(Updated 8:48 a.m EST) Live from Election Day 2016!

Posted on November 7, 2016

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The ELGL blog squad will be posting throughout the day. We’ll post our original content about elected officials, voting information from across the country, voting selfies and who knows what else.  To submit items for postings, send an email to kent@elgl.org.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Ben Kittelson – November 9

8:48 a.m EST – Sunglasses and Advil

Last night was mad real. To be honest with y’all I don’t know how to process the results of last night’s election, it’s pretty shocking. As I searched for answers on Twitter, I wanted to pass along a couple of things that I thought were interesting or thought provoking.

 

 

 

 

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt – November 8

8:33 p.m PST – What’s Left?

cwyzwqywqae43jt[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Matt Yager – November 8

9:58 p.m CST – Deep in the Heart of Texas

Three downballot initiatives I’m looking at tonight in Texas that may have nationwide interest:

1. The City of Arlington is voting tonight on whether or not the Texas Ranges will benefit from the same funding used to construct Jerryworld/AT&T Stadium.  The Ranges would like to build a new retractable roof ballpark and move out of their 22 year old current digs, and from the current results, it looks like they’ll get it.

2. The City of Dallas has changes to its pension fund for civilian employees on the ballot.  If passed (which looks likely at the moment), new employees hired in 2017 will have to work until they are 65 (rather than 60, the current age to be automatically eligible to retire) and will have future cost of living increases capped at 3% annually.

3. Lastly, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District has their tax ratification election tonight. Financing in public education in Texas is a complex subject, with some property rich school districts mandated to send property tax revenues to the state which redistributes to poorer school districts.  The state requires school districts to have an election to exceed a specific tax rate, and with the redistribution dynamic in play it makes for an interesting election.  My wife works for the district, and early indications are that it’ll go down to the wire.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt – November 8

7:48 p.m PST – At Least You Aren’t This Guy

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Ryan Adams- November 8

9:27 p.m. (Central) – Remember Truman v. Dewey?

Coming into Election Day, just about all polls and all pundits were predicting a solid (though not overwhelming) win for Hillary Clinton.  If CNN is to be believed, Donald Trump is surging ahead in some states in which he was not even expected to be competitive.

Remember the election in 1948?  Thomas Dewey was such an overwhelming favorite that he was told to basically sit back, keep low, and he would win the election on a tide of resentment against his opponent:  Harry Truman.  Truman on the other hand spend the few months of the election season barnstorming the hell out of America – crossing the nation on a whistlestop tour and speaking to 15 or 20 groups of a few hundred Americans at a time.  He pulled no punches and spared no one.  Sound a somewhat familiar?  As we know, Dewey lost in a completely unexpected upset.

Election night is full of surprises so don’t go to sleep too early.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt – November 8

6:49 p.m. – Happy Anniversary!

Regardless of what happens tonight, Kirsten and I will celebrate ten years of martial bliss on Friday. So, if you’re disappointed about tonight’s results, keep it to yourself. Don’t ruin our special week. Ten years of marriage (which is the equivalent to 30 years of marriage in 1970) should be awarded with extra tax breaks, a special “I’ve Been Married 10 Years” hoodie, and haiku’s.

(P.S – Kirsten, if you’re reading this, this is your anniversary gift.)

(P.S.S: Ben Kittelson – where are you? Are you alive? Nod once if you can hear me.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wyatt – November 8

6:15 p.m. – 1984/2016: Same Diff

gop-date-support-05I’m a wreck tonight. I didn’t realize I was going to be even more anxious than I normally am, but election night has me in knots. I didn’t realize how excited I was for a woman to be elected president until we were on the eve of it happening. And it took me back in time to the first presidential race I remember.

It was 1984 and Walter Mondale picked Geraldine Ferraro as his running mate. I was seven (same age as my oldest daughter) and old enough for my parents to talk to me about the Reagan/Bush v. Mondale/Ferraro election. My parents are yellow dog liberals, so it’s no surprise that they steered me toward the Mondale/Ferraro ticket, but I was intrigued then (as I am now) that a woman hadn’t been on a major party ticket. Ever. I adopted Geraldine Ferraro as my hero and sadly, until this election, she was the only woman that had reached that level in politics.

When I was seven, Ferraro’s loss was outside of my control. Now, I’d like to think that I’ve done my part (by voting) to make a difference, but it’s hard to tell what a female voter in Oregon can do on the national landscape. I’ll sit here biting my nails and refreshing my browser until we have a final answer.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt – November 8

6:01 p.m PST – Guy Falls Down

The ol’ trip and fall gets a laugh every time.

https://twitter.com/fsmikey/status/796169380648407042

 

 

5:52 p.m PST – GIF Giveaway

Join the fun — we’re awarding #ELGL16 swag for the best GIFs of the night. Submit your GIFs to #ELGLGIF. We want the GIF that best describes your mood tonight.

Here are a couple of early entries.

https://twitter.com/graphic_cash/status/796159181355151360

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wyatt – Tuesday, November 8

1:52 p.m. PST – You’re My Inspiration

Two posts from ELGL members to share and get y’all inspired a little more on election day.

