The 2024 election is a true turning point, likely to stand as a lasting bookmark in the story of America. The choice of U.S. voters is sure to have not just national, but dramatic global implications.
As election results began to roll in Tuesday night, Cascadia Daily News documented the moment in history. Along with other reporting of election results, we deployed our entire staff Tuesday afternoon across Whatcom and Skagit counties.
Today, we continue to provide glimpses into how our neighbors and fellow citizens process, react to, grieve or celebrate results.
Wednesday, Nov. 6
2:20 p.m.
Harris concedes election, promises to keep fighting for America’s future
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech to a crowd of supporters Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 6 at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Donald Trump defeated Harris to become the nation’s 47th president after winning key swing states Tuesday night. His victory was secured with 295 electoral votes, according to the Associated Press, and Harris called to congratulate the president-elect on his win Wednesday morning. Arizona and Nevada will be the final states to be called amid close counts.
During her speech, a smiling Harris promised a peaceful transfer of power, but also resolved to continue fighting for freedom and the future of America.
“While I concede this election, I do not concede the fight that fueled this campaign,” Harris said. “I will never give up a fight for a future where Americans can pursue their dreams ambitions and aspirations … will never give up the fight for our democracy.”
Audience members watched Harris with tear-streaked cheeks. Some donned camouflage Harris/Walz hats, while others waved American flags. Running mate Tim Walz and his family, and Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff, and stepchild could be seen standing near the front of the outdoor stage.
“To everyone who is watching: Do not despair,” Harris said. “This is not a time to throw up our hands. This is a time to roll up our sleeves. This is a time to organize, to mobilize, and to stay engaged for the sake of freedom and justice, and the future that we all know we can build together.”
— Audra Anderson
1:51 p.m.
Quiet frustration at this Bellingham tattoo parlor
It’s noon at Red Sparrow Tattoo Collective, and the shop’s three artists — Carson Johnson, 25; Devin Maquette, 28; and Andrew Joyner, 30 — are talking politics. Red Sparrow hasn’t had any customers today. But even if the shop were busy, conversation topics with their left-leaning clientele would likely be the same.
Johnson tries to stay away from politics with customers, but “everyone here is pretty liberal,” he said. “I feel like most of my clients I talk to — like, if politics ever do come up — are usually on the same page.”
“I feel like it’s relevant that y’all do the Planned Parenthood thing,” added Baylee Crouse, 23, who is Johnson’s partner. Earlier this year, Red Sparrow collaborated with other local shops on a flash tattoo fundraiser for Planned Parenthood and raised more than $40,000.
All four expressed frustration at how the Democratic National Convention’s handled the race, with Joyner adding that Harris was unpopular from the start. To cope, Crouse is blocking Trump supporters on Instagram (“very freeing,” she joked).
“Might have to delete Instagram for a couple days,” she said. “We took a walk in the arb [Sehome Arboretum] this morning, looked at some mushrooms. That was awesome — touched some grass.”
Ultimately the group is just grateful to live in a blue state. “Obviously I’m not affected by a lot of the potential negative things that could come out of it,” Joyner said. “But, I mean, I still care about people that are.”
— Cocoa Laney
11:57 a.m.
No talking politics with patrons at Everson, Lynden locales
At diners and cafes in Everson and Lynden, managers declined to allow reporters from Cascadia Daily News to talk politics with patrons. All around the towns, people went about their normal business: raking leaves, getting their hair cut, sipping warm drinks. Sidewalks were mostly empty.
The historic election the night before felt, for the most part, many miles away, far removed from these quiet towns surrounded by farmland with a view of the Cascades.
— Sophia Gates
11:31 a.m.
Somber and stunned at Bellingham cafe
Cofy in downtown Bellingham is quiet despite a steady soundtrack of cumbia music. Sue Rogers, 60, and her colleague are among the Colombian coffee shop’s few customers the morning after Election Day. Both women fear how the outcome will affect health care — not just quality, but access.
Rogers’ coworker is Latina and noted the election results “validate the racism that I’ve experienced and I see all the time.” Even so, she’s surprised at how many young men — specifically Black men and Latino men — supported Trump regardless.
“That [Harris] lost the popular vote I feel like was extra stunning,” Rogers said, “and felt like kind of capitulating back to my fears that we were founded as a racist country — and here we are again.”
— Cocoa Laney
11:19 a.m.
Some Lynden bookstore patrons feel prayers have been answered
Customers chatted over morning coffees at Eucatastrophe Coffee and Used Books in Lynden, listening to calm music and the familiar burble of an espresso machine.
