With less than an hour to go on Election Day 2016, the Republican Party faithful will have a first-class venue to count the results this evening. Congressman Fred Upton and fellow Republicans have reserved the entire mezzanine level ballroom at the Inn at Harbor Shores this evening for the Election Watch Party.
Bandsmen for the Kalamazoo Avenue Band were setting up their gear as hotel workers and campaign crews scurried to put the finishing touches on a decidedly red, white, and blue array in the hall. Upton and other candidates are expected to filter in shortly after the polls close at 8pm and they will have a cash bar, a small buffet of snacks, and their choice of 4 stand up tables or any of the 13 round tables of 10 covered in white table cloths and festooned with balloon clusters, campaign stickers, buttons and candy dishes on each table.
A small riser will serve as the stage for various speeches tonight that the Berrien County Republican Party hopes will all be victory speeches when the dust has settled. The riser is flanked by American and Michigan flags, and mylar balloon clusters in the shape of elephants and stars. There are two large flat screen TVs tuned to state and national channels strategically place along with two large projection TVs with the 24-hour news stations to bring national results in the Presidential race and other key battles around the country.
A large bullpen area where political strategists and poll watchers will tabulate results as campaign workers call them in is at the back of the room, candidate campaign yard signs are placed along the perimeter of the room while Proos and Upton posters adorn the center posts in the room.
Upton and his team have also graciously reached out to Lake Michigan College officials who will also keep close tabs on the vote in their millage campaign that they hope will generate the necessary dollars to enhance infrastructure issues and curriculum advancements.
Stay tuned for more throughout the course of the evening. My colleagues at News Talk 94.9 WSJM are sharing live reports from across the region this evening and will be posting results online as they come in.
