>-Beer and pizza from the place down the street, to drink/eat while watching the returns: 20 bucks
I was in the states at the time of the last election, and distinctly remember thinking that there is a much higher entertainment / gaming level working in your modus operandi. That was the time when a wrestler became governor [AFAIR] and weren't there a few recount issues for a very prominent office <g> ? Winning the elections in germany is much more tied to the popular vote [but not totally], and even the very "tight" last election probably was "decided" in the same amount of time it takes to "decide" a VERY clear US election. A "normal" election will be decided about 10 to 30 minutes after ballots close. Still, the "archaic" counting system and the "cracks" in the US rules make for a system where a) surprises may happen and b) there is a chance somebody not from a long party history will slip in (Arnie comes to mind...). Germans nearly ALWAYS get politicians "elected" out of calculatable party lines, and if they don't win one election, we get them "offered" elsewhere. Enjoy the show [as good a reason to get a beer as any other I guess] and the sometimes "unfair" rules.

my 0.02 EUR

thomas