how to vote

A good night for the Democrats. California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, set to become the first female Speaker of the House, laid down a challenge to the White House - "Mr. President, we need a new direction in Iraq." - and to Washington D.C in general, promising to clean up the 109th Congress, which Rolling Stone dubbed the worst ever. Video of Pelosi's victory speech is here.

Meanwhile, we don't yet know who the next Senate Pro Tem will be, but current results have the Democrats+Independents in the lead by a small sliver. With Senate seats from Montana and Virginia still 'too close to call', it's hard to say if we'll have a result soon, or we'll be forced to wait through recounts and legal battles. According to Fox News (!!)

There are no automatic recounts in Virginia, but state law allows a candidate who finishes a half-percentage point or less behind to request a recount paid for by state and local governments

and with less than a percentage point in the race, it wouldn't be advisable to hold ones breath. Scoop, however, was much more confident.

On the ticket in some states were referenda to pass laws, including:
- Arizona: YES on English as the official language.
- Colorado: NO on Legalise Marijuana
- Idaho: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Michigan: YES on Restrict Affirmative Action
- Missouri: Yes on Stem Cell Research
- Nevada: NO on Legalise Marijuana
- Ohio: No on Allow Slot Machines
- South Dakota: NO on Ban Abortion
- Arizona: TOO CLOSE TO CALL on Ban on Same Sex Marriage
- Colorado: YES on Ban on Same Sex Marriage
- South Carolina: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- South Dakota: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Tennessee: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Virginia: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage
- Wisconsin: YES on Ban Same Sex Marriage

Thankfully the ultra hard-line, dumbass and patronising abortion laws were rejected by the voters, but shame on those states banning Same Sex Marriage. In a lot of ways, America really needs to just grow up.