Did you know we’re having an election? Hahahahahahaha… okay, seriously. We’re having an election!! Early voting in our county started TODAY! The top photo is the coloring book I won in Suzanne’s giveaway. At my request, she sent the coloring book to my sister.
I think most people who read this blog share my political views (but if not, we can still be friends!) so I’m not afraid of offending anyone when I say that I’m voting for Kamala Harris because a) she’s not Trump (I mean….obviously), and b) she’s a WOMAN.
Eight years ago, I brought my daughter along with me when I voted. I was so, so sure that Hillary Clinton would win (sob) and I wanted my daughter to see me mark my ballot. I told her we’ve never had a woman president before. Her astonished response was, “We HAVEN’T? Why NOT???” Great question.
I’m tired of this BS. I know Harris isn’t perfect, but I want to see a woman president! If she doesn’t win this election, I blame it on the deep-seated misogyny and racism in our country. I hope we can overcome it.
My daughter is too young to vote (she’s 15) but this is my son’s first time voting in a presidential election! He’s away at college, but he requested a mail-in ballot from Florida, and has already sent it in. I’m excited for him. The thought that this is his first election, with many more ahead of him in his lifetime, helps me remember that even if things don’t go our way this time, there will be other elections. We’ll vote again in four years (er. Hopefully…)
One more thing. Is it my imagination, or is this election less vicious than the last one? I mean, I know people still feel passionately on both sides. But it just seems like we’re all less prone to going around shouting angrily at each other. Four years ago, we had to ban all political talk in our break room at work. I remember our boss saying “Hopefully next time we can have a kinder, more gentle election.” Is that actually happening?
OR, is this the calm before the storm? Are people quieter because they’re wary? Are people afraid of what Trump will do if he wins, and also afraid of what he’ll do if he doesn’t win? All I know is, I’ve been dreading his election for four years, but now that it’s here, it hasn’t been so bad. Of course, I may have to revise that thought on November 6th.
When are you voting? – I’ll be voting on Wednesday!
Have you noticed that people are quieter this time around? Do you think it’s because we’re too exhausted to fight, or that we’re scared?
31 Responses
Canadian for Kamala here, and I AM super afraid that sexism took down Hilary and now sexism AND racism are in play, but I am glad you’re finding it less vicious and that you have hope for the future even if Trump wins (please no). I did lose a couple of blog friends – not when Trump was elected, but after Roe was overturned because, well, there are some things that mean to me that we can’t actually be friends anymore, unfortunately.
LOVE the colouring book.
Yes, I agree hat sexism took down Hilary. There are some things I just try not to talk about with friends, Roe v. Wade being one of them. But I guess the people I’m afraid to talk about it with aren’t very close friends anyway.
I voted last week (mail in ballot) and it felt GOOD. I think part of the reason the last election was so fraught was that Trump was in the White House, and tweeting mean shit all of the time, and it was EXHAUSTING. Also COVID was raging, and some people were acting like it was no big deal, and there were stories everywhere about front line workers in grocery stores and restaurants getting yelled at for trying to maintain rules that they had no say in creating, and it was EXHAUSTING. Also after the murder of George Floyd, and all of the demonstrations, and some people looting stores, and more and more stories of black Americans being killed by the police, and it was EXHAUSTING. So we were all exhausted and on edge and likely to be brittle around each other. I think that’s part of why it was so bad. I can’t understand why people don’t remember how bad it was, and how our President took bad situations and every time made them worse.
I also worry about the aftermath of the election, no matter who wins. Of course I want Harris to win. I happen to like her, she was my pick in the field of hopefuls in 2020. She’s not perfect, but no one is. My daughter’s first Presidential election was 2016, so she got to vote for Clinton, which was great. Would have been even more great if she had won. Sigh.
Fingers crossed for a Harris presidency, and a Congress that will allow shit to get done.
Wow. I had actually somehow forgotten just how bad things were in 2020. Of course we were all on edge. It’s making me appreciate how much more calm things are right now… except as you said, the aftermath of the election could be ugly.
Yes, thanks to J for bringing back how awful 2020 was!
Yet somehow EVEN MORE is at stake this time. Jenny, as you point out, if things don’t go well, we may not have a chance to vote again in 4 years…
Our early voting begins on Thursday and I am excited too. Excited and also worried because I just don’t trust the polling so I genuinely have no idea how this election will turn out.
