News Features

A Viewer’s Guide to Election Night

Our hour-by-hour breakdown

By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | November 5, 2012

Nobody needs convincing of how much is at stake in Tuesday’s elections.

Polls suggest that the presidential race is too close to call, and will be decided in a small number of key “swing states.” Democrats are fighting to maintain control of the US Senate, where they now hold a 53-47 advantage. Republicans want to stay on top in the House of Representatives, with the Tea Party group that swept in two years ago.

And that’s not all that’s at stake. Ballots across the country feature gay rights and gay candidates, and an array of important referenda.

To keep track of it all, the Phoenix has created this chart of what to watch for as information floods in through the TV, blogosphere, and social media on election night.

So, as 8 pm approaches, for example, you’ll know to start looking for information on the Maine and Maryland marriage-equality votes. At 9 pm, you can cast an eye to Wisconsin, and former MTV Real World cast member Sean Duffy’s re-election. And by 10 pm we’ll start to find out whether Nevada’s Hispanic voters — and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid — can deliver that state for Barack Obama.

TWEET US ON ELECTION NIGHTFollow @bostonphoenix on Twitter and Instagram for our live, behind-the-scenes coverage at Boston campaign headquarters for Mitt Romney, Scott Brown, Elizabeth Warren, Richard Tisei, and John Tierney.

>>DBERNSTEIN[a]PHX.COM:: @DBERNSTEIN

Don't say the words
Raye is part of the moderate wing of the GOP, fiscally conservative but close to the middle on social issues.
Nine things to watch for on Election Day
It is, perhaps, a sign of a troubling derangement. But I'll say it anyway: I'm going to miss this election season when it's over.
The circus came to town
In the days leading up to November 2, voters here and across the country heard a lot about the Tea Party — what various wins and losses would mean for the staying power of this relatively new political phenomenon, which candidates represented real Tea Party values, how much credit the Tea Partiers were to be given for conservative victories in Congress and in statewide races.
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Don't say the words
Raye is part of the moderate wing of the GOP, fiscally conservative but close to the middle on social issues.
Nine things to watch for on Election Day
It is, perhaps, a sign of a troubling derangement. But I'll say it anyway: I'm going to miss this election season when it's over.
The circus came to town
In the days leading up to November 2, voters here and across the country heard a lot about the Tea Party — what various wins and losses would mean for the staying power of this relatively new political phenomenon, which candidates represented real Tea Party values, how much credit the Tea Partiers were to be given for conservative victories in Congress and in statewide races.
Blue city in a red state
Maine changed last Tuesday. By a slim margin, citizens voted to send Tea Party-backed Paul LePage to the Blaine House next year.
Conducting tests on Maine Republicans
Here at the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Effects of Sarcasm and Derision on Political Philosophies, we've been conducting a comprehensive battery of tests to determine whether newly elected Maine Republicans really mean that stuff they've been saying about reducing the size and cost of state government.
Know what you're doing
Any idiot can be governor. I'm not saying Republican Governor-elect Paul LePage is such an idiot. But if it turns out he is, it's comforting to know that it won't make much difference.
From carpenter to king
In the wake of last month's election, I expected Republican governor-elect Paul LePage to provide me with an inexhaustible supply of column material.
A critical reading of LePage’s inaugural address
Governor Paul LePage's inaugural address was fairly short, and was filled with rhetoric much like that from his campaign.
The plan to turn Rhode Island red
The Rhode Island Republican Party's reputation for ineptitude is, by any reasonable measure, richly deserved.
Mitt & the GOP Boys’ Club
Last week, Barack Obama's re-election campaign launched a Web slide show, "The Life of Julia," depicting a woman helped throughout her years by Obama policies, and warning that — if elected — Mitt Romney would undo all of them.
Not your kind of people
If you're an independent, you know that one of the advantages of not belonging to a political party is that you don't have to help choose the US Senate nominees for the Republicans and Democrats from a list of retreads, reactionaries, rejects, and rectums.
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