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OPEN THREAD: 2012 Election Day Live-Blog, With Extra Feelings

A.E. Osworth —
Nov 6, 2012
COMMENT
Whiskey Kitten Photography © jmberman1 2009

Get your sticker that says you voted, even if your polling place doesn’t have one! Print out the whole sheet and stick one to your forehead with some tape. Congratulations! You’ve just participated in Democracy.

Greetings Queers, and Happy Election Day! Welcome to our Feelings Thread / Election Day Party Live Blog. Are you excited? I’m excited.

I love Election Day– I feel about Election Day the way most people feel about Christmas. And we’ve done a lot of amazing reporting on the Election so far. We taught everyone how to Vote with their VAG (and then we did it again. And again for local elections and voting while abroad.) We talked about loving your Republican family and voting while trans*. We gave you the low down on Bain Capital and we covered (I mean g-chatted) all kinds of debates, including the vice presidential one and there was freedom and justice (and an app) for all. So now it’s time for us to bite our nails and stare at the TV and have a big ole feelings party together on the interwebs. We’re going to have updates from a whole bunch of the Autostraddle staff today, and the greatest surprise is WE’RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE UPDATES FROM YOU!

That’s right. If you have a link to something you’d like covered, a picture of your Election Day Party, witty commentary or just about anything you can dream up, you’ve got two options: a) leave it in the comments below! It is an open thread after all or b) email it to ali [at] autostraddle.com to submit it for inclusion in the body of the post. Not everything may go up, but I’d love your submissions! Especially if you’re making election-themed jello-shots. Then I want pics or it didn’t happen.

So let’s have a grand time together! And hopefully this great country of ours won’t be set back forty years when we wake up in the morning.

8:08 am. Just turned on MSNBC! Who’s watching along with me?

8:14 am. I’m putting out the “pics or it didn’t happen” call for pictures of y’all voting. Send ’em to ali [at] autostraddle.com.

8:22 am. Can anyone guess where Brandy Howard is going to be sending us updates from tonight?

8:27 am. Aww, you guys, here’s a tweet from Contributing Editor Vanessa last night. She’s voted for the first time ever today! Check out her button!

8:31 am. Awww, sorry Vanessa. No “I Voted” stickers at her polling place. But I award you an imaginary internet “I Voted” sticker, complete with not-imaginary love from Autostraddle.

8:37 am. !! Reader Sarah (SugarMaple86) just voted in Ohio! Ohio is a swing state! You get an imaginary virtual internet chocolate chip cookie from me!

8:42 am. That’s right Lanie, Brandy Howard is gonna be at the Victory Party in Chicago. Here’s what she emailed me last week: “On November 6th, I am going to Obama’s victory party in Chicago!!  I’m so fucking excited- I can’t even see straight.” I’ve been trying to come up with some kinda “can’t see straight” joke, but I haven’t had my coffee yet.

8:44 am. Is it weird that I feel like heckling my TV just because Rachel Maddow isn’t on it yet?

8:49 am. Holy Election, Batman! The news anchors just casually dropped in that Biden is going to run four years from now. Apparently he announced that this morning and I missed it? Imma fact check that. Stand by. Update: I can’t find anything on the google machine about that except that he joked about it days ago. So until I can, it isn’t real. Back to fun pictures of readers voting!

8:59 am. Reader Cara voted in North Carolina. That’s another swing state, you guys!

9:01 am. MSNBC just had a great map of battleground states. Imma try to find one, y’all, because it was helpful.

9:04 am. Romney and Mrs. Romney just voted in Massachusetts. You guys, I keep finding myself heckling my TV.

9:07 am. MSNBC tells me that we’ll start to know which candidate is having a good night by 9 pm est. Which means I’m going to have an ulcer for twelve hours.

9:13 am. Politico has a great view of the swing states. Super helpful. It also includes predictions based on previous polls. Update: It doesn’t include PA, though, which is another state that both candidates are really gunning for.

9:23 am. In case you haven’t decided who you’re voting for yet, here’s a message from the Greatest Generation, via Move On. This is very much NSFW, so don’t hit play unless you’re a) at home or b) work for Autostraddle or similar cray cray liberal website. In that case, hit play and call over your co-workers.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f17fWth3YgA&feature=player_embedded’]

9:16 am. I missed Joe Biden voting. So here’s some pictures of Joe Biden voting!

9:26 am. There are so many mustache-related bets happening regarding this election. Do y’all have mustache-related bets, or is that just every MSNBC news anchor and analyst?

9:32 am. MSNBC is discussing how Obama will win without Ohio. They’re saying it seems plausible. He would need Wisconsin, Iowa and Virginia, which is not unlikely.

9:36 am. Just reminding you guys to send your voting pictures to ali [at] autostraddle.com. I want to see you brag! Send me pictures of your stickers, you with two thumbs up in front of your polling place. You dancing around like a cray cray person because you participated in Democracy today. Yeah, I want that photo too.

9:43 am. A vote against Todd Akin from reader Sherri!

