Post-Election Day Euphoria and Letdown

It's the day after election. You may have won; you may have lost. You may be kicking yourself for not sending out one last mailer or taking out one last ad, or doing one last precinct walk. Or you may be congratulating yourself for that late robo call, phone bank, GOTV effort and honk and wave at some prominent intersections.

will you ever know what exactly it was that made the difference? Proably not. But I bet the guy who got the City he was running in wrong is kicking himself up one side and down the other.

I bet the woman who decided she didn't need a consultant because she had experience volunteering on other people's campaigns is thinking twice. I bet the guy who thought more words and fewer graphics on his mail would do the trick is still pondering why the voters failed to get his message, and I'm sure the woman who felt fundraising was not necessary because "everyone knows me in my town," is wishing she'd listened to her advisers a little more.

All may not be lost in some races, however.  I know of two recent instances where a candidate, down on election night, made up the difference and then some to win when the last late absentee ballots were counted.

If less than a percentage point separates you and you did well among the voters on election day, and you campaigned up until the last minute, there is still hope. The numbers of people who turn their absentee ballots in at the polls are increasing every year.  Wait until the last vote is counted (usually about two weeks after Election Day), and you may still be a winner.