Bernadette and Michael Davidson were in good spirits as they enjoyed a game of chess at one of the cafe’s tables.
The couple shared stories about Bernadette’s Navy career, laughing about the funny moments they’d been through together.
Bernadette, 69, hoped Trump would get rid of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the military.
“I prayed, ‘God give us the president we need, not the president we deserve,'” she said.
Michael, 71, was headed to the local ceramics studio afterward.
“It’s adult day care,” he joked.
“He’s Mr. Artsy-Wartsy,” Bernadette added.
At a table nearby, three women were not feeling as cheerful. “I’m gonna be depressed for four f–king years,” said Renee Teshera, 69.
Canadian Doreen McFarland, 81, said she’s never been more glad she couldn’t vote. She always had trouble figuring out American politics, she said, and it seems to be based on emotion now.
All three agreed the choices were bad this election cycle. Joyce Bernard, 82, declined to share who she voted for.
Teshera, a lifelong Republican, said she didn’t vote for Trump, though she saw the options as between barely acceptable and completely unacceptable.
Her dad was a Republican, too, she said, though he quit the party later in life.
With the way things are going, “I’m glad he’s dead,” she said, “because he would probably go out and shoot himself.”
— Sophia Gates
10:51 a.m.
Resolve and grief at a Bellingham cafe
Caffe Adagio in downtown Bellingham attracts a wide cross-section of community members: firefighters and college students, church groups and artists, and everyone in between.
Today’s crowd is no different, though emotions at each table run high. Someone in the corner reads Heather Cox Richardson’s “How the South Won the Civil War.” Just feet away, a man waits for coffee in a T-shirt emblazoned with Trump’s face and the word “fight.”
Cousins Paul Carlson and Rick Smith are seated by a window in the corner. Both support Trump for his policies on the border and economy. Carlson is a business owner, and while he doesn’t like Trump as a person, he believes his policies will help companies make better profits.
As for how they’re handling potentially fraught conversations with loved ones? Most people close to them are fellow Republicans — though Carlson joked he avoids talking politics with his sister.
Smith has neighbors who are Democrats, but politics rarely come up. “As long as a candidate has a ‘D’ at their end of their name, that’s who they’re voting for,” he said. “They’re never gonna see my point of view, right or wrong.”
Across the room, a group of four 20-something women — all members of a “mass ladies’ text” — are discussing the previous night’s events. They decided at 6:30 a.m. to convene before work and discuss grief.
Kimberly Lynn, 44, is having similar conversations with colleagues from Western Washington University at the adjacent table.
Lynn, who is the director of Western’s Honors College, has been fighting back tears and calling loved ones since the results began to turn on election night. When asked about the issues that matter most, she responded: “All of them. Climate, education, a future for my 17-month-old daughter and 8-year-old son. Kindness.”
And at the far end of the cafe, Theo Hearon, 28, is coping with their grief by calling out of work and playing card games.
“I didn’t think it would be that close,” they said. “But again, I’m surrounded by people who are more like-minded.”
— Cocoa Laney
9:54 a.m.
Harris voters turned off the TV Tuesday night
Waiting at Mr T’s Family Cafe’s check-in window, black beeper in hand, DeeDee Waldron, 73, said she still hadn’t seen the final result of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory.
She and her husband, Bill, turned the TV off Tuesday night when Trump had secured 267 electoral votes.
“Politically, I’m disgusted — but you gotta go on somehow,” said Bill Waldron, 69.
The Waldrons voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It’s another day,” DeeDee Waldron said. “We’ll take it as it comes.”
The Waldrons and their friend, Wilma Mahaffey, 71, came to Mr T’s for some comfort food. The regulars plan to order their usual: a “mini,” a cowboy scramble and a Colorado skillet.
— Annie Todd
Tuesday, Nov. 5
9:42 p.m.
LGBTQ+ rights at the forefront of patrons’ minds at queer cocktail bar
At the Back Door adjacent to Rumors Cabaret, the atmosphere is tense yet cautiously optimistic. The Back Door is a queer cocktail bar; LGBTQ+ rights are at the forefront of patrons’ minds, and most voted for Harris.
Stephanie Fulmer is posted up at the bar and has a bottle of champagne in her car “just in case” — though she’s also prepared for a less favorable outcome. And for Merry Pietratanto, the stakes are especially palpable.
“Overall I’m a little scared, honestly, especially since we have a trans child,” she said.