9:46 am. Haley Barbour, who I fundamentally disagree with on just about everything, just said don’t believe exit polls because so many people voted early. I feel like I kinda agree with that. And now my brain is melting out of my ear.

9:55 am. Reader Mareika just voted for Elizabeth Warren and President Obama in MA. She just sent me the following email: “Hopefully you can see the sticker through all the femme in this picture.”

9:57 am. I just saw a Fox News commercial touting them as Fair and Balanced election reporting and the best place to keep up with the election. I vommed in my mouth a little. Anyone have the fortitude and/or the stomach to see what Fox News is saying and then report back to us here?

10:01 am. Hey y’all, just did some research and you’re not supposed to take pictures of your complete ballot because different states have different rules about it. So I’m going to follow the “Don’t Tweet Your Ballot” rule from now on. Only give me pictures of you and your stickers!

10:04 am. Okay, I just figured out where the Joe Biden 2016 rumor came about. Someone asked him if it’s the last time he’ll be voting for himself as he was walking out of the polling place this morning. He said, “No, I don’t think so.” Thoughts? I’d be really pumped if he ran in 2016.

10:09 am. I wanted to highlight a comment from Amanda:

I voted at 6AM and now I’m running a huge phone bank for Obama allllll day.

If anyone out there wants to make some calls into swing states and make sure our supporters get out and vote look up your local OFA office and stop in – they’ll all be going hard until the polls close on the West Coast.

Have the day off? Go make some calls!

10:14 am. Here’s a picture of Olivia’s sweet sticker!

10:23 am. Omg, my girlfriend just sent me the link to Your Fucking Polling Place. It will help you find your fucking polling place.

10:28 am. Wanted to highlight a comment from Evidux–

Guys, please remind everyone to stay in line at the polls. As long as you’re in line when the polling closes, they still have to let you vote.

10:30 am. MSNBC says “nobody knows nothin’” at this point in the day. Exact quote.

10:32 am. Just got the following email from Daneille: “We can do this, Ohio!”

10:44 am. Hey y’all, just changed the order of the live blog. The other way was too confusing for readers. Now everything is in regular chronological order!

10:47 am. Rachel Maddow just told me a lot about voter suppression in 31 seconds. You should also see this.

10:52 am. Renata voted from Edinburgh and she doesn’t get a sticker for voting absentee, so she made a sign. VOTING SPIRIT, EVERYONE!

10:56 am. HOLY ELECTION DAY, BATMAN! I pronounce this the best Election Day outfit. Becca, you win all the things!

11:00 am. Hey everyone, I’ve gotten so many emails and comments about how upset people are that their polling places don’t offer cute stickers. So Intern Geneva is going to rescue you all because she made you this:

 Click on it to make it full size and put it on your Facebook! Or Tweet that sucker! Heck, make it your profile picture on all the things.

11:05 am. Vanessa‘s girlfriend just sent her these chocolate covered strawberries and this note for voting in her first election today! We should congratulate Vanessa not only on her first vote as a US citizen, but also for her pick of human.

11:11 am. MSNBC is having Guiliani and the anchors debate the Sandy effect on voting. It’s actually kinda weird to watch, Guiliani is really panning the response. Everyone affected by Sandy, how are you voting today? Everything okay?

11:22 am. Mitt Romney arrives in Cleveland for a campaign event, says MSNBC. You guys, I hate reporting on Mitt Romney’s moves today. I never claimed to be fair and balanced. :0)

11:24 am. They’re debating the idea of popular vote v. electoral vote re: the broken system. Do y’all have popular vote feelings? Send them my way.

11:26 am. The headline on MSNBC says Ohio is the Top Prize in Election.

11:29 am. Renelle from San Francisco reminds us that local elections matter too: “Not every day you can vote to keep your English teacher from hell off the school board!”

11:33 am. Hey everyone, wanted to remind everyone not to send me pictures of their ballot. I’m following the Don’t Tweet Your Ballot rule. But pictures of your stickers, you dancing around, your election day outfit and whatever else you can think of that’s not your ballot are all welcome. Send them to ali [at] autostraddle.com and they might be included here!

11:38 am. Katlyn just cast another vote against Todd Akin! SEND INTERNET LOVE TO KATLYN!

11:39 am. Even my favorite news networks sometimes make me headdesk. They just showed footage of Obama casting his vote moments ago. But he voted early in Chicago days ago. I even covered it on AS.

11:43 am. MSNBC is running a constant ticker of poll closing times that I’m finding super helpful in terms of when to cast your vote. So I found a list online for those of y’all who don’t have access to a TV to see said ticker, via Ballotpedia.org.

11:46 am. Community, everyone! Check out yet ANOTHER adorable, voting-related thing that happened to Vanessa.

11:51 am. Funny story. When I was 18 months old, I knew every word to this song. My mother used to stand me on chairs at family gatherings to sing it. This is hundred percent true.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kvk1NZDFvZU&feature=player_embedded’]

11:58 am. Xan votes for Tammy Baldwin!

12:03 pm. Check out this comment from Hansen:

My brother looked up his polling place online to see where to go and it said he wasn’t registered in the system and he started to panic about wrongly being kicked off the lists, but he went to the polling place anyway and there wasn’t a problem! It was just something like a wrong address.

