillary. She just has to win!
“Trump 2016. I think people are judging Trump based on his words/character and not his actions. Many people around the world are rooting for Trump and some of them not for the right reasons. I was in China recently and people sit in bars and watch all the twists and turns of the election. It is highly entertaining to them. They are kind of maliciously hoping Trump destroys our ‘democracy’ and that we would devolve into bloody Civil War. The gov’t propaganda machine puts out all these statements on democracy being at the end of its lifespan and that their system is better.
“However, I know at least half of American can see Trump is a highly educated/intelligent person with the discipline and restraint to run this country effectively. He can be ruthless when necessary which is a good thing when ISIS is running the world. For instance, his suggestion to go after the family and children of terrorists would motivated family members to speak up when their son start making bombs. I also think political correctness is destroying us. Every day black people changes the acceptable name for which they should be called – not black, negro, or coloured. What is wrong with those words? But the rappers called themselves nigga all day long. I am sick of the black thugs, the Mexicans drug gangs and those feminist women who cries foul if you even accidentally touch them in an elevator. And the Bible says a man should be the head, not a woman. Hillary needs to stand down and remove herself from race.”
Just so, so gross…..sorry to post this on your blog. I just seem to witness folks who are smart and educated that are choosing him.
Blah
November 5, 2016 at 6:36 pm
:(
Bigots suck.
November 2, 2016 at 6:10 am
I voted by mail and very briefly felt better, but now can’t wait to fly out of the country on Saturday so I don’t have to be be here when TSHTF next week. My upset stomach tells me it’s likely not going to be pretty no matter who wins. Also, I am getting increasingly worried about FL amendment 1 passing. =(
November 2, 2016 at 6:20 am
That amendment looks major confusing. I assume it’s this part “residents who do not produce solar energy can abstain from subsidizing its production” that’s the kicker?
November 2, 2016 at 6:47 am
That’s the big part, but it also seems to set in the constitution a ban on solar leasing, which is a huge reason why FL is lagging so far behind in solar production compared to other states that aren’t called “The Sunshine State”.
November 2, 2016 at 6:49 am
huh, interesting
November 2, 2016 at 6:50 am
Also I knew the amendment wasn’t great, but this audio published by the Miami Herald turned my stomach when it came out. It’s terrible.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/election/article109017387.html
November 2, 2016 at 6:54 am
wow
you should post about that!
November 2, 2016 at 8:01 am
Voted in CA last week by mail. Still extreme high anxiety. We actually had two democrats to choose between for Senator in Congress. Weird. Also 17 state propositions to sift through and understand.
I am scared that the one I don’t want for President will be the one whose supporters turn out and that third party voters staging ‘protest votes’ will create another BREXIT mess. I am reminding myself that this is ‘situational anxiety and not a need for chemistry’ … The hatred exposed and encouraged in the past 18+ months is appalling.
Breathing in and out and repeating.
Thank you for posting so regularly; it helps.
November 2, 2016 at 8:14 am
Maybe volunteering or sending money to the democrat in a close downstream race (in another state if necessary) will help?
Or take some time off from the internet! (Depends on your personality. :) )
Right now I’m more focused on how we’re going to elect the First Woman President and remembering all the warm fuzzies when she accepted the nomination at the convention.
The hatred really is appalling. There’s a lot of stuff that’s coming out in the open that had been hidden. But it’s also coming out because it’s the last ditch efforts before losing. It’s just too bad that the path towards progress and equality is never smooth. 1964 brought the great society and huge strides forward for equality. That’s where we are right now. There’s still a long way to go. And we need to work in whatever way we can to help progress go forward.
