🗳️ ‘Twas the night before Election Day

 It's Monday, Boston. 

😅 Here’s your morning dose of cognitive dissonance: Christmas is in 48 days and it’s going to be 76 degrees today … yay?

👀 What’s on tap today:

• Expect long wait times at Mass. emergency rooms

• 4:30 p.m. sunsets have entered the chat

• How to see the total lunar eclipse

Up first…

ELECTION 2022 FAQ

Your Election Eve checklist

‘Twas the night before Election Day and all through the state, politicians wound down their interviews and debates. Thousands of Bay Staters cast their ballots with care, choosing questions and candidates they can (hopefully) bear. 

If you voted early, congrats, that’s a coup, not everyone can be as organized as you. If you mailed in your ballot, check its status on this site, and if you haven’t shipped it yet, make sure it’s postmarked Tuesday night. 

But if life has been busy and your schedule a whopper, or you just want to vote on Election Day proper: Here’s a voting day checklist for you to review, so when you vote tomorrow, you know what to do:

Make sure to know where you’ll be casting your vote. You can double check here as Bill Galvin notes. 

But how will you get there if you don’t have a ride? Here’s an Election Day coupon, let Lyft be your guide. 

And don’t forget about the MBTA. While the T can be messy, it’ll help you find your way. This tool of theirs can aid in your voting pursuit — just search your polling place to find your public transit route.

Hooray! You’ve cast your ballot, now to find the winners. The results won’t be in until after dinner. Unofficial results can be found on this site, or check The Boston Globe’s homepage throughout Election Night. 

As you slip in your PJs and head off to bed, those Election Day questions are now out of your head. You can dream of a Commonwealth merry and bright. 

Happy Election Day to all and to all a good night!

CITY

Quick & Dirty Headlines

🤒 Patients are leaving emergency rooms in Mass. due to long wait times. What happens when you mix 19,000 unfilled hospital positions, patients who delayed care during the pandemic, an early flu and cold season, and a steady stream of COVID-19 patients? Overcrowded hospitals and undertreated patients, often waiting for hours in pain. These long wait times help explain why 6% of patients seeking emergency care from Mass General Brigham facilities from July through October left without being seen (2% used to raise alarms). 

🏆 Mass. named the most prosperous state in the nation. But we’re not just talking about getting rich. The "American Dream Prosperity Index" from the Milken Center considered indicators like safety, business opportunities, health care resources, and a sense of belonging. And although we may be No. 1, we’re not perfect. The ranking noted that Massachusetts has been especially impacted by the mental health crisis, a high rate of drug overdoses, and the poor quality of many of our roads and bridges.

⏰ Why hasn’t Daylight Saving Time become permanent? Sleep scientists aren’t buying it. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is down for a year-round permanent time, just not Daylight Saving Time. They’re on Team Standard Time because it’s the best choice for our health, as our bodies go by the sun’s time, not the clock’s time. Under Standard Time, we’d have earlier sunrises and sunsets (like now), and having sun earlier in the day can help us sleep better at night. So TBD on the Sunshine Protection Act that’s held up in the House.

THINGS TO DO

Get out of the house

🍺 Build your own cheese board at Lamplighter Brewing Co.’s Beer & Cheese Pairing Class. Tickets start at $35 and get you a flight of four five-ounce pours and a locally curated cheese board. | TONIGHT from 6:30 to 8 p.m. 

⛳ Go to the driving range at Fenway Park as part of Top Golf’s Live Stadium Tour. Anyone from a seasoned mini-golfer to a semi-pro can take a whack at it. Starts at $70 for a group of six (less than $12 a person if you split). | Runs through Wednesday, Nov. 9. 

📶 Try an early morning stair workout at Harvard Stadium with the November Project. They do several different workouts that can be modified for all fitness levels. | Every Wednesday morning (rain or shine) at 5:55 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

☘️ Grab last-minute nosebleed seats to the Celtics vs. Pistons game at TD Garden. Tickets start at $29. | Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 9

🧶 Sip and stitch at your local knitting circle at the Honan-Allston Branch of the Boston Public Library. Tea and lemonade will be served. | Wednesday, Nov. 9 from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

ONE LAST THING

Total eclipse of the ballot

Eyes to the skies, people! There will be a full lunar eclipse on Election Day.

If you live in the Boston area (and are an early riser), the eclipse will be visible tomorrow morning from 3:02 a.m. to 6:32 a.m., with the best view at 5:59 am. If a 5 a.m. alarm doesn’t fly in your household, the Museum of Science has a video simulation of what it will look like.

This Election Day eclipse is totally coincidental, but it’s rare. The next Election Day lunar eclipse won’t happen for another 372 years.

😬 Thanks for reading! You can spot me today obsessively checking the Secretary of State website to see if they got my mail-in ballot. 

💃 For more hot takes and late night thoughts, follow me on Twitter and IG @emilyschario. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected].