The Election Vigil

This year, though, much of the voting has already taken place.  Early voting has resulted in the casting of some 92 million ballots.  In Texas, as many people have voted early (9.6 million) as voted in the entire 2016 election (8.9 million)!  Nationwide, the early votes already constitute 67% of the 2016 totals.  In-person early votes will at least be counted by Election Day.  Mail-in ballots, though, are being accepted in some states as late as 17 days later.  (Go here to see the different deadlines.)  So we may not know who won the election tonight after all, not even considering the possibility of court challenges and voter fraud allegations.

But we probably will.  Donald Trump is behind in the polls, and some observers are predicting a Biden landslide.  But whatever the polls say, what matters is who bothers to cast a vote.  The polls were wrong in 2016, and history could repeat itself.

The presidential race is not the only one to watch tonight.  The Senate races will be of utmost importance.  If the Republicans can hang onto control of the Senate, they will be able to prevent the Democratic left from implementing their more radical programs, even if Biden wins.  If the Democrats take the Senate, they will be able to do pretty much anything they want.  An ascendant progressive movement, flush with victory,  will be energized and ambitious, especially if they take control of both the Executive and the Legislative branches.  They will not, however, have the Supreme Court, which can also serve as a brake on their ambitions.  A Democratic-controlled Senate, though, could increase the number of justices to take political control of the court.  It could also push for statehood for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, creating four more Democratic senators and setting the stage for a one-party regime that could last for decades.  So the Senate races may be even more important than who gets the presidency.

Another drama tonight is how the losing side will conduct itself.  If Trump loses, will he claim voter fraud and try to tie up the election in the courts?  If Biden loses, will his radical allies riot in the streets?  Or will the candidates and Americans on either side accept the verdict of democracy?

At any rate, tonight should be interesting, suspenseful, and historic.

So join me here tonight for the election vigil.

Image by Mary Pahlke from Pixabay