The Day After the Election - 12:08 a.m. 

"[The Campaign] grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy." -PRESIDENT-ELECT Barack Obama

I am not ashamed to care.

I am not ashamed to weep tears of relief and joy tonight.

Thank you all for being with me and reading this post.
This is what it feels like to start to change the world.

Sleep tight, OS. Tomorrow, the work begins.

Election Night - 11:55 p.m.

The election is over.
Barack Obama will speak to us as the President-Elect of the United States of America in a few moments.

I am overwhelmingly proud to be an American tonight.

It is now up to us to help Barack Obama change the world.

Be excellent to each other.

AND PARTY ON!!!!

Election Night - 11:37 p.m.

I have never seen so many people openly weeping on national television.

We are truly making history.
Finally.
Together.

This is for Joseph, and everyone else too!!!

The AP just called Florida for Obama.

We can hear people in our quiet neighborhood screaming "Obama!!!" 

This is truly awesome.

My vote mattered!!!!!!! 

THEY CAN'T TAKE THIS. EVER.

THEY STOLE MY STATE EIGHT YEARS AGO AND I TOOK IT BACK, YOU BASTARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Election Night - 10:48 p.m. 

State of Florida: 

51% Obama

49% McCain

80% of precincts reporting.

 If they don't call Florida soon I'm going to have a nervous breakdown.

The Man says I should call Florida.

 I'M CALLING FLORIDA!!!

(You heard it here first!)

Duval County :

190,216 - McCain

187,897 - Obama

50-50, statistically.

Election Night - 10:15 p.m.

I felt this way once before.
It was 1992.
I was 17 years old.
Game six of the World Series.
The Atlanta Braves bunted and won the game.
At the same time, Clinton crossed the electoral point of no return.

The Braves went on to lose the series, but Bill went on to victory.

I danced, I sang, I cried.
This time, I was old enough to vote.

Florida remains 51-48%.

However, the electoral vote count according to CNN is

207 Obama

95 McCain

Ladies and gentleman, it is officially raining whoopass.

Election Night - 9:32 p.m.

Presidential Election -
(Florida)

Obama - 51%

McCain - 48%

55% of precincts reporting.

I am proud to say that Duval County went to Obama!!

WOO HOO!!!!

Election Night - 8:13 p.m.

Things are happening fast now. It looks like the troglodyte gay marriage ban is going to pass. So far it's 60% Yes, 40% No.

Presidential Election -
(Florida)

Obama 54%
McCain 46%

23% of precincts reporting
The important thing about that is that counts Orlando and St. Pete, which are really huge. 

GOBAMA! 

Election Night - 7:52 p.m. --- EARLY RESULTS!!!

Florida - With 140 of 6,945 precincts reporting -

Obama - 633,262 votes 56%

McCain 425, 944 40%

All other candidates are showing with less than 1%.

Please check out Dorinda's liveblog in Central Florida!

For the rest of the night, the current post will be in bold and at the top of the blog. GOBAMA!!!

"My fellow Americans, as a young boy, I dreamed of being a baseball, but tonight I say, we must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, TWIRLING towards freedom."
~Kang as President Clinton - The Simpsons 

::program note: As per Zerry's instructions, I'll be updating this blog as news comes in from my state and/or precinct today. Newest posts will be at the top, timestamped and separated with a horizontal bar. My aim is to make this like Liz's debate blogs in reverse. Please read from the bottom up. Get out and vote REALLY HARD! GOBAMA FOR GRANDMAMA!!!::

Election Night - 7:08 p.m.

I am going to pass out or throw up or something similarly undignified.
I am a wigwam. I am a tepee.

The polls have closed in Florida.

See the Duval County Election Results as they are posted here.

No precincts have reported yet.

I need a drink, which reminds me... the drinking word is "nailbiter".
That is all.

Election Day - 6:49 p.m.

Polls close in 11 minutes.

Here are the latest photos of my polling place:

No lines stretching out the door.
 

But there IS a line!

There's even a line to get OUT.

The sun sets on the McCain/Palin campaign in Florida.
 

That one is for Marco, because it makes him blush when I tell him he's muy caliente!

Election Day - 4:57 p.m.

Please check out Lisa's excellent article on Central Florida!

Election Day 4:07 p.m. BREAKING NEWS!

Five "poll watchers" - people who observe the polls as representatives of the parties - have been told to leave spots inside polling places in Duval County. The Supervisor of Elections, Jerry Holland, said they were ordered to stand at least 100 feet from the area after ignoring warnings not to interact with voters. Holland said those ejected were from both parties. About 20 watchers have been warned about their activities so far today.

Election Day 3:24 p.m.

A dying man in Merritt Island, Florida fulfilled his last wish on the way to the hospital when he stopped to mail his absentee ballot.

Lloyd Chamberlain died a few days ago during a triple bypass operation. Before he died, the 54-year-old Merritt Island man gave his wife his wedding ring and put his absentee ballot in the mail. Chamberlain voted for McCain.

