Election Results

Well, last night certainly was eventful. The results I was watching closely are below.

• Barack Obama and Joe Biden defeat John McCain and Sarah Palin for the presidency and vice-presidency of the United States of America.
• Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey retains his Senate seat over challenger Dick Zimmer.
• Senator Norm Coleman of Minnesota is locked in a recount race with challenger Al Franken. The current margin is 42%-42%, with Franken trailing by less than 600 votes.
• It appears Ted Stevens of Alaska has won his seat over Anchorage mayor Mark Begich, despite Stevens' recent felony conviction on charges of corruption. If Stevens does indeed win, it is likely that he will resign and a special election will be held within ninety days for his seat. Look out for Palin trying to take his place and burst onto the national scene.
• Michele Bachmann retains her Congressional seat for Minnesota's 6th District, defeating Elwyn Tinklenberg. The race was closer than it would have been if not for Bachmann's McCarthy-esque statements on Hardball with Chris Matthews a few weeks ago.
• John Adler defeats Chris Myers in my home Congressional district, New Jersey's 3rd. This represents a pickup in the House for the Democrats, as Adler replaces retiring Republican Jim Saxton.
• Tim Walz retains his seat as Congressman from Minnesota's 1st District, defeating Brian Davis handily.



• Arizona, Florida, and apparently California have voted to ban gay marriage within their states.
• Arkansas has voted to ban gay adoption, preventing homosexual couples from adopting children.
• Colorado overwhelmingly shoots down an amendment that would define life as beginning at the moment of fertilization within every constitutional context. This would have essentially given a day old embryo the same rights as a forty-year-old person.
• Maryland votes to allow video slot machines in certain areas within the state, with procedes being directed to the education system.
• Massachusetts denies a ballot initiative that would abolish the state income tax.
• Michigan votes to legalize medical marijuana and permit stem cell research with embryonic stem cells.
• Washington state votes to allow doctor-assisted suicide.

Overall, a mixed bag. The Stevens and Franken races have yet to be called, so I'll update this once everything comes out in the wash. Apparently the Coleman-Franken race could be awhile, though - those from Washington state who remember the governor's race a few years back know what I mean.

Thus far today at work I've been reading meltdowns from various conservative sources around the internet. One of them unironically suggested that people who don't have a job should not be able to vote.