 "Why are election watch parties in America a big deal?")
The counting of votes in the United States has begun. Media outlets have begun declaring winners for a few states, such as Vermont, Illinois, Delaware, New Jersey for Kamala Harris, while Donald Trump has triumphed in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina.
Now, the countdown to finding out who will be the next president of the United States – Vice President Kamala Harris or former president Donald Trump – has begun.
People across America will spend the next few days glued to their TVs, smartphones and laptops.
But for many political junkies in the United States, nothing beats a good election watch party.
But why are they such a big deal in America?
Let’s take a closer look:
A public affair
According to The Atlantic, Election Night was once a public affair.
Mark Brewin, a media-studies professor at the University of Tulsa and the author of a book on Election Day rituals, told the outlet that people would once congregate at the offices of local papers.
Winners’ names would be projected on the walls using lanterns, fireworks would be set off and even bands hired to strike up a joyous note.
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After the election, members of the victorious party would give their friends who supported other candidates a “Salt River ticket.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThis gesture, which was in gest, alluded to a river of tears.
It helped people swallow the loss of their preferred candidate with a dollop of good humour.
Brewin said these rites helped demarcate the moment when people “stop being partisans and become Americans again,” Brewin said.
In the 20th Century, as results became speedier, the celebrations moved to the private domain, as per The Atlantic.
In recent years, election watching has moved to either people’s homes – where returns are watched with friends and loved ones.
The other option is to take in the results at bars with complete strangers.
Derek Robertson, a journalist at Politico, told Slate the parties were little he attended prior to 2016 were little more than an excuse to drink.
In 2016, Democrats, sure of a Clinton victory, held watch parties all around the country.
Hollywood held a number of shindigs with Clinton supporters ready to go wild.
We all know what happened next.
Hollywood, in particular, is still reeling from 2016.
“The biggest change for me personally is the understanding that we most likely will not have a confirmed outcome by the end of election night. We’ve now seen major swings with vote-by-mail being counted later than in-person voting, so the idea of doing a ‘party’ on election night doesn’t make sense due to that uncertainty, and others probably feel the same way,” Jamie Patricof, founder of TV and documentary production company Hunting Lane, told THR.
“The 2016 election was also traumatising for a lot of people, and the fact that 2020 extended until that Saturday has changed the course of election night plans. For me, it’s now more important to be with friends, family and people who have poured their hearts, time and effort into getting candidates elected that are critical to the policies and issues important to them and us. There are plenty of other days and nights to have parties.”
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the PTSD from 2016 caused many voters to skip these communal gatherings altogether.
Back to normal
But for some people, things are different this year.
As per Slate, a number of bars in Los Angeles this year are advertising election watch parties.
A $30 ticket to Maria Bruggere’s election party offers those in attendance s an unlimited number of both “Pina Kamalas” and “Kamalaritas.”
“Hopefully we’ll all get to pop Champagne and go to bed early. But we may be there until one or two in the morning, depending on how fired up people are about what they think is going to happen,” said Bruggere. “When you’re campaigning there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and now there isn’t really much more to do than to prepare a fun party. Regardless of what happens on election night, everyone can have a good time and feel like they were together.”
Robertson also said that no matter who prevails, the outcome won’t be as shocking as it was in 2016.
“I think most people, whether you support Harris or Trump, are pretty immune to shock. There isn’t going to be a year-zero moment. A lot of people will be extremely unhappy, but I don’t think there will be the same anguish,” said Robertson. “Donald Trump has already been president. You’re not sailing off into the unknown.”
In Washington DC, politics isn’t so much a battle as it is a sport.
“The biggest change that we’ve seen is that election night and debates have become more like the Super Bowl,” Fritz Brogan of Mission Restaurant Group told NBC Washington.
The vibes in DC, meanwhile, remain unchained.
“Ultimately, DC is going to do what D. does. We’re going to be engaged. We’re going to be enthusiastic. We’re going to be educated about our votes,” Imani Cheers, an associate professor of media at public affairs at George Washington University, told NBC Washington.
“And we’re going to make sure that we have a good time.”
With inputs from agencies
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