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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Janet Boudreau, who owned the election supply business Intab, designed an "I Voted" sticker in 1987.</li><li>Her sticker became one of the most popular. Intab now sells over 100 million stickers every year.</li></ul>When Janet Boudreau walks into her local polling place to cast a ballot and collect a classic "I Voted" sticker with an American flag, most people don't know she's part of the reason they receive the stickers in the first place.One of the earliest mentions of "I Voted" stickers dates back to a 1982 Miami Herald article about discounts offered to customers wearing the stickers, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://time.com/4541760/i-voted-sticker-history-origins/">Time magazine</a> reported. Even so, stickers were rarely given out on Election Day until 1987, when Boudreau took over Intab, her father's election supply business then based in Seattle. As she worked to expand Intab's offerings, she also had the idea to create stickers to be handed out at voting booths across the country."'I Voted' stickers were not prevalent at all. They were hardly ever seen," Boudreau said. "In fact, I only saw a black-and-white version that had a check mark or an X. It was not in color, and there was no image of a flag or anything else on it, so it was definitely not inspiring."Boudreau hand-drew a design featuring the words "I Voted" with a waving American flag, a patriotic symbol of fulfilling one's civic duty. It went on to become one of Intab's bestselling products. By 2012, the company sold over 100 million stickers across all 50 states and US territories.<div type="image" title="I Voted stickers with an American flag on them." height="762" width="1024" msid="114987735" hostid="261" sizebytes="51956"></div>Boudreau sold Intab in 2015 and now coaches other entrepreneurs on how to grow their businesses. While her American flag stickers still appear in many election offices across America, some counties and states have begun holding sticker design contests for school-aged children to involve them in the democratic process.The results are occasionally unusual. In 2022, 14-year-old Hudson Rowan designed Ulster County, New York's "I Voted" sticker featuring a wide-eyed face with bloodshot eyes atop a spider's body. In the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-kamala-harris-election-biggest-moments-photos-2024-10">2024 election</a>, the winner of Michigan's "I Voted" sticker contest depicts a werewolf ripping off its shirt in front of an American flag. Submitted by 12-year-old Jane Hynous, the design appeared to amuse Vice President Kamala Harris as she greeted voters at a barber shop in Pontiac, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/1853242826428961252">video on X</a> showed.<div type="image" title="An &quot;I Voted&quot; sticker depicting a werewolf ripping off its shirt." height="683" width="1024" msid="114987739" hostid="261" sizebytes="65042"></div>Boudreau loves the creativity."Oh, the more the merrier," she said. "If kids can begin thinking about the power of voting, then that's all the better. I think it's fabulous."

How 'I Voted' stickers became an Election Day staple

How the US voted in every election, from George Washington to Donald Trump

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The presidential election will influence parents, childfree adults, and reproductive-healthcare access.</li><li>It's the first presidential election since Roe v. Wade was overturned, which could shape votes in swing states.</li></ul>The candidate who wins the Oval Office will influence how Americans build a family.It's the first presidential election since <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/supreme-court-abortion-decision-final-ruling-scotus-roe-v-wade-2022-6">Roe v. Wade was overturned,</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/costs-abortions-travel-expenses-increase-scotus-roe-v-wade-dobbs-2024-2">abortion</a>, fertility treatments, childcare expenses, and political rhetoric toward <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-defended-his-childless-cat-ladies-comment-2024-7">childfree adults</a> have been major talking points on the campaign trail.Former President Donald Trump has said he will allow states to restrict abortion as they see fit, while Vice President Kamala Harris wants to restore abortion protections to federal law if she wins.Ahead of Election Day, Business Insider spoke with voters about how family and reproductive healthcare access will influence their decision.BI found that people's views on family don't always fit neatly into a political party. Along the spectrum of support for abortion access, one common thread stood out: The cost of raising a family."It's an issue that actually unites Americans," said Kristan Hawkins, the president of two <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.studentsforlifeaction.org/">anti-abortion</a> <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://studentsforlife.org/">organizations</a> for students. She does not support Harris' plan to restore federal abortion access, but she does often hear from families that are struggling with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parents-children-fleeing-nyc-high-housing-daycare-costs-2024-6#:~:text=The%20typical%20New%20York%20City,The%20New%20York%20Times%20reported.">high living costs</a> and a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/poverty-line-leaves-behind-low-income-americans-snap-medicare-wic-2024-6">limited social safety net</a>.A representative for Harris referred BI to the vice president's policy record and comments on the campaign trail. A representative for Trump did not respond by the time of publication.<h2 id="5ff513d9-5f50-4cb2-a402-f5352c2aabfc">An anti-abortion Missouri mom who prioritizes family-centered economic policy and says she'll vote for Trump</h2>Erica Choinka, 30, has two young children and lives in Jefferson City, Missouri.She loves being a parent and said the rising cost of raising a family is one of her main economic concerns. She said her household expenses were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-control-federal-reserve-jerome-powell-tariffs-inflation-2024-9">cheaper when Trump was president</a>.Choinka also aligns with Trump's promises to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-said-abortion-bans-should-be-left-states-2024-4">leave abortion laws to the states</a>, and considers herself "pro-life." For her, the pro-life belief reaches beyond abortion — it's about affordability for parents. That's why she supports a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-proposals-boost-child-tax-credit-give-parents-money-2024-8">child tax credit</a>, affordable childcare, paid family leave, and access to fertility treatments like IVF.While both Harris and Trump have a child tax credit in their presidential policy plans, this election comes after the pandemic-era child tax credit lapsed, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/democrats-poverty-extended-child-tax-credit-expired-2022-3">partly due to Republican opposition</a>. Both candidates have outlined plans to reintroduce a child tax credit, and Harris said she would also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2024/09/17/remarks-by-vice-president-harris-in-a-conversation-with-the-national-association-of-black-journalists-philadelphia-pa/">cap childcare costs</a>.In terms of abortion access, Trump has bragged about his role in overturning Roe v. Wade — a decision that led to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/state-policy/explore/state-policies-abortion-bans">41 states </a>with bans.Choinka said she agrees with where Missouri has landed: abortion is banned in the state at all stages of pregnancy, with no exceptions for cases of rape or incest. The state will be voting this November on constitutional abortion protections."We have an opportunity to either continue with the status quo of the last four years or go back to Trump, his policies, and his strategy for approaching problems," she said. "That's the path that I want to take."<h2 id="041baf13-1414-4a5c-b8a7-73fc1d354d2d">A Texas voter whose reflections on her own abortion have her supporting Harris</h2>Stephanie Gomez remembers taking a pregnancy test during her senior year in a Houston high school bathroom. She watched as the pink lines formed a plus symbol. She immediately knew she didn't want to be a parent, she said.What followed for Gomez was a visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic and an abortion procedure. It was 2012 and elective abortion was still legal in Texas. The clinic offered Gomez some financial aid, and her twin sister had to come up with nearly $400 between their McDonald's and Denny's paychecks to cover the rest of the bill.Texas now has among the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/10000-more-births-afrer-texas-strict-abortion-law-study-2023-7https://www.businessinsider.com/10000-more-births-afrer-texas-strict-abortion-law-study-2023-7">strictest abortion bans in the US</a>. The procedure is banned after six weeks in all cases, except for medical emergencies, with no exceptions for rape or incest.Gomez, who is now 30, lives in Austin with her long-term partner."Being like a childless woman who really lives life on her own terms, I think people don't actually realize how rare that can be," she said, adding that she has the financial freedom to support her parents and younger siblings. "This idea that I don't have a family because I haven't decided to marry someone or be pregnant is insane to me."Her top voting issues include reproductive healthcare access, the economy, climate, and voting rights. She feels Harris' policies most align with her priorities.Gomez said she wished more Americans understood the "diverse" reasons a person may choose to end their pregnancy. She remembers her friends and family saying her abortion was justified because she was young and had college on the horizon."When we try to justify the reason, there's this narrative that there is a 'good' abortion or a 'bad' abortion," she said. "It's a medical procedure."<h2 id="ea19e384-5515-4142-8eac-61da5fe33934">A first-time voter in Indiana who is anti-abortion and plans to to vote third-party</h2>Avie Sark is about to cast her first ballot. The 18-year-old is a college student in central Indiana and works for a couple of advocacy groups that share her political views — including serving as president of her local Democrats for Life of America chapter, which supports anti-abortion Democratic candidates and policy in local elections.Sark said she identifies as a "progressive" and "leftist" on most economic and social issues. Where she differs from many in her party is her anti-abortion stance, saying she "sees fetuses as people."She hopes that, in the future, a president can restrict abortion, along with lowering childcare and healthcare costs. She hopes to foster or adopt children someday.In her first time voting for president, Sark said she plans to vote third party, likely for Green Party candidate Jill Stein. <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/22/nx-s1-5113108/third-party-voters">Third-party voters</a>, like Sark, can have an impact on a Harris-Trump race with razor-thin margins.Anti-abortion policy is Sark's top consideration in the election, and she said neither major party candidate aligns with that priority: Harris won't do enough to limit abortion access and Trump has been inconsistent with his abortion views, Sark said."I don't think that there's really anything that we can do about abortion in this election," Sark said.

Parenthood — and the choice to be childfree — is at stake this election. 3 Americans explain how it's impacting their vote.

