Election day is upon us. It seems like this campaign started five years ago, but on Tuesday the country will finally decide who our 44th president will be. Some will just sit at home and watch with their family as the polls come in. But if you’re a little bit more adventurous and decide to celebrate this quadrennial occasion, here are 10 tips to make your celebration the best one around.
- Decorate – Now I’m not the most fashion savvy guy around, but if you’re going to do this, you’ve got to do it right. If your party is going to be all in favor of one candidate, make some signs, or have a blue or red theme depending on your preference. Heck, paint the room blue or red. If you’ve got a mix of voters, make sure it’s reflected.
- TV Setup – As a college student, I know how key having the perfect TV setup can be.
And on Election Night, with various stations getting information at different times, it’s important to have a variety to choose from. Ideally, three TV’s will do the trick, one for each of the major stations. If you want to spice things up a bit, go for the cable monsters of CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News for some extra kick. - Dress to Impress – The candidates and their staff will be dressed to the nines, and you should be too. Suit and tie is required. If you want to have some fun with it, have everyone dress up as their favorite candidates (Sarah Palin costumes are encouraged).
- Food, Food, Food – I said that as a college student, I know my TV.
Well, trust me, I also know my food. If you’ve got more than 15 people coming, think of catering. You can never go wrong with Italian, or a chicken dish. If you really want to have fun with it, serve Blue Moon or Pabst Blue Ribbon to the liberals and Red Dog or Red Stripe to the conservatives. And for god’s sake, avoid any of the gassy stuff. - Review the Basics – If you’re going to host a party on Election Night, you better know what the heck you’re talking about. In case you don’t, check out either of the candidates’ websites. Stay away from the healthcare though, you’ll make your head spin trying to comprehend those positions.
- You Gotta Keep ‘em Separated – There may be an even split of Obama and McCain supporters at your party. If that’s the case, make sure you can accommodate that. Have two different rooms to avoid any bad conflicts that could arise. The last thing you want is a massive political throwdown on your hands.
- Make an Acceptance Speech – I mean, you’re hosting the party, have a little fun with it. Thank everyone for coming, throw some one liners in there. The later in the night, the better though. Make sure you’ve got the podium set up and everything. And since you’re the one that put the whole thing together, it’s certainly appropriate to ask for a few “campaign donations”.
- Buy a Dry Erase Board – Popularized by the late Tim Russert, this is a must-have for any Election Night shindig. You can keep your own running tally, and be your party’s political pundit. Just make sure not to call Florida too early, it can get messy.
- Hold a Raffle – Select between 10 -15 states that may be up for grabs, ask for 10 dollars from each person, and hold a 50/50 by having ‘em pick who wins each state. Ask for percentage for each candidate in Ohio, in case of a tie.
- Your Candidate Wins! – And honestly, what would make this night better than seeing your candidate winning the presidency? So there are your tips, hopefully you close out this election season with a bang!
-JP