WHEN IN DOUBT: go to the polling station and try to vote regardless.

THIS! There was a problem with my registration when I went to get my absentee ballot. They fixed it on the spot. GO ANYWAY. Republicans may not want you to vote, but most likely the person helping you really DOES want you to vote.

12:05 pm. They’re yelling on TV about how people who don’t vote are idiots. People, do go vote! If you don’t vote, you give up your right to complain! Talk about community, it makes you a strong part of the community you live in.

12:10 pm. Want to remind everyone who didn’t get a voting sticker that we’ve made one for you, thanks to the mad skillz of Intern Geneva. Go put it on your facebook! Twitter! Print it out and stick it to your forehead!

12:15 pm. Contributing Editor and link finding extraordinaire Kristen just found this amazing interactive graphic novel about the U.S. election on the Guardian. EVERYONE MUST SEE THIS.

12:18 pm. Jezebel reports that at least one voting machine in PA isn’t taking votes for Obama.

12:27 pm. Marni in line to vote, sent to me by Riese. It’s Marni’s first election too, everyone. LET’S GIVE MARNI SOME INTERNET LOVE.

12:32 pm. A cute story from Riese about that photo: the lovely woman at the polling place asked Marni if it was her first time voting. Riese was like, omg, can you really tell that Marni is Canadian that much? But no, apparently that poll-worker confused Marni for a 19 year old boy. Marni was all, I’m 30, even though she’s actually 29. Riese says it might be the first/last time she’s told a lie about being 30.

12:40 pm. Just received an email from the Obama campaign about making calls. Wanna make some calls?

12:44 pm. Just got the following email from Joleen: “I would much rather have Claire McCaskill in my vagina than Todd Akin!”

12:50 pm. Just got a super cute picture and super articulate email from Casey!

I voted this morning in Chicago – I didn’t get a sticker, but I did
get a receipt.  I also had to snap this in a bathroom stall at work
like a total creeper, so there’s that. Thanks for having the live blog
up today – somehow, it’s lowering my stress level to be watching this
unfold with all you wonderful ladies!

Also, you should remind people that voting on judges is also
important! If there are any other Chicago ladies who haven’t voted
yet, they can go to http://voteforjudges.org/ for more information
about who is on their ballot.  I’m sure that other cites and states
have similar resources.

Thanks!

1:00 pm. Has everyone seen Contributing Editor Cara‘s Election Day Team Pick? Head over to her post to take a look.

1:04 pm.  This tweet is relevant to our interests:

1:06 pm. Contributing editor Carmen just sent over this gallery of 92 Years of Women Voting. This needs no commentary.

1:10 pm. I really want Rachel Maddow on my TV to happen. Like, a lot. So as a result, I’m about to give you all a barrage of election-related Maddow clips, some from readers, some from contributing editors. Are you ready?

1:14 pm. Reader Jen submitted this one. Apparently Maddow says “lady time” at the 2:20 mark. About pot, marriage equality and tons more.

1:19 pm. Cara emailed me this Maddow video about all the awesome stuff Obama has done.

1:25 pm. More Maddow! Reader Jen says she likes this one because Maddow is a prop comic. This is from last night’s episode.

1:30 pm. Do you like polls and predictions? Join editor Rachel in closely monitoring FiveThirtyEight, Nate Silver’s political calculus blog. Obama is listed as having a 90.9% chance of winning. Is it weird that my stomach is bubbling like a hot tub of nervousness none-the-less?

1:34 pm. Reader Arls sent this great article about voting machines and the hype over them not working correctly. It’s a heavy, but amazingly informative. Thanks for this!

1:37 pm. Joe Biden, looking swanky.

1:39 pm. Let’s all give a shout out to the interns working on this post today! Geneva, Chelsey and Naimah! Much love for finding some great tweets and making some great “stickers.”

1:45 pm. AS reader Christina, voting her heart out in California so that student fees won’t go up. The Presidential election isn’t the only thing going on today, make sure you read all the ballot questions that change state by state.

1:52 pm. Some great recommendations for Oakland voters, but it doesn’t stop there. Check out these recommendations for California voters at large, including state initiatives.

1:55 pm. Okay, y’all. I have to eat lunch. Obama would want me to eat lunch, and editor Rachel thinks you all should make me sandwich. Sandwiches for freedom. Be back soonest!

2:19 pm. After lunch, the nerves are really getting to me. I keep having to employ deep breathing techniques. But Steve Garfield has a reminder for us:

2:22 pm. It’s just talking heads right now on TV, you guys. So head on over to Laura and Vanessa‘s post on Sally Kohn, because they tell me that Sally Kohn is going to be the next Rachel Maddow.

2:27 pm. Contributing editor Kate is going to do a queer strip-tease if she gets 100 likes on this post. The catch? You can only like it if you voted.

2:29 pm. MSNBC tells me the voting machine that Jezebel reported on earlier, the one that changes Obama votes to Romney votes, has been taken out of service.