New Delhi [India], June 4 (ANI): The mammoth exercise to count votes polled for the Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections will begin at 8 am on Tuesday, with trends and results following shortly thereafter. Results of the <keyword id="6372146" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Assembly-elections" source="Orion">Assembly elections</keyword> in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh were held simultaneously with voting for the 543-member Lok Sabha. Results of 175 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and 147 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and results of bypolls in 25 Assembly constituencies will also be declared today. Here're the LIVE results: <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Infographic"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div> Strict security has been put in place for the smooth conduct of counting of votes for over 8,000 candidates in this general elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will seek a third consecutive term in government, while the Congress-led opposition aims to unseat them. Most <keyword id="43771" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exit-polls" source="Orion">exit polls</keyword> have predicted a return of PM Modi to power, a development which will make him the first Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to secure a third successive term in power, Meanwhile, a delegation of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc leaders met with the Election Commission of India urging it to ensure that postal ballots are counted and their results declared before the outcome of the EVMs is announced. Earlier, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar had said that a "very robust system" has been put in place. "There are around 10.5 lakh booths. Each booth will have 14 tables. There are observers and micro-observers. Nearly, 70-80 lakh people are involved in the process," he said. The national capital is all set to witness the battle. With tight security arrangements in place, Delhi is well-prepared to watch the results of the 2024 <keyword id="19923279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lok-Sabha-Elections" source="keywords">Lok Sabha elections</keyword>. Around 70 companies of the security forces will be deployed at all seven counting centres across the national capital as part of the elaborate security arrangements made by the Delhi Police for today. Delhi traffic police issued a fresh advisory ahead of the counting of votes scheduled for Tuesday, listing key roads where traffic restrictions and diversions will start from 5 am onwards to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Prime Minister Modi's hometown, Gujarat, is also preparing for the vote-counting day as security forces rehearse and perform drills for the effortless conduct of D-day. Exit polls have predicted the return of the BJP to power. Various exit polls have given the BJP more than 64 seats in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is poised for a hat-trick win in Lok Sabha polls with a massive majority. Exit polls were predicted on Saturday and indicated that the ruling party at the Centre would improve its performance in several states ruled by other parties. A few exit polls predicted that the BJP-led NDA could reach the goal of "400 paar" stated by BJP leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. The exit polls predicted that the ruling BJP-led NDA is poised to improve its performance over its 2019 record when it won 352 seats. Two polls predicted the BJP would also improve its numbers from the 303 seats it won in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2019 elections, NDA wrested 353 seats, of which the BJP won 303 alone. The Opposition's UPA got only 93 seats of which the Congress got 52. The Lok Sabha elections were conducted in seven phases- on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting trends and results, as per data entered by RO/ARO for AC/PC will be available on the ECI website as well as on the Voter Helpline App, both iOS and Android Mobile Apps, according to the ECI. The Voter Helpline App can be downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple Play Store. Users can use the available filter to find out the winning/leading or trailing candidate details, along with the constituency-wise or State-wise results from the Voter Helpline App. The local display of the trends and results by the CEOs/ROs/DEOs may also be done through the Digital Display Panels, it said.

Lok Sabha elections 2024 results: Mammoth vote-counting exercise set to begin at 8 am, amid high security

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Gen X and younger voters shifted right in recent polls, favoring Trump more than they did in 2020.</li><li>Economic concerns and social media strategies influenced Gen Z's political shift.</li></ul>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/business-leaders-react-donald-trump-winning-election-silicon-valley-2024-11">2024 election</a> saw some big shifts in how the generations voted, early exit poll data suggested.Democrats lost a lot of ground with Gen Z, while Republicans won Gen X by a much wider margin than in 2020. Meanwhile, millennials had a much smaller rightward shift, and boomers were actually more likely to vote Democratic than four years ago.The results challenge some long-held stereotypes about generations' political positions. For example, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-and-gen-z-will-bring-down-the-gop-2021-7">presumed progressive Gen Zers</a> showed more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-changes-political-divides-2019-7">conservative leanings</a> this election than the last, and aging boomers <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/there-are-two-americas-and-age-divider">shirked the notion</a> that they're growing more conservative with age.To be sure, early exit poll data has a wide margin of error. As more votes are counted in the coming days and months, more precise data on the shape of the 2024 electorate will be released.The youngest voters and those entering middle age tacked hard to the right. Gen X — which slightly favored president-elect Donald Trump with a one-point margin in 2020 — shifted 9 points toward Trump this cycle. Gen Z favored Vice President Kamala Harris by 11 points, compared to 24 points for President Joe Biden.Meanwhile, millennials and their boomer parents were less likely to move toward Trump. Millennials favored Harris by one point, a five-point shift down from Biden's six-point margin in 2020. Boomers went from supporting Trump by five points in 2020 to a flat tie between the two candidates this year, and were the only age group that voted more Democratic.Gen Z's big shift to the right wasn't entirely unexpected. Teens were twice as likely to identify as more conservative than their parents compared to millennials 20 years ago, per a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theupandup.us/p/gen-z-teens-conservative-shift-gallup-data">Gallup and Walton Family Foundation</a> study conducted last fall.The Trump campaign put a lot of focus on this age group. Andrew Heyward, a former president of CBS News, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/07/business/media/trump-media-strategy-podcasts.html">The New York Times</a> that Trump has become a "master of evolving media" for partnering with online influencers and personalities. Trump frequently appeared on podcasts, streams, and TikToks <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://business.yougov.com/content/47483-whos-listening-to-the-joe-rogan-experience-men-mostly">consumed predominantly</a> by Gen Z and millennial audiences, including The Joe Rogan Experience.That strategy may have convinced younger voters that the GOP gets them better than the Democrats. "People don't really vote for what they want, they vote for who they are," Jason Brennan, a professor of strategy, public policy, and economics at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, told BI."I think a lot of young men look at the messaging of Democrats and are turned off by it," Brennan said, and it could at least partially explain the generational shifts.Gen Z's Gen X-er parents — or at least some of them — are also tilting right, as the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/typical-gen-x-debt-net-worth-income-earnings-caregiving-stress-2021-8">forgotten middle child</a> of generations dramatically shifted toward Trump.Gen X already disapproved of Biden the most among generations, per <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/1217878506/gen-x-conservative-disapprove-biden">late 2023 polling from NPR, PBS NewsHour, and Marist</a>.Their role stuck between caring for children and aging parents <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-gen-x-sandwich-generation-tasked-with-parents-kids-care-2022-4">has them</a> in an especially precarious economic spot. They're the generation <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-x-age-income-debt-forgotten-middle-child-struggling-financially-2023-12">most likely</a> to say that they don't feel financially secure. Many are concerned about saving for retirement, while some continue to be stressed out about homebuying. Some long for the success of their boomer and silent generation parents, Amy Walter, a nonpartisan political analyst with The Cook Political Report, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/12/27/1217878506/gen-x-conservative-disapprove-biden">told NPR</a>.Meanwhile, boomers are a bit more of a puzzle, according to Brennan. Their shift might come down to a dark demographic reality— male boomers are more likely to die earlier than their female counterparts, and women tend to be more likely to vote Democratic than men. But, more broadly, the results could also be chalked to a lack of enthusiasm."What it takes to win is you have to get your base to come out, and then you have to get the swing voters to shift towards you," Brennan said.Are you a Gen Z who shifted right or a boomer who shifted left? Contact these reporters at <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:jkaplan@businessinsider.com">jkaplan@businessinsider.com</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="mailto:nsheidlower@businessinsider.com">nsheidlower@businessinsider.com</a>.

