Election day has finally arrived. After a seemingly endless campaign of television ads and rallies, it all comes down to today. Polls officially opened at 7am this morning, yet many Americans had already cast their ballots either through early voting or vote by mail. Every election the number of people that take advantage of early voting increases and while those early votes don’t tell us who will win, it does give us an idea of voter turnout. Prior to today, nearly 81 million ballots were cast.
Going into election day, we have a tight race. Most polls place the candidates at a tie within the margin of error. Both concluded their campaigns in Pennsylvania yesterday as they made one final push to get voters to the ballot box. There is always discussion about the effect these late rallies and ads have on an election, and it is fair to say that most voters have already made their decision at this point. A late push can convince more people to get out and vote regardless of their ballot choice. We have recently dealt with a problem of voter apathy like we saw in 2020. Those extra voters that hit the polls today could be what swings a state red or blue.
So far there haven’t been any major election day issues, yet the real fireworks will begin when the first polls close at 7pm. For anyone holding their breath at that time, they will be waiting a while. If the recent past is any indication, we may not know the results until sometime Wednesday, especially if the race ends up being as tight as it is now. There will be a lot to sort out in this election, even if there is the chance for an early victory.
There is no doubt that most Americans who tune in tonight will be paying attention to the presidential race. It is important to note that there is much more at stake. Each state has its own amendments up for vote and nationally there are a significant number of House of Representatives and Senate seats up for grabs. The results of these races should take on equal importance as they could determine what our next President can or can’t do. Many of the policies outlined by both Trump and Harris will require the cooperation of one or both houses of Congress.
The time vote is almost over and the future of America hinges on the votes cast today. All eyes will be watching the election results tonight and likely into tomorrow. In what has been one of the most unconventional election cycles in modern history and we shouldn’t expect anything different tonight. As with any Presidential election, America is about to be set on a new path and CSG will be here to sort out what will change and the aftereffects those changes bring to business and the economy.