Live Blog: Election Night 2016

San Jose Inside staff will be scattered across the valley to check out Election Night parties and find out who’s winning, who’s losing and what they’re eating and drinking to cope.

10:27pm

We’re on to print deadlines so this wraps us up for now. Check back in the morning with updates on all the races. As for president, Donald Trump holds a commanding 244-215 lead at the moment.

Trump Pinata

10:13pm

The county Registrar of Voters updated its totals and the next count isn’t due until 11pm.

Madison Nguyen maintains a 49-vote lead over Ash Kalra in their state Assembly District 27 race. Sergio Jimenez, Dev Davis and Jimmy Nguyen also maintained their lead in the San jose council races.

9:46pm

Well, we made it about two minutes before getting kicked out of the South Bay Labor Council party. It was fun while it lasted!

9:24pm

Against a backdrop of tiki-head statues and local band memorabilia, IPAs in hand and a few kids in tow, the crowd at Art Boutiki lamented over the proceedings as poll numbers came in. Local band members Cap Wilhelm-Sapien and Jason Hallyburton, warmed up the crowd. “Here’s a song were all going to have to learn,” they said. “Anyone feeling nervous?”

The song was the Canadian National Anthem.

Beers varied from Anderson Valley’s Holy Gose, Ballast Point, Big Bear Black and glasses of red wine. Locals trickled in still dressed in their work clothes while others patrons seasoned from years passed wore their political statement’s on buttons in leather.

One couple had their two daughters in company despite the hustle and bustle. “I brought my kids out so that they could see the process and keep democracy on target,” Rebecca Howarth said. “It was important to us to see this election play out with a group of people.”

9:03pm

State Senator Jim Beall is running away from Nora Campos in his re-election bid. Beall should coast to re-election after taking 65.5 percent of the vote in the first returns.

9:00pm

The race between Madison Nguyen and Ash Kalra could not be closer after the first returns. Nguyen has a 117-vote lead out of 52,377 counted.

8:55pm

Ro Khanna dominated Congressman Mike Honda in the first returns in Santa Clara County, holding nearly 58 percent of the vote. However, only 47 of the county’s 247 precincts have reported. Vote totals in Alameda County reflect a similar percentage in favor of Khanna, with 21 of 98 precincts reporting and Khanna holding 57.46 percent of the vote.

8:50pm

As of right now, the Democrats do not appear to be having their cake and eating it, too.

iPhone Image 47EAB6

8:46pm

Almost 200 people showed out for the day of reckoning at the Democratic Central Committee campaign headquarters. The mood was tense, as Donald Trump was named the winner in Florida. People remain on edge, as the latest count has Trump ahead of Clinton, 216-209.

iPhone Image 47EAAD

8:43pm

The transportation initiative Measure B came out of the gates strong with more than 70 percent approval. It needs more than two-thirds support to pass.

8:38pm

Early results for the San Jose City Council races go as follows:

  • Sergio Jimenez (53.85 percent) has the lead on Steve Brown in District 2.
  • Dev Davis holds a solid advantage (54.29 percent) on Helen Chapam in District 6.
  • Jimmy Nguyen has a narrow lead (52.42 percent) on Sylvia Arenas in District 8.

8:34pm

It was an odd scene at Rookies Sports Lodge in San Jose. Sworn officers were clinking drinks with elected officials who might’ve been considered sworn enemies just a few years ago. Tucked in a private room with a flat a screen on mute, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and other council members were joined by police chief Eddie Garcia and members of the police union. The entire room erupted after the first poll results showing Measure F, the city’s pension reform settlement, was ahead with 65 percent of voters giving the thumbs-up.

7:35pm

We’re down at the Donald Trump campaign headquarters in Sunnyvale and spirits are riding high. “Trump wasn’t my first choice,” said John Cagliostro, of Saratoga. “He wasn’t my second, third, fourth or fifth. Ben Carson was my first. But this isn’t about one person, or even about Trump. This is bigger than him. We need to restore this country.” Latest Electoral College count has Donald Trump leading 150-109.

iPhone Image 47D890

 

7:25pm

Thirty-five minutes until the first returns in Santa Clara County. The presidential race remains incredibly tight, with Donald Trump now holding a 140-109 lead.

7:00pm

Democrats are getting nervous. Donald Trump holds a 137-104 Electoral College lead over Hillary Clinton and many states are too close to call.

6:08pm

Donald Trump just jumped to an Electoral College lead over Hillary Clinton, 124-97, according to the New York Times. Popular vote: 17,454,724 for Trump; 15,937,074 for Clinton.

6:01pm

Less than two hours until first returns from the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters. The race for president is starting to heat up, and Hillary Clinton has a slight lead on Donald Trump in Electoral College votes, 68-66 (270 to win). However, Trump for the time being has the edge in popular vote, 16,231,618 to 14,780,504.

5:00pm

A roundup of the day so far.

Somebody’s burnt toast triggered the fire alarm and forced an evacuation at Santa Clara County’s Registrar of Voters (ROV) this morning. Everyone was cleared to get back to work 20 minutes later. But election officials said the votes would have been safe even in a worse-off scenario since most of them were already counted. “The last people remaining in the building were our staff, and they stayed behind to make sure the ballots were all locked up before we left,” ROV spokeswoman Anita Torres told NBC Bay Area.

Something tripped up yet another fire alarm, this one at a local church that offered up a room as a polling place, ROV spokesman Philip Chantri told San Jose Inside. No word on what caused it to go off, but the voting reportedly proceeded sans interruption.

Could a Gunn High School senior be the South Bay’s youngest voter? According to the Palo Alto Weekly, Aaron Schultz’s 18th birthday fell on Election Day. Thanks to laws that allow minors to register in advance, he was able to cast his first ballot this morning.

Donald Trump got heckled and booed at his polling place. Then he tried to steal a glance at Melania’s ballot, maybe to make sure she doesn’t dump Trump at the last minute.

East Coast polls have closed, which means results are starting to trickle in. The New York Times put together a slick interactive map to help you keep track.

Long lines at downtown San Jose polling stations indicate a strong showing. The ROV predicted 85 percent in this county, close to the turnout we saw in the last presidential election. At City Hall, poll workers ran out of stickers to hand out at one point. Still, at least nobody had anything close to the kinds of hours-long waits seen in other states.

A lot of South Bay voter skipped the lines entirely. More than 70 percent of voters in this county requested a mail-in ballot. About half already voted before Election Day. The rest have the option of mailing it today or dropping it off in person.

We haven’t heard about any local incidents of voter intimidation, but those fears weren’t unfounded. Throughout the nation, reports of harassment are cropping up. And tragedy. A gunman reportedly killed one person and wounded three others near two polling locations in Los Angeles County, although it’s unclear whether the shooting had anything to do with the election.

3 Comments

  1. Nice cake.

    Just scrape off the “Madam” and write in “Mister” and it should still be edible.

    I hope the party committee didn’t put marijuana in the cake.

  2. Sorry we missed you at Trump victory party in Sunnyvale, some woman screamed when the news people slithered out the door early.

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