Election night watching tips

Tuesday, Nov. 3, is almost upon us. Election Day. As they say at the start of the Indy 500, ladies and gentlemen, start your engines! We should probably add to that, “and hold on tight.”

Things could get a little crazy.

The midterm elections are almost always unusual and unpredictable, but this year? Maybe even more than usual, as the volatility, the divisiveness, and the overall tone of the candidates and their supporters have been quite contentious.

With all of that in mind, we give you below some election night television-watching tips:

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• Have a strong alcoholic beverage on hand for the “just in case” scenario.

• Don’t start watching too early. Election night viewing is a marathon, not a sprint. The early results usually mean very little, as many polling booths in Mountain Time and other western zones haven’t even closed yet.

• Be prepared for new, fancy technology to show the breakdowns of districts, regions, counties, states, etc. It is amazing how much information they can gather, and then show it all to you, the viewer, via the fancy smart boards complete with myriads of colors, shapes, sizes, and graphics. The breakdown of the results almost becomes a “show within a show.”

• If your favorite candidate or candidates are not doing well early on‚ don’t panic. Things often change over the course of the night. You may even go to sleep all depressed, and then wake up in the morning finding out victory is now within your grasp.

• Take a late afternoon nap if you can. This will help you stay up as the evening wears on, sometimes into the early morning hours. Warning:  Tension grows as close races linger into the wee hours.

• Have we mentioned the part about having a strong alcoholic beverage nearby? You may need it.

• Watch different stations for different takes. This is definitely a good night for using the trusty old remote and flipping around to see all the different analysts.

• Do some homework and read up beforehand so you know some of the key races and key proposals that are being voted upon. A little preparation goes a long way in making the night more enjoyable and more informative.

• If you are watching with other people, who may all have different political viewpoints, be careful. Don’t take anything too personally, and if “your side” looks like it is doing well, take it all in stride without making others who did not feel as you do feel even worse. On the flip side? If “your side” is taking a beating, be a good sport, accept some defeats, and keep your composure while others may celebrate.

• Have we mentioned the part about having a strong alcoholic beverage? Can’t be stated strongly enough. You might need it as the evening wears on. 

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Final thoughts?  Let’s go with a couple:  

First, make sure you vote! It is one of our great American freedoms, and we should not take that for granted. 

Second, let’s hope there is no violence, riots, or anything of that kind (like we saw in 2020). That was an embarrassment to our country and—let’s also hope—one that will not be repeated.