The most notable thing about this election day is that it's been a year since

Election week election month. You mean we keep saying months

So we're all let's be real. Yeah, I guess it was election but it was like three months

I've blocked straight for over a month. I had to celebrate my birthday on one of our late-night podcasts last year

So here's my prayer that this election is over by Friday. Yeah

Hello and welcome to the 538 Politics podcast. I'm Galen Druke and election day is here the two statewide races on Tuesday

Are the governors races in Virginia and New Jersey? We're paying particular attention to Virginia where Republican Glenn

Youngkin has taken a half point lead over Democrat Terry McCullough in 538 polling average

So in other words the polls are tied we'll take a look at what has made that race so close in a state that Biden won by 10 points

But those are also not the only races being decided on Tuesday

There are local elections and ballot initiatives across the country

Which we'll also dig into in mayoral races in Boston Cleveland Minneapolis Seattle and Buffalo

voters will decide between more moderate and progressive Democrats and in Minneapolis voters are being asked whether to significantly alter the oversight and makeup of the city's police force

Here with me to discuss our politics editor Sarah Frostensen. Hey Sarah. Hey, how are you doing well?

You know reflecting on the year since our last election week, although as you pointed out before we started recording it was actually election month

Or maybe even months

Um, so here's to this just being either election day or maybe election days. Yes, not election week

We'll see all over this is elections analyst Jeffrey Scally. Hey Jeffrey. Hey, Galen

And also here with us is Kristen Soltees Anderson the co-founder of the Republican polling and research firm echelon insights

Welcome back to the podcast Kristen. I'm so glad to be back. Thanks for having me, Galen. Always great to have you

So later on our colleague Nathaniel rakeuch is also going to join to talk about some of the local races

As I mentioned, we've got a lot to cover today

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