Seated at a nearby table, Rumors staff member Athena Bell said their most important issues are reproductive rights, trans rights and ultimately, “human rights,” they added.
“Well, I’m a queer person, and I’m actually involved in the queer community, and everyone is feeling the anxiety of this election,” they said. “Everyone knows what’s at stake. Everyone knows what we are bound to lose if things don’t work out the way we need them to.”
As the clock ticks past 8 p.m., someone announces that Ted Cruz won the Texas senate race, and the bar groans simultaneously.
Despite a mounting sense of dread, Carl Pietratanto, Merry’s husband, sees a few bright spots: “I’m hopeful, because the first openly trans person was just elected to Congress in Delaware,” he said.
— Cocoa Laney
8:34 p.m.
A different kind of tired
Ten minutes to close and the last customers at Nugents Corner were checking out. Pop music played softly alongside the hum of appliances. Brightly lit shelves greeted those coming in from the darkness outside.
Beth Gwinner, 53, was stopping by to pick up groceries before heading home to make dinner.
She didn’t feel good about either presidential candidate. Trump rubs her the wrong way. As for Harris, “all she does is giggle.”
Nevertheless, Gwinner reluctantly cast a vote for Trump. He was “the lesser of two evils.”
Employee Trinity Lange, 22, was feeling tired. That’s not unique to election night, though. Lange is 31 weeks pregnant.
“I’m just tired all the time now,” she said.
She doesn’t pay attention to politics, but her boyfriend is “Trump all the way.”
She has no particular feelings about the Republican candidate.
“I kinda stay out of it mainly because I don’t understand half of it,” she said. “I am really bad at political stuff.”
— Sophia Gates
8:30 p.m.
‘When you’re active, you’re not thinking’ about the election
Inside the Bellingham Tennis and Fitness Club, small pops of balls getting smacked with tennis rackets could be heard from the lobby. The TV, normally tuned to a tennis match or some kind of other sporting event, was turned to CNN counting down the minutes until polls closed in Washington. The Texas Senate race had just been called with Republican Ted Cruz heading back to Washington D.C. for another term.
Diana Bob, 44, and Kirsten Dickey, 46, had finished a routine Tuesday tennis clinic, working on drills and doubles play. The workout had left them with a glisten of sweat around the face.
“It’s not that you’re not thinking about [the election], but when you’re active, you’re not sitting in front of a TV thinking about it,” Bob said.
— Annie Todd
8:26 p.m.
A subdued mood for a bike ride
A group of cyclists met next to the Acid Ball on Granary Avenue in Bellingham for the weekly Black Cat Cycling Collective social ride.
The riders, wearing puffy jackets to ward off the November chill, made loose plans to head to Whatcom Falls Park, but their first stop was the ballot drop box outside the courthouse.
The mood was slightly subdued, but the cyclists agreed a spin through town was preferable to a few hours staring at screens, waiting for election results to come in.
“I feel like it’s nice to spend the evening with like-minded people instead,” said Kai Rapaport, a frequent Black Cat attendee.
When the riders rolled up to the drop box to deposit their ballots, election workers cheered and gave them stickers. They had voted with only 30 minutes to spare.
“I don’t even plan on looking at the results until tomorrow morning,” Josephine Hegeberg said before pedaling into the night.
— Julia Tellman
8:17 p.m.
‘These Republicans are not our dads’ Republicans’
First cousins Jason Oldham and Chris Johnson stood in a Bellingham parking lot at Whatcom Family Village grilling hamburgers on Tuesday night while preparing for their weekly support group for new fathers.
But members of the Whatcom Thriving Fathers didn’t show up.
“Quite a few posted up with popcorn and drinks to watch at home,” said Oldham, who has been organizing the event for the past few years. “It sounds fun, but it will be anticlimactic.”
Johnson, a Ferndale residential carpenter, wore a T-shirt with the slogan, “Drink Water Love Hard Fight Fascism.”
The cousins remained hopeful despite the divisiveness of the country, including within their own families that they described as Christian conservatives.
But the stress of the combative dialogue has tried their patience. “These Republicans are not our dads’ Republicans,” said Johnson, 42.
“They are our crazy uncle Republicans,” Oldham said.
— Elliott Almond
8 p.m.
Celebration in Lynden showcases conservative voters
The Whatcom GOP gathered at the Mount Baker Rotary Building in Lynden on election night, with red white and blue balloons on tables. Many donned red, with a smattering of Make America Great Again hats and Trump-Vance banners and signs.
Fox News played on a TV in the front of the room, above a cardboard cutout of President Trump and Melania Trump propped at the front of the room.