First is from Audrey Shore in Durham, North Carolina. Audrey writes:

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I was working as nonpartisan vote protector in Durham County through Democracy NC. We asked people to complete surveys on their voting experience. Additionally, I called the voter hotline (888-our-vote) to report problems. While working I reported two incidents, including two people being asked for Id even thought the voter ID requirement was found unconstitutional and poll workers weren’t letting people know they could cast provisional ballots if they were at the wrong precinct .

Next post is from Laura Minnich in West Covina, CA. She posts and shares:

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I made sure to #pantsuitup for today’s momentous occasion and shared my outfit choice with my Mom. This was her reply text back. I had to share!!#AllTheFeels #ImWithHer

#AllTheFeels is right. Keep on election-daying, ELGL!

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Ben Kittelson – Tuesday, November 8

4:21 pm EST – The Battle for North Carolina

As we draw closer and closer to the close of the polls (and maybe the extension of voting hours in Durham County) I wanted to post one of the best pieces of reporting on the election. Vann Newkirk (@fivefifths) is one of my favorite reporters, and an awesome Twitter follow. He wrote a great piece connecting the modern voting restrictions with North Carolina’s history of discrimination and voter suppression.

Keep this topic in mind when you hear analysis of the black vote in this state.

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Mike Ekey – Tuesday, November 8

1:52 p.m CST – “Don’t be geeky, vote for Ekey”

Do you remember the first office you ran for? I’m not talking about City Council or Mayor… I’m talking about that coveted elementary school class president.

NPR got me on the nostalgia train in their story this morning when they were interviewing local folks about their first campaign experience.

http://kcur.org/post/election-day-christmas-when-youre-running-school-office

For me it brought back a wave of memories from the first time I ran for Class President at William Southern Elementary School in 1994.

My campaign manager (Mom) pulled out all the stops. We had posters, a slogan, a campaign jingle and even a killer David Letterman-style 10 Ten List stump speech that really helped bolster my support among the Kindergarten demographic.

As much as we would love to never hear a political campaign slogan for a while, maybe we can show some love the classics like, “Don’t be geeky, vote for Ekey.”

Read the stories of other ELGL members who ran for office.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wyatt – Tuesday, November 8

11:24 a.m. PST – Don’t Complain About Your Line (You’re Not Standing In a Cow Pie)

The best “I’m standing in line, waiting to vote” photo comes from ELGL member Meredith Hauck in Raymore, MO. She standing in an actual field, patiently waiting her turn. We’re hopeful that she’s jamming to her friend Shelby Teufel’s playlist while she waits…

14947484_10104071679184239_2694284030310730276_n[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Ben Kittelson: Tuesday, November 8

1:55 p.m. EST – Twitter is Lit ?

I love Twitter all the time, but it has been especially awesome so far today.

 

 

 

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wyatt: Tuesday, November 8

12:31 p.m. EST – All the Way Down Your Ballot (+ a Great Infrastructure Story)

We received a great reminder from ELGL leader Patrick Rollens today, when he shared a memory on his Facebook page. Pat reminds us all to vote down the ballot – all the way to the end – because often, it’s those local races that impact your life the most. ELGL members know the tremendous impact that mayors and councilors can have on a community. While you’re out and about on social media today, sharing your voting pictures, don’t forget to also share with your non-local-govy friends the importance of voting for the smaller, local offices that haven’t grabbed national headlines. Here’s Pat’s post:

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I also wanted to share my new favorite street maintenance article (what – you don’t have a favorite street maintenance article?!). This is from the Denver Post:

Littleton TP’s its own streets as a way to fill its cracks — single-ply only

The article is chock full of potty humor – and it’s also a really interesting approach to getting drivers on the road faster after crack sealing projects. Here’s my favorite line from the article:

It’s not clear how many communities in Colorado rip from the roll when it comes time to blot the crack. The state’s largest city doesn’t resort to toilet tricks for its road repairs, according to Denver Department of Public Works spokeswoman Heather Burke-Bellile.

“We’ve never used toilet paper for crack sealing!” she wrote in a particularly declarative e-mail.
Read the full article here.[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Ben Kittelson: Tuesday, November 8

12:25 p.m EST – GovLove for Election Day

Need some podcasts to distract yourself from the election or occupy your time until the polls close? Check out the GovLove podcast episodes that have explored different aspects of elections, from running for office to engaging minority voters.

 

Learn what it’s like to run for local office:

 

Get a behind the scenes look at polling:

 

Learn about driving the minority vote and engaging voters:

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt: Tuesday, November 8

11:30 a.m EST – Susan B. Anthony’s Grave is the Spot

https://twitter.com/SarahMaslinNir/status/796009669525389312

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt: Tuesday, November 8

9:55 a.m. EST – ELGL Endorses Jonah Ryan

One of my favorite moments of the 2016 campaign is when ELGL was accused of breaking the ICMA Code of Ethics by endorsing a candidate.