Forget swing states. Here's how the generations flipped on Election Day.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple">Apple</a> offers live Election Day results on your iPhone home and lockscreen through its News app.</li><li>You don't need an Apple News+ subscription to access live election updates on iPhones.</li></ul>Apple News is in full-blown <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-swing-states-sun-belt-polls-2024-11">Election Day</a> mode — and that includes a nifty feature that lets you track the results right from your iPhone lockscreen.The winning candidate will need at least 270 electoral votes to secure victory, and you can keep up with where swing states land at a glance, without having to unlock your iPhone.The feature is available via the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/publishers-worried-about-apple-news-2015-6">News app</a>, which is owned by Apple, and you don't need an Apple News+ subscription to enable it.To turn it on, start by opening up the News app on your iPhone.Apple might prompt you to allow live election updates "starting Tuesday night" as soon as you open up the app. If so, click the "Follow Live" button and you're all set.Those who don't get the pop-up message should check the "Today" section of the app. There, you should find another clickable prompt under the "Top Stories" banner that will enable real-time election results.<div type="image" title="Apple News message" height="968" width="1290" msid="114992652" hostid="261" sizebytes="51810"></div>Once you've turned on the election tracker, you should receive a confirmation message that live activity has been scheduled.The News app comes automatically downloaded to your iPhone, but if you have deleted it, you can re-download it from the App Store.With polls closing on Tuesday night and many people voting after work, there's no guarantee that a winner will be projected on Tuesday night. States like Arizona, Michigan, and Georgia will be critical for both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-iowa-polling-lead-swing-states-2024-11">Vice President Kamala Harris</a> and former President Donald Trump in this election.For those who decide that having the results staring up at them from their phone's lockscreen is too much, you can always pop back into the News app and turn it off by tapping the same banner prompt.