Candidates for Washington’s 42nd Legislative District and the Charter Review Commission were at the event. Kamal Bhachu, who is running against incumbent Joe Timmons, and Ray Pelletti, running against Alicia Rule, both spoke ahead of the first election results drop at 8 p.m.
“Let’s win together and it’s all about us and we the people,” Bhachu said. “Let’s win this together and let’s make America great again.”
Some colored in maps of the U.S. as states were called for Trump or Harris. Whatcom Republican Party Chair Misty Flowers spoke about conservative county leaders and candidates.
“I think there’s a lot more conservative people in this county than we’ve been led to believe,” Flowers said, adding that she hopes the election results reflect that.
— Charlotte Alden
7:55 p.m.
Voters escape reality at the Silver Reef Casino
Slot machines whirled and cards were dealt like any other night at the Silver Reef Casino. TVs blasted the usual — sports and advertisements — with no notifications of election results in sight.
Most days, the screen-filled electronic dreamscape can serve as an escape from reality. For some, that escape is especially necessary on election night.
“Every time you turn on the TV, it’s Trump,” Kevin Plunkett said. “I got tired.”
“It’s too much,” Jose Sandi said simply.
The two lamented about Donald Trump’s growing lead over Kamala Harris before returning to their electronic roulette table.
— Hailey Hoffman
7:49 p.m.
Truck driver votes for Trump in light of ‘rising fuel prices, cost-of-living’
Park Bowl was packed during election night. Kids joined their friends while families enjoyed the night trying to knock down pins. In the back corner, the Whatcom County Snowmobile Club met for its monthly meeting.
Joseph DeBoer, 43, is vice president of the club. He voted for Trump by mail. He said his mind was at ease because there should be no corruption and the results are out of his hands.
The truck driver is also afraid of the cost of living and fuel prices rising, making his lifestyle tougher.
The rest of the members placed their phones down, turned their attention away from the election and tackled local issues.
— Nick Zeller-Singh
7:36 p.m.
Skagit County Republican Women gathering is a celebration, but not open to press
Broadcaster’s election maps appeared in red and blue on the walls in a sea of Make America Great hats and swag in the back rooms of Mount Vernon Shawn O’Donnell’s Restaurant. There was a happy bustle and the clatter of silverware on plates at the long tables as supporters of the Skagit County Republican Women (SCRW) dug into a $22 per person buffet.
The two rooms were packed. While the crowd veered toward older supporters, there was a younger faction also in attendance.
Within minutes of arriving, SCRW President Connie Miller stated the event was private. Press were not welcome. After a tense moment, Miller took a business card and shook my hand as we parted ways.
— Isaac Stone Simonelli
7:30 p.m.
National outlook: West has yet to be called
The Associated Press has now called enough races to project Donald Trump will win 198 electoral votes and Kamala Harris 112 as of 7:30 p.m. Polls have closed in all states except for seven in the West, including Alaska and Hawaii. Still not called and in play at this hour: Arizona, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin. Trump has been projected the winner in 20 states; Harris, in 11.
7:18 p.m.
Trump inspired a Ferndale pool player to vote for the first time in decades
Patrons at Ferndale’s Main Street Bar & Grill laugh over pool tabs and pints, and ESPN — not election coverage — plays in the background. Bartender Stew Freeman said his customers abide by a golden rule: “No talking politics at the bar.” (After all, a patron added, what happens tonight won’t change tomorrow.)
But over by the pool tables, Jason Hecock, 44, is more than happy to share who he voted for. He’s finishing up Main Street’s bi-weekly pool tournament and joked that the sport “keeps him out of trouble.” Hecock has a 6-year-old son — and concerns over his future ultimately motivated Hecock to vote for Trump.
Hecock hasn’t voted in more than 20 years. Prior to that, he cast his ballot for the Democrats. This year, however, he worries about the economy and inflation swayed him to support the Republican candidate.
But despite his own openness, Hecock noted the subject hasn’t otherwise come up. The “no talking politics at the bar” rule also applies to the pool tables.
— Cocoa Laney
7:04 p.m.
Book club escapism at Stones Throw Brewery
Conversation in the main bar area of Stones Throw Brewery circled around reactions to past elections, voting and today’s results.
But in the back garden, under heat lamps, a small group of readers were discussing this month’s book club choice.
Lauren Meucchi, the events and marketing coordinator at Stones Throw who also hosts book club, said it was a coincidence that the meeting fell on election night. Others said they wanted to stay away from the TV and discuss this month’s pick, “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng.