I have also felt like there hasn’t been as much noise around this election as previously, but I think I thought that was because I live in pretty blue area in a pretty blue state and consume a lot of blue media so maybe I’m in somewhat of a quiet echo chamber.
I’m actually pretty excited when I think about the choices my kids might have on their ballot. Maybe they’ll vote for a gay president! Or a Jewish president! Or an autistic president!
That must be nice. I live in a red state, in a county that was previously blue but is now pretty split (I mean- Trump actually LIVES IN OUR COUNTY, AAAUUUGH!!!) Last election was awful. This one is so calm by comparison.
If Harris wins, I’ll be excited for the choices our kids might have on their ballots. If she doesn’t win I feel like we’ll be right back where we started (or, worse.)
this coloring book is soooo cool! I really want to know what would be the outcome of this election this time. so much at the stake.
Coco, we will all find out soon! It’s not that far away. Gulp.
What a great coloring book.
YES HARRIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m worried that she won’t win like Hilary didn’t. Fingers crossed.
But there so many including bloggers/runners who don’t share our views.
I try to be quiet about mine.
I know- I don’t usually post about politics. i think MOST of the bloggers in our community share our views. But I know I would be turned off if I read a pro-Trump post. So… it’s tricky. It would be nice if we could all just respect one another’s political views, but it’s really hard nowadays.
Also voting for Kamala, obv. There are a lot of fun signs in my neighborhood since I live in Walz’s state but my favorite is one that say “Harris & Walz… obviously.” This is the first election season that I’ve been off social media. I left social media in December 2021. I do think not being exposed to all the election content is hepful for me. In 2020, I was even sick of seeing content from people I agreed with! We also do not have the news on much anymore but we definitely did in the months leading up to 2020 because Paul was younger and pretty oblivious to the news… now he is not and there is a lot of scary content on the news, especially the national news, given the conflict in the Middle East. So I think not watching the news also helps? Abby had CNN on one morning at her house and I had to turn it off because it was stressing me out!!
Early voting has started in MN but I am gone so much between now and the election that I kind of doubt I’ll get a chance to vote early. But I kind of like the idea of bringing Paul with me to vote. I remember my parents taking them with me to vote. Our voting place is the community center that is adjacent to his elementary school so it’s easy to pick him up and then go vote.
That’s the other thing- I don’t see ANY signs in the neighborhood this time. Last time there were a lot. And, I almost got a shirt that said “Harris and Walz, obviously” but weirdly decided not to, because I’m not seeing any political stuff around. I just didn’t want to stir up trouble, which again is not how I felt last time!
I absolutely can’t have the news on- it makes me crazy.
Have fun voting! I love that you’ll be taking Paul with you.
I just dropped my ballot in the mail yesterday! I voted for Kamala and like you, I am very ready for a woman president! I’m definitely worried about the outcome of the election but I did my part by voting and all I can do now is wait.
The first presidential election I got to vote in was 2012, and I proudly cast my vote for Obama! I think that was the only election where I voted in person — ever since I’ve gotten mail-in ballots which has been way more convenient for me, but there is something kind of cool about voting alongside others on Election Day.
I always used to vote on election day, and I loved it. But now life is more complicated, and I just feel better about getting it done early (Wednesdays are my days off of work, so it just works out better for me.)
Team Kamala here! I feel good about the election. From what I remember, in 2008 a lot of people were saying that we weren’t ready for a black president.
There are a lot of Trump signs where I live, and one thing that I love about traveling is seeing more Kamala signs. Buffalo and Rochester stand out to me.
I’ll be voting in person on Nov 5! I’ve done absentee ballot for the past few years but for whatever reason I felt like going in person this year.
Voting in person is fun! Now with early voting and the mail-in ballots, voting in person on election day is easy. In my experience the lines aren’t too bad. Now I kind of want to wait till November 5th, but I’ll probably be less anxious about it if I vote early.
I filled out my mail-in ballot over the weekend and am dropping it at the early voting location this morning! Please, please let Kamala win…the support the other candidate has given to racism and sexism in this country is deeply troubling to me. It will be bad enough to see what happens when he loses, but if he won, ugh. Please, no.