How to add Apple's election results tracker to your iPhone lockscreen

<ul class="summary-list"><li>On a highly charged election night, some Americans are ready to go out and party.</li><li>Others will have a more low-key night, staying at home and ordering in.</li></ul>Many Arizonans are still undecided — on which strain of weed they want to smoke on election night, that is.That's the report from Curaleaf, a global cannabis company that is rolling out its own mini-election. In Arizona, Florida, New York, and Illinois, they've repurposed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/weed-strains">three hybrid strains</a> — all fairly similar in potency and all generally thought of as more relaxing highs — into the Donald OG, Kamala Kush, and Space Jill."We have no horse in the race other than we want people, our consumer base, to come into our stores relative to the competition," Luke Flood, a senior VP at Curaleaf, said. "And we want them to — in a respectful, inclusive, insightful manner — support their candidates through the products that we produce and which they ultimately will buy."The Donald OG has a slight edge in Arizona — although Flood said it's been changing by the day. That's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-presidential-election-swing-state-polls-sun-belt-2024-10">eerily similar to national polling</a>.<div type="image" title="a nugget of &quot;donald OG&quot; marijuana" height="1080" width="1080" msid="114880474" hostid="261" sizebytes="56516"></div>For some Americans, election night means the opportunity to let off steam, and businesses across the nation — from doggy day cares to drag bars — are ready to receive beleaguered voters. In Tacoma, Washington, a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://grandcinema.com/movie/election-night-watch-party/">theater will screen the results</a>. In Lansing, Michigan, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/for-the-people-2024-election-watch-party-tickets-1027458946367">partygoers</a> will play voting bingo, enjoy a barbecue buffet, and jam to a local disc jockey. Not everyone will show up; some people and businesses alike told BI they want to avoid the crowds and politics altogether.Even those leaning into the festivities told BI they are trying to keep it bipartisan, and some are worried about security. Welcome to the election night economy."We're selling a product that we like to think brings people joy, brings people relaxation, and it's been met with a lot of positivity, which we're very thrilled about," Flood said.<h2 id="c1426a55-b068-4b52-bb94-12b7b97b0601">Drag queens, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and hookah — oh my</h2>In Washington, DC, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hawkndovebardc.com/">Hawk N Dove</a> — an infamous Capitol Hill bar — is bracing for impact.Leah Kolb, the general manager and events coordinator, said the venue, which prides itself on being a stalwart bipartisan political bar, saw lines out the door for the presidential debate in September. She anticipates it will be open until at least midnight on election night, two hours past its usual closing time.Kolb said the bar attracts a true bipartisan crowd. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a regular, and there's a monthly Democratic social with a group of young Hill staffers. No matter who's there, the bar's TVs typically play both CNN and Fox.With Congress on recess, it's been relatively quiet over the last few weeks. Kolb anticipates that'll change on Tuesday; she's planning to staff as many people as possible and is also considering upping security precautions."It's going to be really wild for us to go from zero to 160 miles an hour next Tuesday," Kolb said. "I can see it happening, and I think it's going to be an all-day thing."In Philadelphia, the co-owner of <a target="_blank" href="https://levelupphl.com/">Level Up Bar &amp; Lounge</a> anticipates having roughly 100 people come out for an election night watch party. Ken Lowe Jr. said the venue is planning on running a hookah special and is working out a possible food and drink special, too. Lowe said he has a liquor order scheduled for the day of the election to ensure they have enough.Philly is a bright blue spot in a swing state that's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/retirement-pennsylvania-social-security-medicare-trump-harris-election-2024-10">receiving</a> the full attention of both candidates and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pennsylvania-grocery-store-voters-talk-economy-inflation-harris-trump-2024-10">the press</a>. Lowe said he wants to cater to Pennsylvanians who are burned out on the election and avoid partisan politics."We're going to try to keep it just music, party, have a good time," Lowe said.Up in Rochester, New York, the <a target="_blank" href="https://roccinema.com/have-an-amazing-experience-at-roc-cinema/">Roc Cinema</a> is expecting up to 100 patrons for its Divas of Democracy election night watch party hosted by drag queens Darienne Lake and Aggy Dune. Owner Kristina Dinino-Jeffords said it'll be an all-hands-on-deck event at the mixed-use theater venue. Patrons will be able to choose from a selection of drink specials: There's the All American, the Kamala, the MAGA-rita, and the Undecided.<div type="image" title="Drag queens Aggy Dune (left) and Darienne Lake (right) both in blue" height="4050" width="6480" msid="114880476" hostid="261" sizebytes="1451850"></div>"Drag is the freedom to express ourselves in an artistic way. Last I checked, our country celebrates freedom," Darienne Lake said in an email statement to BI, adding, "The audience can expect a night that mimics our current political climate. Wildly entertaining and unpredictable."<h2 id="e70fb1a2-f81e-405e-b940-7b81ff147e17">Prepping to vote, stay home, and recover</h2>Many Americans will opt to stay home and perhaps order in on election night. Data provided by food delivery company Gopuff showed sales increased 20% on election night 2020 compared to the Tuesday prior, and battleground states saw more orders than non-battleground states. Sparkling wine and Champagne sales were up 116%.Sales were particularly concentrated from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., as election results started to pour in. That may have been stomach-churning for some: Gopuff said there was a 70% increase in sales of digestive products like Tums and Pepto Bismol.Between the weed and the partying, Americans might also be planning for recovery: Dr. Abe Malkin, the CEO and founder of mobile IV company <a target="_blank" href="https://driphydration.com/">Drip Hydration</a>, told BI he's planning for "quite high" <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/job-diary-make-6-figures-giving-private-iv-infusion-therapy-2021-11">demand for their IV services</a> the day after election night.And don't forget the furry friends. In Pennsylvania, <a target="_blank" href="https://walkerspethotail.com/">Walkers Pet HoTail</a> will continue on a tradition — they'll offer free doggie day care for any dogs whose humans show an "I voted" sticker. Day care usually runs around <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://walkerspethotail.com/home-page/doggie-daycare/doggie-daycare-deals-2/">$35 to $38 a day per dog</a>, depending on how big they are."We know it's difficult for people to get out of the house and stuff, to be able to go and vote. So we want to make that a little bit easier," Andrew Lehn, the general manager at Walkers Pet HoTail, told BI, adding voters won't have to worry about leaving their fur babies at home alone.<div type="image" title="lucybelle the dog in a red, white, and blue boa" height="960" width="720" msid="114880479" hostid="261" sizebytes="94928"></div>Some workers are opting out of election night completely. Kitty Rayborn, a 48-year-old bartender at a fine-dining steakhouse in Texas, asked for the night off months ago. She usually works on Tuesdays and said it's one of the restaurant's busiest nights, especially during happy hour. This year, she said, she needs to be at home with family. She estimated she's forfeiting $400 to $500 in tips."On election night, whether the results are on TV or not, I know that I would be paying attention," "There's no way it wouldn't be a topic of conversation, and, as passionate as I am about it, I would not be able to keep my mouth shut and I would wind up getting myself fired. I'm a hundred percent sure of it."