“To come to book group for an hour, yeah, it’s not going to change anything,” said Lisa Meucchi, who is also Lauren’s mother.
— Annie Todd
6:57 p.m.
National outlook: 27 states called
The Associated Press is reporting no real surprises so far in presidential race results. The AP is calling nine states for Kamala Harris and 18 states for Donald Trump as of 6:50 p.m. AP projections give Harris 99 electoral votes, including for New York, and Trump 188 electoral votes, including for Florida and Texas.
6:55 p.m.
Skagit gun club apathetic to election night activity
The TV was off and there wasn’t a radio playing at the clubhouse of the Old Skagit Gun Club on Josh Wilson Road in Skagit County. The fact that West Virginia had been called for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris had secured Illinois was news happening in what felt like another world.
About half a dozen sport shooters, nearly all gray- or white-haired, were mostly done cleaning their shotguns, packing them into their boxes. The range opened up early on Election Day — not because of the election but because of Daylight Saving Time. By about 6 p.m. only one shooter was calling for clay pigeons to be hurled out across the empty grass field under the bright flood lights.
“I’m just ready for it all to be done and over,” one shooter said before launching into a thorough explanation of the differences between skeet shooting, American trap and a handful of other shooting sports.
Club members emanated a certain amount of pride when they pointed toward a large whiteboard in the back with the names of high schools that competed in the FFA District event over the weekend. (Burlington-Edison came out on top with Mount Baker high schools right behind them.)
Debbie Kelly, a gray-haired woman with a bright smile, picked up a gun for the first time less than a decade ago. She was among the shooters avoiding doom-scrolling on her phone amid the election circus. She already voted and was now going about her Tuesday.
Then, there was a changing of shifts for who was in charge at the clubhouse. The TV came on and there was the sound of someone calling for a bird, the bang of a shotgun, then the voices of a newscaster breaking down the numbers for the presidential race.
Next Saturday, when some pundits expect the presidential election will be called, the club will be hosting its annual Skagit Valley Toys 4 Tots Turkey Shoot.
— Isaac Stone Simonelli
6:49 p.m.
Homelessness, crime, education important issues up the hill at Western
The lecture room in Fraser Hall on the Western Washington University campus has a capacity of 300 and is nearly full tonight.
The Political Science Association is hosting an election watch party to offer a civil space for students to gather and engage in substantive discussion.
“It’s our biggest event of the year,” said Aiden Ochoa, 25, a senior and the president of the PSA. “We should have ordered more food.”
Ochoa plans to attend law school after he graduates. He is not enthused about the possibility of election litigation in the coming weeks.
“I wish we could have a normal transition of power,” he said.
WWU junior and PSA vice president Conor Lincoln, 21, is still registered in Yakima County where his parents live, but he has started watching local politics more closely and will switch his registration next election cycle.
“I’m following local issues like homelessness, crime, education,” said Lincoln, an economics and political science double major. “I love tackling public policy.”
— Julia Tellman
6:43 p.m.
District volleyball games take minds off of election
On a night full of tension, families from Whatcom and Skagit counties came together at Meridian High School to take their minds off the election. Meridian High School hosted eight teams and four district volleyball games at 5 and 7 p.m.
Instead of wearing red, white and blue and choosing a political affiliation, parents and friends wore their respective school colors. Anacortes fans filled the south gymnasium with purple attire and headshots of the players while Sehome parents packed the other side of the bleachers and cheered throughout the sets.
Instead of people glued to their phones, tablets or even TVS, kids ran around freely, the high school students played volleyball stress-free and parents were locked into these crucial matches in the postseason.
As the game wrapped up, parents either left the courts joyful that they can watch their daughter continue to play or upset that the season ended tonight.
— Nick Zeller-Singh
6:39 p.m.
North Carolina truck driver makes a stop in Blaine
At TA express, a truck stop in Blaine, 34-year-old Stephen Oxendine listened to election results on his tablet in the truck he drives across the country six months of the year.
His semi-truck is lined up next several others, some stopped for the night like him are taking advantage of the gas, food and showers at the truck stop.
Oxendine, a truck driver for ATS, or Anderson Truck Service, voted absentee in North Carolina for Trump. He’s from Beulaville, in Duplin County, North Carolina.
He’s most concerned about immigration and the housing market.
“Neither one was the greatest,” he said. “Evil in one hand, evil in the other, which one kind of outweighs the other.”
He said he’s a Christian and doesn’t believe in abortion, and feels that the issue should be up to state governments.