The Supervisor of Elections says it was postmarked before he died, so it counts.

Of course, I wish he had voted for Obama, but that is real dedication to the process.

Election Day - 2:57 p.m. 

 Your intrepid reporter ventured out after putting the kidlets down for a nap, as promised. My first stop was the Obama HQ, to let them know they were on the cover of OS. They were happy. Tired and busy, but happy. It was a very different scene from last night. The parking lot was almost full and there were workers buzzing everywhere.

I moved on to my local precincts. First, my precinct.
 
More empty than this morning, but the McCain folks had noticed my post from this morning and wanted to get in on the action:

The sign brigade had been out for everyone, actually.
 
I moved on to the next polling station, less than a half mile away on University Boulevard.
 
This is evidently the lunchtime lull. Vote now! Skip the lines!
Moving to the east, I noticed that Tim Deegan - surfer/weatherman had LIED. It was now lunchtime. Clouds were not dispersing.
 
No rain yet, but not the sunniest day.
I stopped on Merrill Road at the Lutheran Church polling station.
 

Here's one very happy little future voter.
 
She was greeted by John, a very nice poll worker who asked me to take his picture.

I love John. I could have sat there and talked with him all day.
John's hat says, "Peace." I wonder who John voted for?

Here's some words to live by here in Florida:
 

Election Day 12:02 p.m.

From the noon news:
All people in line at 7 p.m. will be given numbers to allow them to vote. No one will be allowed to vote who is not in line at 7 p.m.

No major problems to report. A few optical scan machines broke down on the Northside, but they replaced the machines.

Here in Arlington, there are currently no lines to vote. Only the FCCJ (Florida Community College at Jacksonville) campus polling place had a problem. The precinct manager with the keys to the machines and the voter rolls just didn't show up. It took about 45 minutes to get those transfered to another person.

The kidlets are insisting on lunch. After they eat I'm laying them down for a nap. I have arranged a sitter, so I'll be out to take more photos from polling places and more here in Jacksonville. More later!

GOBAMA!

Election Day 10:48 a.m.
Tim Deegan, surfer/weatherman says that we will have a high of 72 and the clouds will clear by lunchtime. This is great news. The talking head on CNN said just an inch of rain reduces voter turnout by up to 20%.

Some problems are beginning to be reported on our local news updates. Electronic signature machines malfunctioned at five precincts in Pasco County, forcing elections workers to register people on paper while waiting for the Fix-It Dude. (Or Fix-It Lady, to be fair)

In Clearwater, some ballot scanners didn't work for about 45 minutes because of a paper jam. The problem was eventually fixed.

In Palm Beach County, home of the butterfly ballot fiasco, officials said some machines at the 450 polling locations are not accepting ballots because voters are not filling out the second page, which contains proposed amendments to the Florida Constitution.

 If I lived in Palm Beach County, I'd be afraid if I turned the page, I'd be voting for Pat Buchanan. Or worse.

Not too much bad news, but the day is young. I must be vigilant. More from Obama headquarters:

Posters from rallies and visitors to the HQ. Close ups:

Remember why you're voting today.

Get out there and vote!

I get dressed, tell The Man to get the coffee maker going and head out the door to the place that would be my polling place, if I hadn't already voted. It is .7 miles from my home.
 

I find a parking space easily. I see people going in and out with their children before dropping them off at the school across the street. There are no lines yet.

The day is overcast and warm. I hear James Carville on CNN Radio. They ask him what message he'd send to voters today. He says, "Don't give up." The first tears come. The day is finally here. Our fate is being decided today. The fate of our sons and daughters. Today is going to change the world. In the first South African elections, a 90 year old woman died while waiting in line for two days to vote. Don't let anything stop you. Not ANYTHING.

Election Eve - 7 p.m.

I approach the Jacksonville Obama HQ. Night has fallen on the "First Coast". Polls close in 24 hours.

I had called the office before I came, explaining that I was a blogger on OpenSalon. I was invited to come down. They asked that I ask permission of the workers if I was going to post their picture and said I couldn't get any on the record quotes. This was pretty standard at every office.

I didn't take any photos of the workers. But, let me tell you, they were the most beautiful people in the world at that moment.

Scenes from inside HQ:
 

 
They were out of EVERYTHING. McCain was not. Take that as you will. While I was in the office five people came in trying to get yard signs.

The Ospreys are the University of North Florida mascot.

 
The phone bank

 This is by FAR my favorite thing in the office. If you look closely, it's made of lifesavers. It is appropriately called, "Lifesaver".

A close up:
 

I thanked the folks at HQ and wrote down my name and the URL for OS. They were REALLY great people. As I previously blogged, I was there when they heard that Obama's grandmother had died. They were very sad, but resolute. We MUST win. We MUST. I asked the woman at the reception desk if I could come back tonight. She said, "Sure! We're not leaving." So, a big shout-out to the workers at HQ on Beach Boulevard! Thanks for the hospitality! GOBAMA! 

