Today is the last day to vote, friends! I like the sound of that: It’s not the finality of election days past. It’s more like the culmination of an incredible effort and an exercise in democracy. This is something to make us all proud, regardless of the outcome. More people than ever have volunteered to help at voting sites, done phone banking, written letters– and more people seem to be voting this year than in 2016 at least. I’m running a poll on Twitter and asking questions on Instagram stories. How are you choosing to vote this year? So far, it looks like more than half of you chose to vote in October.
Frankly, I’m having a hard time focusing on local news considering that we’re all focused on voting and on keeping our sanity. So the first items are simple: Yoga District is doing free meditations all day, every hour on the hour. You can sign up here to join the next 10-minute meditation. And please remember: You are loved and you are enough.
Reader Christine Romero shared her yoga-based tips for managing stress. One of my favorites is the one where you focus on your fingers and toes. Don’t worry– you’re at home. Take your shoes off and give yourself a massage.
In line to vote and have time to kill? How about checking out the Eastern Market Strategic Plan? Recommendation 1.5, “Transition management to a public-private partnership (nonprofit public authority)” may be one of the most important ones of all, as this is how many successful historic markets around the country are run.
You can also listen to &pizza’s Election Day playlist. The shops are closed today, but the music is bumping right here: &pizza’s Whistle While You Wait.
By the way, you still have one week to fill out the MoveDC survey by DDOT DC.
I asked DDOT how it plans to approach people who vote against transit equity in the MoveDC survey. There are many people out there who feel that investing in public transportation and bike infrastructure is a waste of time and money, and I wondered how this survey could help educate them, considering many are District visitors. DDOT sent along the following response:
DDOT’s moveDC survey includes options for respondents to prioritize where they would spend money on future transportation investments. The goals and policies in the survey are meant to apply to all modes of transportation and all people who travel within the District. The survey asks for respondents’ zip codes so that DDOT can identify priorities of District residents, as well as specific wards and neighborhoods.
DDOT also encourages residents and visitors to provide comments on the interactive mobility priority websites. These illustrate a future vision for a safe, connected network for transit, bicycles, and freight. People have the opportunity to comment in support – or opposition – of individual segments on each network.
In case you missed it, DC Public Schools will not reopen in person this coming Monday, November 9, for elementary schoolchildren. There are still plans to open CARES classrooms, but that won’t happen until the week of November 16. DCist
Read about neighbors Phil and Pat Portlock, and their fight to educate people on the importance of voting. Washington Post
Capitol Hill BID recently released a video encouraging people to wear their masks and support their neighbors. It features an awkward cameo by yours truly inside East City Books– but hey, books! Watch here or click below:
Finally, I hope you have a safe and calm election returns night. There aren’t as many parties going on as usual and that’s okay. Places like Wundergarten in NoMa are holding events and still have room for your reservation. If you swing by Union Pub wearing some swag, you can get a special treat today. Here are a few other specials from around town as collected by Washingtonian and a few more over on WTOP.
Enjoy this extremely rigorous analysis of candidate signs by 730DC. Incidentally, I would say that James Harnett’s campaign color is more of a pine green rather than teal. It is definitely not blue.
If you want to share what you’re doing or how you’re watching the election returns, share your stress-eating, cocktails, predictions or plans for watching Gossip Girl on social media, using #Ward6WatchParty. Let’s help each other out during this nerve-racking time.
Finally, my plan for tonight (other than keeping an eye on Twitter) is to be safely ensconced in the warm belly of 2007, binging Gossip Girl, but it has become clear to me that I need to get emotionally invested in Deaf U, the Netflix reality series about Gallaudet University students. Want to know/hear more about it? Check out the NPR article about the series.