On election night, I was sure Trump had won.

[IrishEyes]

Last edited Sun Nov 8, 2020, 03:32 PM - Edit history (1)

I got back home at 10:45pm from working as a poll worker all day. I had my phone turned off so I hadn't seen any election results. I had been very busy signing people in and explaining how to vote as I handed a ballot to each voter. I turned on my computer excited to see the results and I saw a lot of red. Even though I was really tired, I watched the results come in until midnight. Things seemed to get worse. I couldn't watch anymore and feel asleep. When I woke up the next day, I went to open my computer but I couldn't do it. I didn't want to see Trump won headlines all over the news. I thought that the bastard did it again. How much worse was he going to be in a second term. I really needed to study for my exam on Saturday but I couldn't concentrate so I watched old tv shows from the 1960s. My friend texted me that we won Maine which was nice but I didn't want election news so I turned off my phone. At 9:00pm, I decided to check my email on my computer to see about something for my class. I wasn't going to read any other emails but I saw one from Trump. I get emails from the Trump organization. It is sometimes amusing to read the desperation and idiocy in them. I wasn't going to click on the email but I saw the headline was something about wanting a recount in Wisconsin. There was another email from earlier about the democrats stealing Michigan. I felt hopeful. I remember those states both being red on election night. I took a deep breath and checked the election results and Biden was at 264. It was very possible that Trump would lose. I kept a tab open and checked the results many times on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, I was about to take my exam online when my mom texted me that the long national nightmare would soon come to an end. Biden had won. Harris would the first female, black, asian Vice President. I was so excited and wanted to dance in the streets but I had to concentrate on my test.

I look forward to celebrating like crazy on Inauguration Day.

I'm not a young person. I'm over 30 but I'm taking some classes during the pandemic. Also, I'm pretty sure that I aced my exam.

[42bambi]

1. Let me thank you for being a poll worker - and for your long tedious work!

[doc03]

2. I didn't watch any of it because I really thought Trump would pull off out again. I turned on

on Morning Joe Wednesday morning and was pleasantly surprised Biden was ahead.

[Jeebo]

3. I watched election returns on MSNBC 24/7 for four days.

I'm retired and didn't have to go to work. Yes, I got almost no sleep for those four days. All Tuesday night and into the wee hours of Wednesday, I was constantly experiencing those same sick feelings that I felt on election night four years ago. I'm still feeling some of that because we didn't do nearly as well as we expected to in the Senate and House races, but at least now we still have the House and a shot at barely winning Senate control. And, most important, President Orange Con Man is going to GO AWAY finally!

-- Ron

[AnotherMother4Peace]

4. Similar to my house on Tues. evening. I saw FL & went into black out mode. My son asked if

my optimism was fading like his was - that did it to me because he's way smart. THEN in the morning he asked if I wanted good news. I said NO - that I was tired of being Charlie Brown & the football. Then I asked him what? He said Wisconsin went for Biden, and Arizona looked good, and that he was confident that Biden will win. My other son said he almost cried when he heard about Wisconsin. I was happy, but continued in black out mode because Republicans cheat.

And by the way, THANK YOU for being a poll worker. I truly believe youth activism did the job. My sons took the lead for the first time and made sure we all voted early and safely. They were on top of things. And we all donated BLUE!!!!

[IrishEyes]

8. Thank you but I'm actually over 30.

I'm just taking some classes from home during the pandemic. Being a poll worker was really interesting. I wish I started doing it earlier. I will sign up again. The voters were nice and they appreciated me explaining what to do. There were a lot of first time voters there.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

13. I guess I'm sorta in a time warp & probably need to recalculate. I'm still putting you all

in the youth category. My 90+ old Dad would refer to us 60+ year olds as young people. I guess it's all relative. Thank you again.

[IrishEyes]

15. I'm happy to be considered young.

I just didn't want people to think I was a teenager or in my twenties or something. I still feel like I'm 25 but then so does my mom. Young and old is relative. I remember someone telling me the definition of young and old is anyone 20 years younger or older than you.

[lisa58]

5. Me too - on election night I was on the phone with my stepson...

who lives on the west coast, I’m on the east coast. It was looking so bad that my 12 year old granddaughter was searching for houses in Victoria, Canada. I told her I would sell my house and help buy the house, just make sure I get a room and it has a cool kitchen.

Very happy about the outcome, but still don’t understand how so many people voted for Trump.

[LeftInTX]

6. I was deflated too

But my gut was telling me that Joe was gonna win. It wasn't a head thing, it was a gut thing.


I had the same gut feeling that Hillary would not win in 2016, but my head was telling me she was gonna win. (Who would elect a total buffoon?)

I kept all my tabs open and kept saying, "Joe has got to win this. He must win". I'm a bit of a pessimist, and don't agree with the AZ calls. I'm still not 100% convinced that Joe has won (court cases etc) I probably won't breathe a sign of relief, until the Electoral College meets.

[Mister Ed]

7. All too many on this board thought so,

and were not at all reticent about it.

[MaryMagdaline]

9. Thank you for your service. We needed young people manning the polls.

I hope the good news gave you a jolt of energy for your exam and that you did well.

It was a hellish week that ended in joy.

[IrishEyes]

11. Thank you. I think I aced the exam.

I'm actually over 30 so not quite a young person anymore. Being a poll worker was interesting. I will do it again. The voters were nice and it was great to help them vote. There were a lot of first time voters.

[MaryMagdaline]

12. Excellent! I did poll watching in 2004. Great group of Dems

Sadly, we lost that year.

[Cobalt Indigo]

10. God Bless you

as a poll worker! I never want to feel that knot of stress and dread in my stomach every again. Every worst case scenario was going through my head. The relief and exhale I let out yesterday morning was unlike anything else.

[Maeve]

14. Went thru a similar trajectory

Spent the day helping folks with paper ballots, being aware that many of them in my red precinct were voting for the Beast. Heard some RW nonsense (radio and driver) in the car on the way to the BOE to drop things off. Got home and was worried that the fools were out-voting us; up at 4:30 to check DU. But as the hours slipped into the weekend, I became more optimistic (as I've said, this was more 2018 than 2016). Yesterday, when CNN and MSNBC finally, FINALLY, made the call, I literally danced in the street going over to talk to a Biden supporting neighbor.

Good luck on the exam grade!

[Statistical]

16. Keep in mind the red mirage in 2022 and 2024.

If mail in voting remains widespread and blue leaning then even more than prior elections states will be biased towards the GOP initially and it will take time for the blue votes to overcome that.

So to say yourself a lot of stress and heartache keep that in mind for future elections. If widespread mail in voting becomes the new normal and leans heavily blue this may be the "new normal" for how elections work. If mail in voting becomes less common or more evenly split the red mirage effect may go away someday.