2:33 pm. Everyone send internet love to Carolyn, who is watching the election from South Africa. Here’s her election night all-nighter schedule. The time difference is a bitch.

2:35 pm. Reader Arls just drew my attention to My Fair Election, where we can gather data to give viable, legal feedback on our polling places.

2:40 pm. Reader Katie wants to remind us all to vote yes on 1 in Maine. This is voting FOR marriage equality.

2:57 pm. Kristen found this great video on what happens if the Electoral College is tied. This is not something I want to think about, but since a whole bunch of the headlines I’ve read all insist that Obama and Romney are coming into this election tied.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHEDXzOfENI’]

 3:00 pm. The reporters on “The Cycle” look like they’re having a ton of fun reporting this. “People have many questions, like who’s running? And be specific.” If you have access to a TV, these guys at least look like they’re gonna have a good laugh about this. MSNBC, y’all.

3:05 pm. Reader Sonia sent a picture and a link to the very first California Asian American Pacific Islander Voting Guide, which is a thing I didn’t know existed until right now. Thank you Sonia!

3:10 pm. I have really strong feelings about Election Day being a federal holiday on par with Christmas. Or at least maybe we vote on a weekend? Vanessa found this great piece on the tradition behind voting on a Tuesday. It makes no sense anymore, but we keep it anyways, because TRADITION!

3:14 pm. Want a preview of what’s on your ballot? Use TheBallot.org to get a preview before you get to the polls.

3:20 pm. Contributing editor Gabrielle‘s polling district has been declared a disaster area due to Sandy. Here’s what she did to vote:

Hi friends. Just some personal voting updates: I’m registered to vote in Suffolk county, which is a federally declared disaster zone. Because of the gas shortage, I didnt have a way to get there, but was able to vote via an affidavit ballot in Queens.

3:24 pm. The MSNBC anchors are talking about how to make voting easier. They had some interesting arguments against voting on a Tuesday, and some really compelling arguments for keeping voting on a single day. The thing is, I’m not sure I agree with that. I like Election Day being more of a deadline.

3:28 pm. To piggy back off Gabrielle’s story, did you guys know that Governor Cuomo has declared that New Yorkers can vote in any polling place?

3:33 pm. Reader Stephanie got displaced by Sandy and she’s voting at the LGBT center. “I should get extra gay unicorn points.”

3:37 pm. The MSNBC talking heads are scaring me because they just said that it’s likely that Republicans will keep the House. Terrifying.

3:39 pm. Do you live in Washington? Vote to approve Referendum 74 and keep marriage equality alive and well in your state.

3:41 pm. Intern Geneva found this tweet for you guys. DO IT FOR CANADA!

3:47 pm. Reader Dena wore a Legalize Gay shirt to vote and received compliments from the poll workers!

3:50 pm. MSNBC is talking about Warren v. Scott,  McCaskill v. Akin and Baldwin v. Thompson. They just called Clare McCaskill “Claire Thank-God-I’m-Running-Against-Him McCaskill” and Todd Akin “Todd Legitimate-Rape Akin.”

3:51 pm. Polls show Tammy Baldwin up by 2 points. More on Baldwin maybe winning.

3:54 pm. MSNBC talking about how women are voting. “You don’t mess with women and politics. You just don’t do it.”

3:59 pm. Intern Geneva isn’t the only one who can make voting stickers. Reader Emily made her own too!

4:06 pm. Reader Julie voted NO in Minnesota! Don’t limit the freedom to marry!

4:10 pm. Reader Naomi wants to draw our attention to Prop 35 in California, a poorly written referendum against sex trafficking that’s actually bad for sex workers.

I’m voting to end CA’s death penalty and reform our three strikes law, as well as against an unfortunately badly written trafficking proposition (no on 35, everyone!).

4:19 pm. Autostraddle writer Rose sent over a picture and wants to direct our attention to the Warren v. Brown race in Massachusetts.

Here I am outside my polling place in Boston this morning! (Don’t worry, I didn’t put the buttons on until I was safely outside.) Voted Obama, Elizabeth Warren, yes on all the ballot questions. There was an adorable class of elementary school kids sitting on the floor watching us and talking about who they would pick; I was so happy to help show them democracy in action! After I voted I went up to the nearest Elizabeth Warren campaign office to make phone calls reminding supporters to vote.

4:23 pm. We talked about the marriage equality ballot questions on Autostraddle before, but here’s another link to The Four, a website dedicated to the four states where marriage equality is on the ballot. I always vom in my mouth a little when the majority get to vote on the minority. So let’s queer these effing elections, guys! Let’s take them back!

4:27 pm. Does anyone else think the ice rink at Rockerfeller Center turned into the map of the US is really badass? Are they gonna turn the states different colors as the night goes on, because I am going to lose my shit if that happens. #nerd.

 4:38 pm. Looks like I’m not the only one nerdy about maps! Intern Rebecca plans to color this hand-drawn map in during her election viewing party in Amsterdam.

4:45 pm. Want more internet stickers? Intern Chelsey made this one in response to a commenter from this morning. Whiskey Kitten for POTUS! Put this on your facebook and twitter machines, queermos! Happy Election Day!