I have a concern about this week’s ELGL Weekly Reader. It’s related to promoting a candidate for Congress…”Jonah Ryan for Congress.” As ICMA members, this would not abide by the Code of Ethics.  I’m not sure what the membership is for ELGL, but just urge caution with this type of position advertisement.
You can read the complete response here. If you have a short attention span, here’s the Cliff Notes version,

ELGL has been asked by current and potential members whether we follow the ICMA Code of Ethics. Short answer: ELGL members are not bound to the ICMA Code of Ethics. In particular, we have been asked whether ELGL members can run for office or endorse a candidate for office which is not allowed under the ICMA Code of Ethics. Short answer: Run for office all you want. We need talented individuals in staff positions and elected office.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kirsten Wyatt: Tuesday, November 8

8:56 a.m. EST

As the nation considers the next president to add to this list, here’s a link to an article that never gets old. A reminder that we’re still a relatively young country (but it’s still high time we add a woman to this list, IMHO):

Amazing but true: America is only four presidents’ lives old

When President Obama was born (1961), President Herbert Hoover was still alive (1874-1964). When Hoover was born, President Andrew Johnson (1808-1875) was still alive. When President Johnson was born, President John Adams (1735-1826) was still alive. And just like that, we’ve connected present day to the Founding Fathers. (Read full WaPo article)
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Ben Kittelson: Tuesday, November 8

8:41 a.m. EST: #DedicateYourVoteToAWoman

I’m not crying, YOU’RE crying! Check out the hashtag #DedicateYourVoteToAWoman, lots of heartwarming personal anecdotes to get you inspired on this Election Day.

 

 

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Kent Wyatt: Tuesday, November 8

8:29 a.m. EST: Fly the Friendly Skies?

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Royal Jordanian Airlines is betting big on Clinton.

 

8:21 a.m. EST: Will Chad Vader win?

GovLove podcast guest Scott McDonell (aka Chad Vader) is up for re-election as Dane County Clerk. He’s been endorsed by the local newspaper – Editorial: Re-elect Scott McDonell as Dane County Clerk.

Scott appeared on GovLove along with Brian Ligon to discuss the best local government videos. Check. It. Out. GovLove: The Characters Behind Ron Pitchman and Chad Vader.

 

5:21 a.m. EST: Night Moves

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Start planning your night and your pizza delivery order by checking out what time the polls close in each state.

Link: Your Hour-by-Hour Guide To Following Obsessively On Election Day

 

12:01 a.m. EST: Let Me Take a Selfie (Maybe)

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Before you get trigger happy at your neighborhood polling place, make sure you are legal.

Is a selfie in the voting booth legal? Check this tool first

[/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”green” border_width=”3″][vc_column_text]Monday, November 7

11:56 p.m EST: Night, Night

The Seahawks win (barely) and I am happy that I live on the West Coast. Ben Kittelson — it’s going to be a long one for you tomorrow but remember you ARE the 12th man.

 

11:24 p.m EST: Plenty of Good Seats Available

Knowledge is power. Tim Wolff posted this picture of folks in Michigan soaking up the knowledge at a local elections forum.

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Eerily similar to Jose Canseco’s press conference from a few years ago.

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11:14 p.m EST: I Think I Can, I Think I Can

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ELGL member Emma Williams shares the inside scoop of running for elected office. You might know Emma as the first lifetime ELGL member, the distinction she won for her selfie with Portland Mayor Charlie Hales.

Being a parent is the hardest job ever. Running for Portland Public Schools comes in second (sorry rocket scientists, you come in third).

The campaign trail is a weird, wild, wonderful world. I have learned a lot in last three months. My experience might be helpful for you to hear if you are considering a run for elected office or if you are passionate about advocating for various policy issues.

Link: 2nd Hardest Job In the World…Running for Office

 

10:59 p.m EST: Mony, money, ride your pony, ride your pony

 

 

10:47 p.m EST: Mo Cheeks (Not the Basketball Player)

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Mo Cheeks, Madison (WI) alderman, has made us forget about one of our favorite basketball players. Alderman Cheeks appeared at #ELGL15 and on the Civic Leaders series. He’s also provided valuable feedback on the GovLove podcast.

 

10:34 p.m EST: Live from Flo-rida

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10:33 p.m EST: Monday Night Football

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick aren’t playing on Monday Night Football but they are playing in the presidential election. The Patriots duo announced that they are voting for Trump. As a Seahawks fan, I don’t view this as a positive for Trump.

Trump says he was just endorsed by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick

 

10:30 p.m EST: Work Work Work

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Jan Perkins and Linda Barton are both former city managers and are now serving as consultants to local government as part of Management Partners. The duo outlined six tips in working effectively with elected officials.

Our favorite tip…

  • For elected officials who frequently ask for detailed information on a range of issues, track the time needed to respond to a handful of requests and make sure they understand how much staff time can be spent fulfilling such requests. A simple analysis of the cost of responding to requests (such as, these requests have been averaging 50% of an FTE) may help elected officials understand the impact of their requests. It may be worth it to raise the issue during annual goal-setting sessions, to align staff work with the body’s top priorities.

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