Election Day 2008, 11:40 a.m.

Hello, friends! After eleven months of campaigning, I can’t believe it’s finally Election Day across America!
Today’s been busy already. The JP Campaign, with much help from gracious and giving people, is conducting its own poll-watching. So far today:
7:30 a.m. I got a call that Precinct 25, the votingest precinct in the city and my polling place (and in my district), has two tables set up for voter roll sign-in. That’s twice the election judges, two voter roll books…and just our one poll-watcher! But Linda Phillips started the JP poll-watching there, and quickly came up with a system and tag-team model with the Obama poll-watcher, so all’s well.
9:20 a.m. I got a call from my poll-watcher at Sacajawea School, polling place for Precinct 22, to say there’s no Republican poll-watcher at that site.
9:25 a.m. Called the Democratic HQ to ask for a runner to Precinct 23 at the fieldhouse at 11 to get the list of already-voteds and yet-to-vote (and should-be-called!)
10:10 a.m. Bob and I VOTED!
10:45 a.m. US Senator Jon Tester called to extend his best wishes on the election, and so did my fellow state representative from Missoula, Betsy Hands!
11:20 a.m. Call from Precinct 24 that there’s no Republican poll-watcher at that location, but my opponent checks in every hour to get the vote total. Also was told that HALF the voters in Pct 24 have already voted absentee, and that by 11 a.m., when the first poll-watching shift ended, a quarter of our list had voted! Wow!
11:40 a.m. I got a call from the Obama campaign asking for my vote! Already done, I told them.

Everyone, this is one of the most important elections we’ll see, and in which we’ll participate. Vote.

I’m reminded of the last night of the Democratic National Convention in Denver, when I was leaving Invesco Field after Senator Obama’s speech. People were selling t-shirts and buttons that said, “I was there.”

This is the day, everyone, when we can say, “I was there. I voted. I was part of that 2008 election, that watershed in American history and American leadership and American progress and vision.”
Thanks, everyone, for participating, for helping on a national and local scale, and for your help and support of me.
Let’s put this thing to bed, awaken tomorrow and start on a new path. I’m ready.