November 2, 2016 at 9:47 am
I voted basically as soon as I could — not literally the first minute, but the first morning. And while there was zero risk of me changing my mind on, well, anything (OK, not strictly true I suppose, but close), I realized reading/hearing the news has been causing me stress and I stopped. Admittedly only for 2 days, so far, but it feels nice to know that I can tune it out. The election will come, the races will be decided, I care deeply about the outcomes but I cannot control them, at least not by listening to the news (I did go Sunday and volunteer via the NAACP website to drive people to the polls, we’ll see if I get contacted — not so far). I haven’t (yet) decided what to do about watching the results, either for myself or my DS … will certainly respect his interest in doing so if expressed, but not sure how late I’ll let him stay up. I’ll probably be guided there somewhat by his opinion, as, like many of us, his sense (I think) is that there’s a lot at stake. DS has election day off from school, so there’s the question of what to do with him then, also. He can stay home with DH, but I’m thinking of taking the afternoon off work and going to do something fun (this assumes I’m not driving people to the polls, obviously that would take precedence).
Yes, to what you note above the in the last paragraph of your reply to Sally’s comment.
November 2, 2016 at 10:02 am
Voted in FL. Contributing to the Stephanie Murphy campaign to oust John Mica would be a worthwhile donation. He’s not favored to win by much, and it might even go her way.
November 2, 2016 at 10:21 pm
Voted last Saturday. Still anxious – in fact, more, now – but that is also my natural state, so not too surprised. Still, I’ll be happy to get through the next week plus. I don’t, for an instant, think it’ll be over after the election, but maybe things will improve, at least.
Also: going to contribute to Ross right now – ok, just did. There needs to be consequences for that sort of speech. Thanks for the link!
November 3, 2016 at 1:03 am
PiC and I knocked ourselves out trying to read through all the propositions but between extra long work days and chasing the baby on the weekends, I feel like at this point I need to just vote on the ones we’ve figured out and get it over with.
I don’t know what level of informed-ness I was trying for but I doubt I’ll ever get there.
November 3, 2016 at 5:44 am
This is an ask the grumpiest really, but what do you think about compulsory voting but not enrolment (as we have in Australia ) or compulsory enrolment (but not voting) as they have in New Zealand. I think around 92% of eligible voters voted in the last elections here in Australia. The fine for not voting is only $20
November 3, 2016 at 9:50 am
Forcing someone to vote who has no clue doesn’t do anyone any favors. Automatic registration of voters is probably a good idea. Compulsory without automatic registration probably is not.
November 3, 2016 at 10:27 am
I voted yesterday. Or actually, I voted Tuesday night, and dropped my mail ballot off at a drop off point yesterday. Then I went for a nice walk on the beach. I think I’ll send some money to Hassan in New Hampshire, because one of the gun regulation groups I support is trying to make an example of Ayotte, and I’m all for that. I’ve already donated to GOTV efforts in North Carolina, and to a Latinx GOTV effort with an eye on helping Nevada and maybe also Arizona.
And I think I may just start tuning out the polls and the coverage until Tuesday night. One of the advantages of being on the West coast is that there is a decent chance I can actually stay awake and see this thing decided.
November 3, 2016 at 10:39 am
Ayotte deserves to be made an example of. Voting against her state’s interests because of NRA money. Despicable.
November 3, 2016 at 6:02 pm
One of my friends just IM’d to say she donated to Hassan. I’m gonna do that right now too.
November 3, 2016 at 2:20 pm
Guys,
I want to share that I’m starting to get a little excited. We are so close to electing our first woman president. And she’s amazing.
The Cubs didn’t lose to a racist mascot, and pretty soon Hillary Clinton will not have either.
Read this article– it will put a smile on your face: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/11/why-is-hillary-clinton-so-widely-loved/506402/?utm_source=feed
We’re going to have our first woman president. It’s taken so long to come this far, but we have finally come this far.
November 4, 2016 at 3:37 pm
I used to live in a very red place and did a lot of writing in. It was so disconnected that I was actually worried in 2008.
Most of the libertarians I’ve met have been fake. It really just seems like the far right trying to pretend like they’re moderate.
November 5, 2016 at 6:37 pm
Social conservatives by any name are awful. Evil and controlling.