Today is the last day for early voting here in Clarksville. I am usually one to wait until Election Day, but I decided I was too anxious and voted early for the first time ever. I was, like many, stunned to see the line wrapped around the building. I had heard stories of other states where people were waiting for as long as 10 hours to vote and though “Oh my, this is gonna take forever”. In actuality, From the back side of the building at the end of the line, I made it thru, voted and was out the door in just 30 minutes. Our Election Commission had everything streamlined and running efficiently.

If you don’t make it out to vote today, you will have to wait until actual Election Day, which is Tuesday. I’m curious to see what it will look like as early voting all of the country, people have turned out in record numbers. Election night used to annoy me when it came to watching television with the constant break ins and up dates. I was always one who was like “whatever, tell me when it’s over and who won.” In fact, that’s how I was four years ago. I was so over it, I went to bed and woke up stunned like many.

This year feels like probably the most important election of my lifetime so far. Like many, there’s been extra stress and tension in the air, in conversations and of course most of social media looking like a battle zone. I watched Town Halls and debates. I even had a Watch Party for the third and final debate. Ok, it was my best friend and me, cuz you know, ‘Rona, but still. We drank thru it and I’ve found myself more engaged than ever.

But I’m still unsure if I will be tuned in to Election Night coverage. I mean, the process drags out forever. You have different time zones, so polls close at different times, constant counting and the news outlets trying to project a winner before everything is counted. And we have the situation where there’s all the mail in voting as only 25 states allow in person early voting, others do mail in ballots. We’ve been hearing for weeks about alleged trouble with the USPS being able to get the ballots in on time. All the early voting while it’s done, nothing can be counted until Tuesday. Just thinking about all of these elements and what’s on the line is stressful.

So how do you deal? I came across a story from the NY Post where they did a survey on how people will survive the stress of election night. A Harris poll of 2050 American adults showed some interesting stats on Election night survival. Apparently, we’re getting thru it drunk.

26% said they would be drinking beer

23% said they would be drinking wine

15%… that’s one in seven people… said they’re not screwing around, they’re going straight to the liquor cabinet.

One in eight also said there would be some cannabis thrown in too.

If booze and weed aren’t for you, and the 48% of people who say this is the most stressed they’ve ever been about an election, there’s always junk… I mean comfort food. 46% of those surveyed plan on the junk food binge to get them thru Tuesday night.

I know not every cares about the election, or watching the results and that’s cool. 23% of those surveyed said they won’t even look at results on Tuesday and will just wake up on Wednesday morning to learn who’s President.  The big question is, will we actually have a declared winner on Tuesday or will this be a Bush/Gore situation like in 2000 where it took a whole month to declare a winner?

See, stress! My plan thus far is to get a workout in, I have a video meeting and I’m sure an adult beverage or two. No way I want to show up to work on Wednesday and be hungover!!

What about you? How will you be surviving Tuesday night? Take our poll!

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