Oxendine will be at the Blaine truck stop overnight, until he drives to Seattle tomorrow morning.
— Charlotte Alden
6:33 p.m.
Trump fans in Everson worry about Harris’s leadership
As daylight dimmed in Everson, Dave Smith stopped by Herb Niemann’s Steak & Schnitzel House for a beer after a doctor’s visit.
Smith, 78, planned to go home and take care of his cattle with the rest of his evening. Anxiety was keeping him away from the news, he said.
As a veteran, Smith said, “I would not want to go to war with Kamala Harris as my president.”
Down the street, all was quiet at a local feed store. Employee Trevan Brisky, 18, voted for the first time this year.
It was pretty cool, he said. In his family, “there was some stuff we all went different ways on but it was all pretty much same general mindset.”
Brisky hoped for calm on this week, but he anticipated unrest.
Whatever the outcome, “either way there’s gonna be unhappy people,” he said.
Meanwhile, customer Frank Cain Jr., 60, was feeling good.
“I don’t have anxiety,” he said, “I can take care of myself. I have two freezers full of elk meat that I just killed, and so if the world goes to s–t, if she gets in there, I can still live.”
— Sophia Gates
6:24 p.m.
National outlook: Trump leading in electoral votes
The Associated Press is calling nine states for Kalama Harris and 17 states for Donald Trump as of 6:20 p.m. Pacific. The AP projections give Harris 99 electoral votes, including for New York, and Trump 177 electoral votes, including for Ohio and Texas.
6:20 p.m.
Mixed politics at the Bellis Fair food court
As Election Day turns to night at Bellis Fair Mall, overt political references are few and far between. Still, the race is at the forefront of most shoppers’ minds.
Singh Kuldeep, 27, isn’t a U.S. citizen — but if he could vote, he would unequivocally vote for Trump. When asked what he admires most about Trump’s policies, Kuldeep said: “Everything.” Kuldeep sees Trump as the stronger leader, and one who keeps his word.
Nolen Atkins, 18, sits nearby in the food court with his girlfriend. Atkins also voted for Trump; his concerns mostly regard economics and abortion, and as a first-time voter, he’s excited to exercise his civic duty.
Outside the entrance to JC Penney, American Eagle employees Makayla Velasquez, 20, and Aidan Williams, 18, enjoy a pretzel and discuss politics with Madi Steiner, 20.
All three are shocked that voters still support a convicted felon. The group is also concerned for queer rights: Steiner and Velasquez and are a couple, and they worry about their future together.
“I have family that are immigrants,” added Velasquez, “and it’s just a scary world that Trump has been president, and could be president again and lead these people, or dictate these people, or send them back to somewhere they’ve never been their whole lives.”
The only obvious indication of rising tensions can be found at the T-shirt kiosk. Amid merchandise for anime and Sonic the Hedgehog, Trump and Harris shirts are displayed side-by-side — but employee Ako Besler said his customers don’t talk about the election. Besler is 18, but didn’t vote: He doesn’t keep up with politics, and either way, he doubts anything significant will change.
— Cocoa Laney
6 p.m.
Hope at an Alabama Street laundromat
Ashley Jacobson of Lynden filled out her ballot while waiting for clothes to run through the spin cycle at Brio Laundromat on Alabama Street.
“I’m a procrastinator,” she said. “That’s all I can say.”
She planned to join her mother at a Republican election party later at the Whatcom County Fairgrounds.
But first, “I’ll get my ballot in before 8 p.m.,” said Jacobson, 31, an in-home provider for seniors. Although her family is Republican, she described herself as someone who leans Democratic.
Jacobson said the economy was at the forefront of her thoughts this election season after working with the homeless and now seniors.
“Are people going to be able to afford to live?” she asked.
Jacobson sounded a positive note before heading out into the night.
“We’re on the brink of change,” she said. “Good things are coming to the country.”
Brio Laundromat manager Alina Seredian of Bellingham cares deeply about environmental issues. But those concerns were not enough to get her to the polls.
“I’m a little cynical about how my voice is heard,” Seredian said Tuesday night. “I try to advocate in different ways.”
Seredian said she had recently relocated to Bellingham from California. With all the tension over the move, she failed to update her voter registration.
“It just slipped my mind,” said Seredian, 29.
She stayed informed as the contentious election captured Americans’ attention this year. Seredian watched the presidential debate and was well-versed in causes she cares about.
Yet, she did not feel anxious like some of her customers.
“Why are you nervous?” Seredian asked them. “The sun is shining.”