4:47 pm. Breaking! NJ, you have until 5:00 to request an email ballot. Huge confusion about New Jersey’s electoral votes! Guys, that’s where my vote lives!!! I’m so nervous. Update: only people displaced by Frankenstorm Sandy can request electronic ballots.

4:53 pm. AAAAHHHAHA! Thanks reader KD15! “re: the 4:27pm comment – per MHP from this weekend, they are apparently going to color in the states in red/blue as they are called for Romney or Obama.” You guys, a giant map made of ice that is totally live updating and in color?! Please tell me you’ll all be watching MSNBC with me?!

4:56 pm. New Jersey, you still have to mail a ballot if you request an electronic one due to being displaced.

5:01 pm. Reader Nate voted in his first presidential election today and also sends us this picture from his college campus. There are no words.

5:02 pm. Intern Chelsey’s dad is gonna make me cry you guys:

so you know, i voted in florida this morning. its a battleground state! woot. my dad, an ALWAYS republican, voted for Obama because he “followed his daughters heart”. I may have cried/my heart died.

5:07 pm. Polls are starting to close in an hour! I’m blogging live on Eastern Standard time, and some polls in Kentucky and Indiana are expected to close at 6 pm my time. Check this map and get to your polling place on time. Map via Politico.

5:08 pm. On Hardball with Chris Matthews: “I’ll be shocked if we get the results from Ohio before midnight.” Then someone just said “I’ll be shocked if we get results out of Ohio in two weeks.” You guys. I can’t be doing this that long.

5:15 pm. Nine battle ground states, according to Chris Matthews. Does everyone know why we care about battleground states? Here’s a handy guide to why these states seem to count a little more. Basically, there are some states that are almost certainly going to Obama, some that are almost certainly going to Romney. Based on those predictions, each candidate needs a certain amount of electoral votes to win. So the votes from the states that are harder to call based on polling and predictions become incredibly important.

5:18 pm. McCaskill leading Akin, according to the Huffington Post.

5:25 pm. Style editor Lizz: “I’m trying to decide if I should make a “Dress Celebrate Obama Winning” article or a “Five Ways to Show Your Mourning Over Romney’s Win WIth Your Clothes” situations.” Do what the newspapers do and have both prepared? Naw, be optimistic and only have the Celebration one ready. We can do this, U.S.

5:29 pm. Thanks, reader Andrea! Colorado is a toss-up so your vote means A LOT!

5:35 pm. As we’re nearing the first poll closing of the night, I have something from Riese here for you.

on election day 2008, i was standing on a newly-assembled ikea end table/nightstand/mini-shelf-thing to hang a curtain rod because we’d just moved in to the apartment a few days earlier, and the table broke, sending me plummeting through it with a newly-exposed screw searing its way up my right leg. i refused to go to the hospital though, because OBAMA!

the reason i’m telling you this is because people who say Obama hasn’t accomplished anything over the last four years obviously haven’t seen how much progress my leg has made!

Here’s a photo of Riese’s Leg Progress.
5:38 pm. As polls start to close and we all start to watch results, I want to see the following in my inbox from all of y’all: reaction shots to states being called (youtube videos encouraged also), photos of your election watching party and SOME PATRIOTIC JELLO SHOT PHOTOS because jeez, someone has to make Election Boozey Things. Send them over to ali [at] autostraddle.com.

5:43 pm. Okay, if you are an exit polls person, Huffington Post is doing a live-updating exit poll post. But take these with a grain of salt, guys. In races that are this close, exit polls don’t mean much and races are almost never called on this data alone.

5:47 pm. And we have our first election food shot! Here are the patriotic strawberries that Vanessa‘s girlboifriend got her:

5:50 pm. Richard Wolffe on MSNBC says he thinks we will have a decision tonight. Here’s hoping, because I can’t sustain this level of stress for more than 24 hours.

5:56 pm. Chris Matthews on Hardball: “Voting is the best revenge” against people who want to stop you from voting.

6:02 pm. RACHEL MADDOW IS ON MY TELEVISION! MSNBC! GO GO GO!

6:05 pm. You guys, I’m such a Maddow fan girl. It’s embarrassing. And! And they’ve promised Melissa Harris Perry will make an appearance as well. MHP is wonderful!

6:06 pm. NBC news poll: 46 % believe the country is going in the right direction, 52% in the wrong direction.

6:09 pm. Six of the battleground states will be closed by 8 pm.

6:11 pm. Florida voters beware, you’re in two different time zones! Your polls close at 7 pm local time. Ignore coverage that says your polls close at 8 pm.

6:13 pm. I just noticed that Rachel Maddow is the only female commentator on this panel. At least she’s in charge of it.

6:16 pm. Lizz sent over video of the PA voting machine that magically transformed votes for Obama into votes for Romney.

6:19 pm. Intern Naimah in her post voting blazer!

6:20 pm. MSNBC is calling Paul Ryan a deadbeat running mate. Stand by for a good Paul Ryan video.

