Election night plans, anyone?

[bellinisurge]

Voter since 1987. I watched the 1997 election in a tiny spare room of a friend on one of those old fashioned black and white tellies where you had to move the arial by hand and search for the station by turning the dial - all that was available.

This time, I'm thinking popcorn and wine. I have the day off the next day. Unlike my husband.

I think there's a Newscast Special planned so I might go for that option.

Anyone else got plans? Snack ideas? Stamina aids?

I have an event at work so will get home just in time for the exit poll. Bubbly will have been chilling all day and will open it at that. 🍾 Going to stay up for a couple of hours then hopefully wake up in the morning to see Gullis, Truss, Rees Mogg et al out.

I might get excited when the exit poll is announced. I’m cautiously hopeful at the moment.

I've fallen for that one before. Tories lie.

Me, DH, 2 cats. Wipe-out Bingo and Percy Pigs; every time a Big Beast cops it, so does Percy. We will be on pins till the exit poll (we remember 1992) and hoping for a Portillo Moment (we also remember 1997) 😆

The exit polls tend to be fairly accurate actually, that’s where we start to get an actual picture of the way things have gone.

Then, when the first result comes in (Sunderland traditionally!), we see the swing and that’s when the true picture emerges.

I think the Tories will be trounced. Not because of any belief that Starmer and Labour can make things better, there isn’t the optimism about the future that there was in 1997 when Blair and New Labour won in 1997.

God I hope so @LizzieW1969

Sounds like a perfect night

Yes, going to stay up for the first time ever. We’re 60 and 65. Looking forward to so many brilliant Tory losses.

I need to make a list of the ones zi think are "biggest" so I can start to get excited as they turn.

Brian Cox joined D.ream on stage at Glastonbury yesterday for TCOGB. He better not have bloody jinxed it!

I will be honest, I am so emotionally invested in getting the Tories out that I literally feel sick anticipating the exit poll.

The guardian has a good guide to the timings of the "big" seats.

www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/29/what-time-will-we-know-who-won-hour-by-hour-election-night-guide-2024

I feel utter relief at having sent off my postal vote now. I've got stage 4 cancer and have been terrified I'd bloody die before doing my bit towards getting them out. Plus we live in a 3 way seat and I've spent weeks obsessing and stressing about the correct tactical vote choice. Both excited and terrified about next Thursday!

What are the significant timings I need to be aware of?

Big hugs X

Probably go to bed after the exit polls, and then glance at my phone periodically when I wake in the night. Cakes at work Friday. Shame I've not got anything red to wear, but it's not a colour that suits me.

Well done @TwigTheWonderKid & sorry to hear about your cancer

Staying up as night eating the swingometer cake my husband is making for me 😂

I know you're already married but He is a KEEPER!

A swingometer cake?? Wow!!😃😃😃

I remember Peter Snow doing the BBC swingometer. The electronic version is impressive to look at, but doesn't have as much impact for some reason

We will need a picture of the cake 🤩

My main plan for election night is not to wake up to this

I'm regretting inviting everyone over. I really just want to sit in my PJs and do this:

I have the day off on the 5th so will no doubt be watching all night - I usually do.

Can't see Sunderland being as fast to declare as historically - the boundary changes mean they have to get the votes in from much further away this year (Houghton's been bundled in with Sunderland instead of with Washington) - half of the reason they've been so fast historically is it's a relatively geographically compact constituency... it's also at least part my mum's fault they started the stupid counting fast war - she egged it on the first time they got first to declare.

By about 11pm I'll be fit to murder DH for incessant mansplaining of politics to me. By about 11.30 if previous election nights are anything to go by I shall be beating him over the head with one of my degree certificates... in Politics. Considering I'm of the generation that got the burgundy Record of Achievement folders - this may hurt him more than it does me.

Door knocking in a marginal seat all day, then home for exit polls and hopefully a glass of something to celebrate 🌹

If the predictions have been wildly incorrect then I'll slink off to bed, if not then duvet, laptop and snacks on the sofa. Intermittent napping til 2-3ish when it gets going.

I'm bookmarking these two for reference:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/29/what-time-will-we-know-who-won-hour-by-hour-election-night-guide-2024?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/30/ten-things-to-watch-as-the-uk-general-election-results-roll-in?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

Counting votes!