— Elliott Almond
WA voter turnout lags behind the last presidential election
Ballot returns are well below four years ago.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 64.6% of ballots had been returned statewide in Washington, according to the secretary of state’s website. That’s more than 3.2 million ballots returned so far.
In 2020, 79.1% of ballots had been returned by this time.
Election officials still expect turnout to be around 80% once everything is counted. That’s on par with most other presidential elections, aside from 2020 and 2008, which both saw record high levels near 84%. In 2016, 78.7% of voters turned in a ballot, and in 2012, 81.3% voted.
Still, the low turnout is worrying some Democrats. Read more here.
— Washington State Standard
5:56 p.m.
At Latin American market, focus is on ‘Trump’s opinions’ about Hispanic people
At Netos Market & Bakery, people pass in and out of the cramped space — ordering plates of tacos, grabbing pastries and making phone calls on the market’s bright green landline phone. Employees shout information to one another across the shop. It’s an evening like most.
Employee Victor Apreza Reyes enjoys a break at one of the small tables in the corner of the shop.
“I don’t like Trump’s opinions,” Apreza Reyes said in Spanish. “I don’t like how he talks badly about Hispanic people and migrants.”
Apreza Reyes said Trump should connect with the Hispanic community before he talks more about them.
Another employee, Elvira Melehor sits nearby and mentions Trump’s media savviness — something she’s noticed as a newcomer to the U.S.
“It’s very competitive,” she said in English. “But, I think, for me, I like Kamala Harris.”
— Hailey Hoffman
5:50 p.m.
National outlook: 18 states called
The current electoral vote totals, based on states called by the Associated Press, are 101 for Donald Trump and 71 for Kamala Harris. As of 5:50 p.m., eight states have been called for Harris, including Illinois, and 10 for Trump, including Florida.
5:46 p.m.
Trader Joe’s goers shop for distractions
Outside Trader Joe’s in Bellingham, a steady stream of customers filtered in and out of the store with groceries, flowers and other provisions.
Olivia Croy, Abby Shupe and Olivia Rodgerdts, all 18, cast their ballots earlier in the day. The Western Washington University students were at Trader Joe’s for snacks and a distraction.
While Croy had bread in her tote bag and Rodgerdts held a felt holiday garland, Shupe looked pensively at the beauty advent calendar she’d picked up.
“I really, really want to open it tonight,” she said. “When I opened the last one, I really loved it.”
The young women all voted for the first time this election and live in the same dorm. They were hoping to play a board game before going to bed early.
— Annie Todd
5:40 p.m.
Overheard at the Wild Buffalo watch party: ‘Key is managing emotions’
Logan Terry, the bartender and marketing manager at the Wild Buffalo, says on normal nights “absolutely no politics” are allowed at the bar. But this isn’t a normal night … because there’s free pizza.
Terry said hosting an election watch party at the club in downtown Bellingham is a nice way to either celebrate or commiserate. “And free pizza softens the blow.”
He was bartending on election night in 2016 and said it was wild.
“It was a bad vibe. It just turned into drinking and crying,” he said.
The key is managing emotions, Rita Likovich said. She and her friends, drawn to the Wild Buffalo by the promise of pizza, are planning to visit a few more spots tonight, but they don’t expect to know for sure the results of the presidential election until tomorrow at the earliest.
— Julia Tellman
5:32 p.m.
National outlook: 16 states called
Nationally, election watchers have seen no big surprises in states called to so far. The Associated Press has called 10 states for Donald Trump, including Florida, and six states for Kamala Harris, including Massachusetts. The projected electoral votes as of 5:32 p.m. totalled 101 for Trump, and 49 for Harris.
5 p.m.
Residents seek peace and share prayer at a Bellingham church
Inside First Congressional United Church of Christ, soft music flowed and dim lights shone from the sanctuary. The peaceful atmosphere juxtaposed the anxiety-inducing push notifications as election results from the East Coast started to flow in.
The sound of socks shuffling along the carpet labyrinth, a tool meant for prayer and meditation, could be heard while one woman sat in the sanctuary pews.
Prayer books had also been laid out by Rev. Davi Weasley and their staff highlighting prayers for courage, voting and civic engagement.
“This vote is only the beginning, but it is a sacred beginning,” stated one prayer book.
— Annie Todd
4:30 p.m.
Bellingham barber shop ‘a place where people should be allowed to voice their opinion’
It’s business as usual at Busy B’s Barber Shop & Salon in Bellingham as three barbers clip away, styling adults and a few kids who’d just gotten out of school. But, a tinge of anxiety or apprehension hangs in the air as the sun sets outside.