Election Eve - 6:35

I slip off my wedding ring, attempt to look innocent, then tell the Button Lady I'm working on a project for a Poli Sci class. Sometimes journalists have to get sneaky. Don't judge me.
 

Close up of a pitbull with lipstick. Really. It's in the lower right corner above.
 
I walk toward the building. Some signs along the way:
 
Obviously, Amendment #2 is Florida's version of Prop 8.
We can see where they stand.
 

Ooh! It lights up!
I go inside HQ and repeat my story. I am told not to take any photos of the workers themselves, but I'm allowed to shoot the inside of the building.
 

It's a darned good thing they are doing all that work to make the distinction between McCain and Bush. This is what you see when you first walk into HQ.
 
I am then provided with this little gem to "help me vote". Please remember, these folks believe that I am a college student. 
  

Notice that McCain is still claiming that Obama wants sex education for kindergarteners. Very nice.

The people inside explained to us that the phone bank was housed next door. In the church. I'll let that lie there like the stinking, rotting carcass it truly is.

I thank the wingnuts and leave. Never EVER say there's something I won't do for OpenSalon. Seriously. I could have been KILLED!

On the way out of the parking lot, I see another church.
  

It is entirely possible that someone put this here without the church's knowledge. But it looks a little worn for that, doesn't it?

Next:
Inside Obama's HQ. 

Election Eve - 6:30 p.m.

I arrive at McCain's Jacksonville Headquarters. I am first struck by the fact that I have parked behind a church and there are McCain signs being distributed inside. McCain's HQ is housed in the building next door.

Note the cross and the inverted McCain/Palin sign inside. Perhaps the address is 668. (Next door neighbor of The Beast?)

I was under the impression that churches were not allowed to endorse candidates because they enjoy tax exempt status. Please correct me if I'm wrong here, but this is a church. Here's the front side of the church.

Where you see the McCain/Palin sign is the front of the "Official" McCain/Palin HQ. We observed workers going freely between the two buildings.

Being charitable and cautious, I approach the building. (After running back and pulling the "105.7 Progressive Talk" sticker off the Dragon Wagon.)

Seen in the parking lot:
 

I've always wondered what the hell that was supposed to mean.

 
Women. Women for McCain/Palin. Really. Who knew?
 

I say we give him some pretzels, a never ending supply of beer and put Spongebob on the TV. Maybe it'll distract him long enough to keep him from screwing anything else up before Obama's sworn in.

 
It's a little blurry, but this is a "Save Our Seas" license plate. This individual has paid over $50 extra for a license plate which gives money to oceanic environmentalism, then works for the McCain campaign. Drill, baby, drill, indeed.

Next... I enter the snake pit.

Election Eve - 6:00 p.m.

Now I'm feeling saucy. I've already met a candidate just because I crossed the right bridge. I decide to head over to the McCain headquarters on Beach Boulevard. As I drive, here are a few of the sights...
 

If you look closely below, this sign is behind Stan Jordan in my photo with him.

An overpass on Arlington Expressway.

Stan Jordan repeatedly calls me "sweetheart". I vaguely recall that The Man and I didn't vote for him because we found a website that had a transcript of him going on about God in the schools at a hearing while he was a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. He was, however, very nice and talked with me specifically about my kids' schools.

This reminds me, if you're in Mr. Leverette's fifth grade class, "Vote for Drew! It's Good For You!" (This has been a paid advertisement from the Jodi's Kid for Class Mayor Campaign.)

Election Eve, November 3, 2008 - 5:00 p.m.

I snag a friend and hit the town.

First Stop - Neighborhood Obama Outpost/Former Jamaican Eatery
 

 Plenty of folks were honking their horns in support. There were roughly two dozen volunteers present. Let me be clear, this is NOT the county DNC headquarters or Obama Headquarters. Simply a neighborhood headquarters. The big boys will come later.

We went inside and were greeted warmly. I identified myself as a blogger and asked if I could take pictures. I was told that the neighborhood volunteer centers were instructed not to do any press not coordinated by the Obama campaign itself. I believe this is smart, considering what is at stake. They were friendly and helpful. They invited me to take the photo above.

I said goodbye and headed down the street to turn The Dragon Wagon around. Well... I guess some folks aren't very pleased to have the Obama volunteers in their neighborhood.

I found this sign four houses away from the center. Every single house between had a McCain sign, even one which was vacant and sporting a "For Rent" sign.

I made the trip over the Mathews Bridge to check out the goings on at the Supervisor of Elections office for Duval County. No one was there, doors were locked up tight.

Total: 542,704

I crossed back over the bridge and encountered one of our candidates for school board.

Stan & I greet the voters.
Stan informed me that he was The Man with the Plan.
I didn't vote for him, but I didn't tell him that.

More about Stan, being at the (real) Obama Headquarters when we found out his grandmother had passed away and crashing the McCain headquarters - tomorrow morning.

STAY TUNED!