Barbecue, bingo, and bipartisan partying: How America is preparing for election night

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Scammers are targeting voters with fake registrations, surveys, and donation requests.</li><li>The scams often involve pressure tactics and requests for personal financial information.</li></ul>It's almost time for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-donald-trump-15-days-swing-states-polling-2024-10">2024 presidential election</a>, and scammers are out in force.The three most common scams around elections are <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-avoid-election-scams-stay-safe-from-voter-registration-fraud-2024-8">voter registration scams</a>, fake surveys and polls, and political donation scams, experts say.In all of these scams, the National Association of Secretaries of State says that scammers generally contact potential victims by phone or email, pretending to be a legitimate entity, like a political action committee or a state agency.The best way to spot an election scam in any of these instances is to stop and see if the person reaching out to you is asking for personal financial information. If they are, it's likely a scam.Other signs that a donation request from a PAC could be fake are if they push you to donate quickly or if the website doesn't provide any contact information, NASS says.According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers commonly use "pressure" to get victims into uncomfortable situations. They will use phrases such as "act now!" to introduce a time element so that you don't have time to think about your actions."Pressuring you to act now is always a sign of a scam," the FTC says.Fake surveys and polls that prey on people's heightened emotions during election seasons are also common, NASS says. Signs that a survey or poll could be fake are if they offer compensation or prizes for participation or if they ask about controversial topics "to rile you up."To spot a fake voter registration message, check to make sure that the information you are receiving is coming from your official state or local election official, the agency says. Another common sign that a voter registration message could be a scam is if the messenger says you must pay to complete your voter registration.The FTC recommends reporting any unsolicited texts or calls from someone who says they need your Social Security Number or financial information to register you to vote. If you think you may be the victim of a scam, you can visit the <a target="_blank" href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/identity-theft">FTC's identity theft recovery page</a> to report the fraud.To register to vote, or to find out if your Social Security Number is required for voter registration in your state, the FTC says to contact your local election office or check the US Election Assistance Commission's National Voter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/eac_assets/1/6/Federal_Voter_Registration_ENG.pdf">Registration Form</a>.