I know. I can’t really let myself think much further than the election because it stresses me out too much. If we don’t get the desired outcome, I’ll worry about it then.
I am voting on election day– I love it. I think Harris is going to lose, and I can’t sleep at night worrying, but I am doing everything I can do (mostly door-knocking) to help her win.
SARAH. DO NOT SAY THAT. Arg, now I’m depressed.
We have some signs in my neighborhood for both sides! I will be casting my vote for Kamala and am looking forward to it (need to figure out early voting locations although I also sometimes kind of enjoy the process of voting on election day!) and I also agree perhaps things have been less vicious OR maybe I’ve learned to stay out of the vicious places. I want to be respectful of the process and of people voting for their chosen candidate even if it’s not what I would choose.
I did see a bumper sticker the other day that said (with the full words written out) “F Biden and F you for voting for him” and I was just dismayed. I just want everyone to be kind and that was . . . not. (My KIDS pointed it out, too – which – I mean, yes I curse at home, but F words on bumper stickers is a little much.)
Wow. See, that’s the type of thing I remember from last election but haven’t seen much of this time. You really have to wonder about a person who would put that on their car! I’m still amazed that we have NO signs in our area right now??? You could almost think there is no election coming up, it’s weird.
That coloring book is adorable!
Election anxiety is really getting to me… I have to kind of drug myself with books and music to the point of exhaustion before I can even fall asleep…
That said, I think the overall Trump mania has died down a little this cycle. I’m hoping a lot of his fans just don’t feel strongly enough to go out and actually vote.
That’s definitely a hope- there are still some crazies out there (see SHU’s comment, above) but maybe the mania has died down. Books and music are good drugs right now!
We’ll be sending in our ballots this week. I live in a blue state so my vote counts a little “less” (although I am pretty relieved to know that the “few people with the Tr*mp signs in their front yards”- votes won’t count much here either). This election is going to be decided by a handful of states and I do hope people get out.
You might be right, that the election season is a little quieter this time around (even though not less crazy, if you ask me), but I am hopeful that a lot of people who have not exercised their right to vote in previous elections will do so this time.
Too much is at stake.
P.S. That coloring book is awesome. I remember when Suzanne shared it on her blog!
I agree that it’s still crazy, and the stakes are HIGH. I guess considering that, I’m surprised people aren’t acting more crazy. But I’m happy things are more calm this time.
I think it’s really vicious this time. Last time, I don’t think anyone around me really thought Trump could win, but this time it’s all out. I’m in a swing state and people are defacing signs and there have been road rage incidents over bumper stickers. It’s not fun. (Also, I’m with Sarah. In Wisconsin, it seems like Trump is going to win. There’s not a lot of Harris support. I see other people saying Trump mania has died down and I wish I lived where you lived.)
I’m worried about the aftermath of the election no matter the results. If Trump wins, the republic will fall and any elections we have from here on out will be shams. If Harris wins, I think we should all be prepared for political violence to break out. Trump will never concede and January 6th was just a warm-up. I am really not having a good time of it these days
It’s REALLY interesting to hear how different life is in a swing state!!! I can see how your experience would be completely different than those of us who live in Florida, or California, or almost any other state. CAN WE PLEASE GET RID OF THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, IT MAKES NO SENSE.
I’m glad we have NaBloPoMo coming up. It definitely helps to have the support of like-minded people.
My stomach is in KNOTS about this election. I’m furious that Kamala isn’t further ahead in polls because she is an EXCELLENT candidate against the worst president of our time. She has good plans for the future while he has nothing. It makes me so angry! I am holding out hope that in 2016, nobody thought Trump would win so voter turnout might have been lower (and more people voted third party and now they understand WE CAN’T DO THAT!). Now we know he CAN absolutely win and I hope that the fear of what another Trump presidency will mean gives us a Kamala win. I just have to have that hope, otherwise I’m just going to melt into a puddle.
I’m dropping off my ballot this weekend! Gotta figure out all the damn amendments first, gah.
Stephany, I got a democratic “cheat sheet” and they recommended no for all amendments except 3 and 4 (yes on those of course!) And, I know- I just can’t think about it too much, otherwise I get incredibly anxious and I can’t live like that. I do have hope… but after 2016 I know anything could happen.