6:23 pm. Like I promised. Bad Lip Reading does Paul Ryan’s video diary.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewP01X5x9Nw&feature=player_embedded’]

6:26 pm. Maddow is talking about Edith Childs, who turned down going to an Obama rally with the President because she was knocking on doors in North Carolina. Are you all fired up?!

6:28 pm. You guys, Melissa Harris Perry is the Chicago correspondent tonight! MHP all the way!

6:37 pm. A great graph that actually outlines what the world thinks about this election. The only country that wants to elect Romney: Pakistan. And not even by that much.

via http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/602324_10151302741592990_1627228818_n.jpg

6:44 pm. Ha, omg, reader Briana hitting us with some XKCD election love. Sometimes I feel like this. Like when I’ve been in this post for almost 11 hours.

6:50 pm. Commenter Sophie wins all the things. Super true:

I think the tumblr posts from non-Americans are evenly split between “If Romney wins you can all come live in my country” and “If Romney wins I’m coming to your country to punch you all”.

6:52 pm. Chris Hayes was just going through the Akin and Murdock rape commentary. It just makes me so, so angry to hear. I just can’t get used to it.

6:55 pm. We’re starting to get tickers across the bottom for Kentucky, New Hampshire and Indiana. But I refuse to report on them with only 1 and 2 percent in.

6:56 pm. You guys, my girlfriend brought me snacks! All I’ve had today is veggie sausage and coffee. So. Much. Coffee.

6:58 pm. Reader Lynne emails: “I voted! Time to start drinking!”

7:03 pm. Polls closing in Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Vermont, Georgia, South Carolina, New Hampshire and parts of Florida.

7:05 pm. Indiana and Kentucky predicted to go to Romney, Vermont predicted to go to Obama. The media seems to be pretty sure about it, but Imma say predicted because they’re saying things like 4 percent counted.

7:07 pm. Virginia still too close to call. No shit, sherlock. Polls closed 7 minutes ago.

7:13 pm. Looking at Virginia data from 2008 in specific counties. Saying we should be paying attention to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Am I the only one that just can’t be optimistic until we see real numbers from this year?

7:16 pm. Rachel Maddow reminds us that if you’re in line when the polling place closes, they still have to let you vote. STAY IN LINE, QUEERS!

7:18 pm. This comment by Riese. This. This. “seriously thank jesus for rachel maddow, her presence is so comforting to me”

7:19 pm. Aaaahhh! My first glimpse of the ice-map in color. You guys, I’m so excited about this ice-map.

7:21 pm. Y’all, Ellen also wants your stickers. Send her the Autostraddle ones!

7:25 pm. Another contribution from Brianna. This may perhaps fuel your panic, however.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1kIGa31HR8′]

7:27 pm. Polls close in Ohio at 7:30 pm. Maddow says this one is the most important for Romney. Her sources say they don’t see much of a path to the White House without it.

7:30 pm. 

7:31 pm. Polls just closed in Ohio, West Virginia and North Carolina.

7:34 pm. West Virginia predicted to go to Romney. As of right now, it’s Obama with 3 electoral votes and Romney with 24. Remember, a candidate needs 270 to win, so we’re still super far away.

7:35 pm. South Carolina projected to Romney. Bringing Romney to 33 electoral votes.

7:40 pm. Reader Piper emails:

i’m having a lot of feelings right now, ranging from exhausted cause i’ve been running around boston like a crazy person for the past two days and only got an hour and a half of sleep last night, to excited/proud to have voted for obama and warren, and SCARED FUCKING SHITLESS of the possibility of a romney win.  it’s all somewhat confusing for me. OH GOD OHIO POLLS JUST CLOSED.

7:45 pm. Autostraddle editor Laneia voted for the first time in person: “a little old lady put a sticker on me and ali, it was like being knighted.”

7:56 pm. Commercial break! Time to beast this Indian food I ordered!

8:00 pm. Polls close in Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Tenn, Maryland, Alabama, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Mississippi, Maine, Rhode Island, Delaware, DC, New Jersey and Missouri.

8:05 pm. Called for Obama: Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Illinois.

8:07 pm. Romney has a projected 82 electoral votes, Obama 64. Here’s an online version of the map I’m looking at on MSNBC.

8:09 pm. Too early to call, but McCaskill and Warren are in the lead in their states.

8:11 pm. “Chuck has been replaced by an animated map.” I love Maddow.

8:17 pm. Florida elected a democratic senator!

8:19 pm.

8:24 pm. 

8:28 pm. Apparently you can send a pizza to the polls? Helping people stay in line, one pie at a time.

8:30 pm. FUCK YES! DOWNTHEWATERSPOUT MADE PARTISAN JELLO SHOTS! MY LIFE IS COMPLETE!

8:31 pm. Arkansas to Romney. Chris Murphy wins the Senate in Connecticut.

8:34 pm. That puts Romney up to 88, Obama still at 64.

8:36 pm. A quick primer on the Electoral College for those of us who are a little fuzzy from four years of forgetting about the Electoral College.

8:43 pm. A color your own Electoral College map, submitted by reader Cary, who hopes it will calm some stress.

8:49 pm. Contributing editor Malaika sent over this video of the American electoral system as explained by  Canadian sketch comedy show “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.”