Here are the most common election scams and how to keep yourself safe

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The United States is preparing for civil unrest surrounding the election.</li><li>Election Day itself isn't as high of a risk as the postelection period, analysts say.</li></ul>The turmoil that took place after the last US presidential election has left its mark.So this time around, as Election Day looms, businesses and governments around the country are preparing in advance — especially if the results are close.The consensus going into Election Day is that will be the case.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-trump-presidential-election-swing-state-polls-sun-belt-2024-10">Seven swing states</a> offer multiple avenues for each candidate to win. And the final polls have largely shown the race between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump as a virtual tie nationally.Glen Kucera, an executive at Allied Universal, a private security company, told Business Insider that his clientele are concerned enough to seek more resources to protect themselves and their businesses."The threat is kind of imminent and everywhere," Kucera said. "We're trying to get ahead of the threat."In the final stretch before Election Day, it seems like everyone — from voter advocacy groups and election officials to risk management and security companies — is preparing for civil unrest."I think what is also now on people's minds is the emotion, the anger that goes with some of these elections," Kucera said. "We're being deployed to try to figure all those imminent threats out and try to protect the public as we go into this election."But just how high is the risk?<h2 id="6f2d6248-0787-4c0f-9dc3-5d53c2aad9c9">Election Day isn't the biggest worry</h2>Election Day itself isn't likely to be the most high-risk day for unrest because there will be extensive protective measures taken, said Rachel Brown, an expert on violence, hate speech, and civic engagement at Over Zero, which works to deter identity-based violence."I wouldn't expect us to see a high level of organized violence. People should feel safe voting, and if there is any danger, it's likely to be very highly localized, such as a single person taking action where there seem to be groups trying to mobilize," Brown said on Friday at a press panel hosted by the National Task Force on Election Crises (NTFEC), a cross-partisan election organization.That appears to be the case in Washington and Oregon, where authorities are searching for what they say is a lone actor responsible for placing incendiary devices on at least two ballot drop boxes, burning hundreds of ballots. Officials in Clark County, Washington, where some 488 ballots were damaged, said in a press release that they have been in contact with the majority of the voters affected to issue them replacement ballots.<div type="image" title="A ballot box was damaged in Multnomah County in Portland, Oregon." height="1500" width="2250" msid="114923430" hostid="261" sizebytes="146584"></div>There are protections in place for the voting process, voters, and election workers, Brown said. Voter intimidation is criminal and prosecutable, and locally, voting sites are preparing for any incidents, including swatting attacks, where a fake call is made to law enforcement to trigger an armed response, Brown said."Some of the threats that many of us aren't even thinking about day to day, election officials are working day in and day out to prevent and then respond to," Chris Crawford, an NTFEC staffer and policy strategist at Protect Democracy, said at the panel. "There are remedies when activities like this arise that election officials can still try to ensure that every person can have their votes submitted and counted."The greater risk is likely postelection, when the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-kamala-harris-preparing-legal-challenges-election-decided-court-2024-8">results may be decided in courts</a> instead of on election night. Then, there's the waiting game until Congress counts the electoral votes on January 6, followed by the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony on January 20.Brown said she is "most concerned" about a spike in conspiracy theories and threats to state capitals, vote count locations, and the individuals who oversee them.Anticipating such unrest after the election, businesses in Portland and other cities have begun boarding up their windows."Violence tends to happen to target the process and to contest results," Brown said. "We know the dates that are relevant in the process and are able to anticipate where that might happen, but in a close election, we could see the use of violence or intimidation to attempt to sway how the results are processed."<h2 id="39042411-d542-4c03-b120-8bb15025a411">How great is the risk?</h2>Verisk, a data analytics and risk management company, ranked the United States among the five most high-risk countries for civil unrest, which could also lead to extensive insured losses, in the next year. Brazil, Colombia, Chile, and South Africa rounded out the list, with France, Greece, and Spain the riskiest in Europe.Verisk wrote in an October analysis that election-related violence is rare in the United States and that the January 6 riot in 2021 was "a standout protest event in US history." The company said the peaceful 2022 midterm elections showed that the threat of civil violence remained comparatively low.Emotions run higher during presidential elections, however, and the company's Strikes Riots and Civil Commotion Predictive Model found that the tension and political polarization could reach a boiling point, sparking unrest in urban centers like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston."Not only is the underlying SRCC risk higher than in January 2021, the potential for flashpoints to ignite civil unrest is also greater," Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal analyst at Verisk Maplecroft, said in a press release.Robert Munks, Verisk's head of research for the Americas, said that risks may also rise following the election during the certification processes."Crucially, the risk of election-related unrest will rise substantially if the outcome of the election is tightly contested," Munks said, "particularly should Trump lose to Harris."