Shop owner Bernard Franklin said he’s feeling great, but his clients have a lot of “mixed emotions,” no matter the presidential candidates they support. He said the barbershop has been rife with political conversations in the weeks leading up to the election.
“A barbershop is a place where people should be able to voice their opinion,” Franklin said. “I learn a lot from that.”
Vincent Brashear, 15, sits in his chair as Franklin carefully shaves stars into his fade.
In the seating area, Stephanie Barmann waits while her child gets a haircut. She said she’s “just trying to hold it together,” waiting for results to unfold.
— Hailey Hoffman
Sign up for text alerts about your ballot
Washington state has a text alert system set up to allow voters to get updates on the status of their ballot throughout the process. Voters can sign up by texting “VOTE” to 868392. If a voter doesn’t want to sign up to receive text messages, they can log into VoteWA.gov to view the same information.
Voters are ultimately responsible for ensuring their ballot is in the mail or in an official ballot drop box by 8 p.m. “sharp.”
4 p.m.
Spaghetti night at Nelson’s Market pays homage to owners’ election tradition
CNN was on as people began trickling in for an election night spaghetti dinner at Nelson’s Market in Bellingham.
Owners Ben and Urania Shaklee are from New York, where churches and fire halls host Election Day dinners.
“In Washington state, voting is a little bit anticlimactic because we have so long to do it because it’s by mail,” Ben Shaklee said, so they wanted to host a community-based event for people interested in the election.
By about 4 p.m., the Associated Press had already called three states: Vermont, Indiana and Kentucky. Kamala Harris had won 3 electoral college votes and Donald Trump had 19.
A few people filtered in, grabbing beers, dinner or ordering one of the election night spaghetti specials.
Greg Miller sat at the bar with a fresh-hopped IPA at 4:15 p.m. He said he lives across the street and comes to Nelson’s often. He feels anxious about the election — “not as much anxiety as I have when I go into work on Mondays, but a lot more anxiety than I have on a normal Tuesday.”
Miller said the issue he cares most about is equal rights for all.
The owners of Nelson’s Market made small pins that say “I survived Election 2024.” As a couple walked in, Ben Shaklee asked them, “Are you here for election night sports?” with a smile.
— Charlotte Alden
3 p.m.
Bellingham seniors find distraction through dance
This Election Day, folks gather at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center (BSAC) to do what they always do on Tuesday afternoons: play games, chat, be in community and participate in the weekly social dance.
Volunteer Rhonda Cross signs in visitors as they enter. Despite the looming election, she said the atmosphere at BSAC is just like any other day.
Cross was nervous every other night this week; today, however, she’s feeling calmer. “I think it helped that I had to come to work,” she added. “Otherwise, I’d just be tuned in to what’s going on.”
In the center’s gymnasium, a handful of seniors slow-dance to Sentimental Journey’s rendition of “Waltz Across Texas.” Dancer Kreig McBride said fewer couples are here than usual — likely because of the good weather, he clarified. But whether visitors are unconcerned about politics or just in need of distraction, most are leaving politics at the door.
— Cocoa Laney
2 p.m.
Robust voter turnout at the county courthouse
Thanks to mail-in voting, elections in Washington are more of a season. But it came down to a true Election Day for many at the Whatcom County Courthouse, which has become a last-minute central for many voters. On Tuesday afternoon, the line for the Auditor’s Office flows past the doors and snakes down the hallway as dozens of people wait to get and cast their ballots.
Voter Zoe Bluhm, 20, said she’s “trying to be optimistic” as she waits to obtain a ballot for the first presidential election she’s eligible to vote in.
On the ballot, aside from the big presidential race, are many local elections and hard-fought state initiatives.
“I really have no opinion,” said Bluhm’s friend, Merrick Rowland, 21. “I’m voting for the lesser evil.”
In a moment of intense national stress, the courthouse exudes calm. Sunshine filters through the windows of the rotunda as voters fill in the bubbles of their ballots at temporary partitions stationed around the lobby. Election workers zip about in a flurry, offering advice and direction.
Outside, cars pass through as passengers drop ballots at a pop-up ballot drop box on Lottie Street and a permanent box in the neighboring parking lot. Motorists and pedestrians hand ballots to election volunteers, earning an “I voted” sticker for their efforts.
A busy day around the nation starts off in normal fashion here, where a volunteer expresses gratitude for the weather and says, “It’s been very steady.”
— Hailey Hoffman