8:51 pm. Since all that’s happening right now on MSNBC is men yelling at each other, here’s a hand-drawn Autostraddle badge from Kristen!

8:53 pm. You guys, if I sound panicked it’s just because there’s a lot happening at once and I’m trying to keep up with everything. It’s not because I think we should panic yet. Yes, Romney is in the lead right now. But the really important states haven’t been called yet. So it’s not time to panic. I’ll tell you when it’s time to panic.

8:55 pm. Tons of polls closing in the nine o’clock hour. Too many for me to list. I’m going to list them as they’re called for one candidate or the other by MSNBC.

8:59 pm. From my girlfriend, re: Massachusetts going to Obama. She says she found it on her Facebook.

9:00 pm. Rachel Maddow describes this as “a giant batch of poll closings.” Michigan to Obama. Texas to Romney. New York to Obama. Louisiana to Romney. Kansas to Romney. New Mexico to Obama. Nebraska to Romney, but they split electoral votes in Nebraska so 4 out of 5 electoral votes go to Romney. North Dakota to Mitt Romney, South Dakota to Romney. Arizona to Romney. 114 to Obama, 153 to Romney.

9:04 pm. Ugh, MSNBC projects the Republicans hold the House. If that’s true, that’s more John Boehner. Ugh ugh ugh.

9:06 pm. People are still in line in Virginia. STAY IN LINE, EVERYONE!

9:07 pm. Jersey is projected to Obama! MY VOTE HELPED WITH THAT!

9:09 pm. Katlyn made some white wine with patriotic fruit.

9:10 pm. Bob Casey wins for Senate in Pennsylvania. My girlfriend: “Oh Bob Casey, you’re not really much better than Republicans. But at least you’re a Democrat.”

9:14 pm. A screen shot of the MSNBC map that I’m looking at, if you don’t have cable.

9:15 pm. MSNBC projects Obama as the winner in Pennsylvania! You guys, both candidates really wanted that one. This is a good thing!

9:17 pm. Kirsten Gillibrand projected to win in New York.

9:19 pm. As per some of the commenters, keep in mind that these are ALL projections. They’re probably pretty accurate, but they’re still projections.

9:22 pm. Malaika sent us more This Hour Has 22 Minutes. Thank you, Canada, for this Big Bird sketch.

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNmPNiYT4tI’]

9:23 pm. Commenters! I have two rules for you! One, NO PANICKING! It is just not that time yet. Two, you must be sober enough to recognize a concession speech.

9:27 pm. Guess what everyone?! It’s Intern Grace’s birthday! We will probably win in Ohio because it’s Grace’s birthday.

9:28 pm. Wisconsin called for Obama! *”On Wisconsin” plays in my head / on the live blog*

9:32 pm. Style editor Lizz trying to bake cookies for all the donors to Autostraddle’s new website, but instead watching the election. I feel you, Lizz.

9:34 pm. Reader Lauren checking people in to the Democratic Victory Party in Nevada.

9:36 pm. Maddow just told me that, while her race is too close to call, Tammy Baldwin is in the lead. I WANT A LESBIAN IN THE SENATE!

9:38 pm. See? No panicking yet please! 158 for Obama, 153 for Romney.

9:42 pm. Voters Don’t Care That Tammy Baldwin is Gay.

9:43 pm. ELIZABETH WARREN PROJECTED TO DEFEAT SCOTT BROWN! THEY JUST CALLED IT.

9:45 pm. Joe Donnelly defeats Richard Murdock, the guy that said children born of rape is God’s will.

9:46 pm. Some Elizabeth Warren worship:

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htX2usfqMEs’]

9:50 pm. Reader Katlyn summarizes all our feelings about Rachel Maddow in one picture.

9:51 pm. New Hampshire goes to Obama!

9:52 pm. Obama 162. Romney 153.

9:55 pm. Same-sex marriage in Maryland is hella close.

9:56 pm. Iowa, Montana, Nevada and Utah. All closing in the 10 o’clock hour.

10:00 pm. Utah and Montana to Romney.

10:01 pm. Obama and Romney are tied in electoral votes.

10:04 pm. Chris Hayes tells us that the Senate promises to be more polarized than it is now.

10:06 pm. Clare McCaskill projected to win against Todd Legitimate Rape Akin. Rachel Maddow says McCaskill wanted to run against Akin so badly that she ran ads for him.

10:08 pm. What some of us feel like right now. (Even/especially the person who’s been live blogging this shit for fourteen hours.)

[yframe url=’https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1-xK3eDHrw’]

10:09 pm. “The war on women is breaking for the Democrats.”

10:11 pm. MSNBC: Chris Murphy’s victory speech. The new Democratic Senator from Connecticut.

10:12 pm. Mitt Romney wins entire state of Nebraska, all 5 votes.

10: 15 pm. Chloe voted for the first time today too! I’m so proud of all you queermo first time voters!

10:16 pm. Romney would have to get 5 of 6 remaining battleground states to win.

10:18 pm. Here’s where we can all keep up on the Maine marriage equality initiative. Question 1 is too close.