The US is bracing for civil unrest around the election. But just how high is the risk?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>North Carolina is a critical part of Trump's electoral calculus for winning a second term.</li><li>But Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's troubles could have a "reverse coattail" effect among Republicans.</li></ul>North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson — a staunch conservative and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mark-robinson-north-carolina-governors-race-past-comments-trump-2024-2024-3">ally</a> of former President Donald Trump — is no stranger to controversy.During a 2019 Facebook Live video, Robinson said abortion "is about killing the child because you weren't responsible enough to keep your skirt down." In 2023, he said God "formed" him to fight against LGBTQ+ acceptance while also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wral.com/story/god-formed-me-to-fight-lgbtq-issues-nc-s-mark-robinson-says-as-2024-governor-s-race-looms/20779390/">noting</a> that it made him "sick" to see any church fly a Rainbow flag. And earlier this year, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-politics-and-policy/mark-robinson-transgender-comments-spark-gop-backlash-rcna138610">he called for the arrest</a> of transgender women who choose to use women's bathrooms.Despite Robinson's history of polarizing comments, he easily won the state's GOP gubernatorial primary in March. But <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/19/politics/kfile-mark-robinson-black-nazi-pro-slavery-porn-forum/index.html">in a bombshell CNN story</a> published last week, the network reported that Robinson made a series of racist, antisemitic, and sexually explicit comments on a pornographic site more than a decade ago — before he was in public office.On the site Nude Africa, Robinson <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-mark-robinson-donald-trump-advertisement-north-carolina-governor-2024-9">describes himself</a> as a "black NAZI!" and argues that "slavery is not bad," among other remarks.Robinson has denied the accusation and vowed to remain in the race. But even before the report was published, he was behind in the polls against his Democratic opponent, state Attorney General Josh Stein. Meanwhile, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race in North Carolina.Here's a look at how Robinson's scandal could not only imperil Trump's ability to win the Tar Heel State but also potentially obliterate the former president's chances to win the general election.<h2 id="aae2c330-7b3b-4c15-a4c7-ca21beb74295">The swing-state dilemma</h2>Robinson rose to prominence in GOP circles after his <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmE9tK-O58Q">forceful defense of gun rights</a> during a 2018 address to the Greensboro City Council went viral. In his speech, he decried what he said were attempts to enact gun control, arguing that criminals would simply ignore the laws.The speech helped pave the way for Robinson's 2020 victory in a race for lieutenant governor, which he won by three percentage points even as Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper was reelected to a second term.That year, Trump also won North Carolina — albeit narrowly — against now-President Joe Biden. Anchored by the support of rural conservatives, the then-president eked out a one-point victory in what has become one of the nation's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/battleground-states-2024-presidential-election-road-white-house-2022-12">premier swing states</a>.Robinson's political brand is rooted in a more confrontational Republican style, though. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-carolina-governors-race-robinson-stein-cooper-abortion-guns-lgbtq-2023-4">His biggest advantage</a> is with social conservatives, not the sort of college-educated suburban voters who have turned away from the GOP in the Trump era.It's encapsulated in earlier polling. A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/17/us/elections/times-siena-poll-north-carolina-likely-electorate.html">New York Times/Siena College poll</a> released in August showed Stein leading Robinson 49% to 39% among likely voters. A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3904">Quinnipiac University poll</a> released earlier this month showed Stein up by 10 points (51% to 41%) among likely voters. And a recent <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/september-2024-swing-state-polls-trump-and-harris-locked-in-tight-presidential-race/">Emerson College poll</a> showed Stein ahead of Robinson by eight points (48% to 40%) among likely voters.<div type="image" title="Donald Trump at a campaign rally." height="3819" width="5728" msid="113573925" hostid="261" sizebytes="357806"></div>Robinson's campaign has stumbled in the state for some time — and it's unclear what the ramifications of the latest allegations will be for his candidacy. But state Treasurer Dale Folwell, who lost to Robinson in this year's gubernatorial primary, last week <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/article292757504.html">told the News &amp; Observer</a> that taxpayers and donors were "getting fleeced" by the lieutenant governor.Such a remark from a fellow statewide GOP official usually doesn't bode well for party unity. And Trump is now caught in that web.<h2 id="a28321c7-1a5e-471b-b82b-af47656c6e29">A tale of 'reverse coattails'</h2>When popular candidates are running at the top of the ticket — notably in presidential, gubernatorial, or Senate races — they often boost down-ballot candidates.A strong candidate leading the party on the ballot can have an immeasurable impact on turnout and enthusiasm for candidates who need help getting over the finish line.In 2020, Robinson outperformed Trump in North Carolina, but the former president also brought out voters who undoubtedly boosted the lieutenant governor in areas where he wasn't as well known.Now, Robinson's latest scandal threatens Trump's hold on a state that Harris has targeted since her campaign began in July. The vice president has reversed the slide that the party faced when Biden was the nominee, and recent polls taken in North Carolina have showed her tied with Trump or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/08/17/us/elections/times-siena-poll-north-carolina-likely-electorate.html">with a slight lead</a>.Harris' competitiveness in the state is driven by her advantages with women, young voters, urban voters, and college-educated suburbanites. And she's running a distinctly pro-choice campaign, in contrast to Robinson — an anti-abortion champion who also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/AdImpact_Pol/status/1819379051594711415">revealed last month</a> that his wife had an abortion 30 years ago.Pessimism over Robinson's campaign could depress Trump's numbers in the state, creating a "reverse coattail" effect — especially if Robinson loses by a sizable margin.The GOP is up against a Harris campaign that's flush with cash and has 26 field offices and over 200 paid staffers in North Carolina. The Harris campaign also released an ad seeking to tie Robinson to Trump, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFKkKJi7698">weaving in old footage</a> where the ex-president said the lieutenant governor was "better than Martin Luther King."Democrats believe that Harris' presence on the ballot will be able to help them in other races."[W]hat's very exciting to me is that we have a lot of people that are interested in the top of the ticket, but that are also getting educated about the importance of down-ballot," North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc-podcast/why-is-this-happening/building-new-south-anderson-clayton-podcast-transcript-rcna170724">recently told MSNBC's Chris Hayes</a>.Should Harris win North Carolina and its 16 electoral votes, she'll likely already be on her way to a national victory, given the state's slight Republican lean in presidential races. However, although she'd clearly like to do so, Harris doesn't have to win the state to win the election.But North Carolina is critical for Trump. It has been a Southern anchor of support in his last two presidential runs. And the state's penchant for close elections is a reflection of just how much Robinson's woes could ultimately decide Trump's political fate.During a Saturday rally in Wilmington, Trump seemed to acknowledge that reality. Robinson was not present at the event. And the former president didn't mention the lieutenant governor's name.

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