10:20 pm. The Tammy Baldwin race is still too close, guys. I know some people have called it but I’m not comfortable with that yet.

10:22 pm. People are still in line in Florida! Laneia hopes that someone had “stay in line” in their drinking game.

10:25 pm. A big shout out to my girlfriend, who has played a huge role in keeping me watered and fed while I obsessively follow this election. Thanks honey!

10:28 pm. Just putting out the MSNBC map again.

10:31 pm. Massachusetts appears to have legalized medical marijuana.

10:32 pm. Good point, MSNBC. Where are the concession speeches? We’re hearing from victors before concession speeches have been given.

10:34 pm. Romney gets Arizona.

10:37 pm. Romney 174, Obama 162.

10:38 pm. Differing accounts of whether or not the Romney campaign remains optimistic. “Based on what?” Guys, even though it looks like he’s leading, Romney literally has to sweep the remaining battleground states to win.

10:42 pm. Reader T-Bone showing off his election pride with reader Mary’s sticker.

10:43 pm. Minnesota for Obama!

10:44 pm. Romney 174, Obama 172.

10:47 pm. Voters on Staten Island vote by flash light.

10:48 pm. My girlfriend re: Todd Akin’s concession speech– “He should have lost on that comb-over alone.”

10:49 pm. Missouri for Romney.

10:50 pm. “I’m so tired of listening to old white men talk.” – Marni

10:54 pm. Brandy Howard with the queers at the Victory Party in Chicago.

10:55 pm. Elizabeth Warren on MSNBC!

10:56 pm. She’s really wonderful. “We’re gonna fight for a level playing field and we’re gonna put people back to work.”

10:56 pm. “i hope todd akin walks into a concrete pillar tomorrow on his way to get a coffee” –laneia on g-chat just now

11:00 pm.

11:01 pm. California, Washington and Hawaii for Obama. Idaho for Romney.

11:03 pm. Obama 243, Romney 188.

11:04 pm. North Carolina to Romney.

11:08 pm. 

11:10 pm. Iowa for Obama!

11:12 pm. Oregon for Obama too!

11:13 pm. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING? DID OBAMA JUST WIN!?

11:14 PM.  IT’S REALLY HAPPENING! HE’S AT 274! OBAMA’S GOT IT!

11:15 pm. He got Ohio, guys, that’s what did it!

11:17 pm.

11:19 pm. “tbh i’m mostly glad ohio didn’t ruin everything forever” –Intern Grace.

11:21 pm. I’m now adding a purpose to this open thread: we are now also an internet birthday party for Intern Grace.

11:22 pm. We even got this despite Citizens United! Unlimited money doesn’t always win. Sometimes humans win instead.

11:24 pm. MHP in some big ass headphones tells me how wonderful things are. The night is lovely, queermos! Let’s get unsober!

11:28 pm. “i’d like to thank my grandmother in ohio for voting obama” – Riese.

11:30 pm.

11:34 pm. Colorado legalizes recreational use and commercial sale of marijuana. You guys in CO, please enjoy your celebratory Obama party tonight with this extra special news in mind.

11:38 pm. Oy, Romney, concede already. I need to sleep.

11:41 pm. Romney campaign is not conceding Ohio, doesn’t believe that Ohio is decided.

11:44 pm. 

11:47 pm. You guys, if marriage equality wins in all four states and Tammy Baldwin gets elected, Imma die of perfect.

11:52 pm. When everyone at Intern Naimah’s house heard that Obama won:

12:00 am. MAINE!!!

12:07 am. Mainers United says thank you to everyone for winning equality for all families.

12:10 am. For what it’s worth, Colorado for Obama.

12:14 am. Huffington Post has a live updating post full of marriage equality ballot referendums.  Who’s getting married in Maine?

12:18 am. Maddow tells me Maryland has legalized same sex marriage!

12:22 am. Still no concession from Romney. Lesbian Jesus, doesn’t he know I need to go to bed?

12:37 am. Tammy Duckworth wins her race!

12:38 am. Minnesota, do the right thing and oust Michelle Bachmann.

12:44 am. Obama is winning the popular vote too, y’all.

12:45 am. Cory Booker on MSNBC! Fuck yeah Cory Booker!

12:46 am. Cory Booker tells me that Washington is leading in our favor, re: marriage equality. When Cory Booker says something, I believe it. Still too close to call though.

12:47 am. Romney allegedly speaking in 7 minutes. Concession?

12:51 am. Romney has called President Obama to congratulate him on his victory.

12:54 am. TAMMY BALDWIN WINS IN WISCONSIN!

12:55 am. We have a lesbian in the Senate and Romney is conceding. I might die of perfect.

12:57 am. Well queermos, I am signing off for the night. We have a concession from Romney, now we’re waiting for a victory speech from Obama. But you don’t need my commentary to enjoy that. Just sit back and cry wildly at everything President Obama says. Don’t fight it, you know it’s going to happen. And thank you. Thank you to everyone who voted today, because we all made this happen together. As a community. Pat each other on the back, buy each other some beer. Because yes we did. Good night everyone.

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