Photography and reporting for Cascadia Daily News’ staff-wide live coverage of the 2024 presidential election night in Whatcom County, Washington.

See full asset at cascadiadaily.com

3 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5: Bellingham seniors find distraction through dance

This Election Day, folks gather at the Bellingham Senior Activity Center (BSAC) to do what they always do on Tuesday afternoons: play games, chat, be in community and participate in the weekly social dance.

Volunteer Rhonda Cross signs in visitors as they enter. Despite the looming election, she said the atmosphere at BSAC is just like any other day.

Cross was nervous every other night this week; today, however, she’s feeling calmer. “I think it helped that I had to come to work,” she added. “Otherwise, I’d just be tuned in to what’s going on.”

In the center’s gymnasium, a handful of seniors slow-dance to Sentimental Journey’s rendition of “Waltz Across Texas.” Dancer Kreig McBride said fewer couples are here than usual — likely because of the good weather, he clarified. But whether visitors are unconcerned about politics or just in need of distraction, most are leaving politics at the door.

7:18 p.m.: Trump inspired a Ferndale pool player to vote for the first time in decades

Patrons at Ferndale’s Main Street Bar & Grill laugh over pool tabs and pints, and ESPN — not election coverage — plays in the background. Bartender Stew Freeman said his customers abide by a golden rule: “No talking politics at the bar.” (After all, a patron added, what happens tonight won’t change tomorrow.)

But over by the pool tables, Jason Hecock, 44, is more than happy to share who he voted for. He’s finishing up Main Street’s bi-weekly pool tournament and joked that the sport “keeps him out of trouble.” Hecock has a 6-year-old son — and concerns over his future ultimately motivated Hecock to vote for Trump.

Hecock hasn’t voted in more than 20 years. Prior to that, he cast his ballot for the Democrats. This year, however, he worries about the economy and inflation swayed him to support the Republican candidate.

But despite his own openness, Hecock noted the subject hasn’t otherwise come up. The “no talking politics at the bar” rule also applies to the pool tables.

9:42 p.m.: LGBTQ+ rights at the forefront of patrons’ minds at queer cocktail bar

At the Back Door adjacent to Rumors Cabaret, the atmosphere is tense yet cautiously optimistic. The Back Door is a queer cocktail bar; LGBTQ+ rights are at the forefront of patrons’ minds, and most voted for Harris.

Stephanie Fulmer is posted up at the bar and has a bottle of champagne in her car “just in case” — though she’s also prepared for a less favorable outcome. And for Merry Pietratanto, the stakes are especially palpable.

“Overall I’m a little scared, honestly, especially since we have a trans child,” she said.

Seated at a nearby table, Rumors staff member Athena Bell said their most important issues are reproductive rights, trans rights and ultimately, “human rights,” they added.

“Well, I’m a queer person, and I’m actually involved in the queer community, and everyone is feeling the anxiety of this election,” they said. “Everyone knows what’s at stake. Everyone knows what we are bound to lose if things don’t work out the way we need them to.”

As the clock ticks past 8 p.m., someone announces that Ted Cruz won the Texas senate race, and the bar groans simultaneously.

Despite a mounting sense of dread, Carl Pietratanto, Merry’s husband, sees a few bright spots: “I’m hopeful, because the first openly trans person was just elected to Congress in Delaware,” he said.

10:51 a.m.: Resolve and grief at a Bellingham cafe

Caffe Adagio in downtown Bellingham attracts a wide cross-section of community members: firefighters and college students, church groups and artists, and everyone in between. Today’s crowd is no different, though emotions at each table run high. Someone in the corner reads Heather Cox Richardson’s “How the South Won the Civil War.” Just feet away, a man waits for coffee in a T-shirt emblazoned with Trump’s face and the word “fight.”

Cousins Paul Carlson and Rick Smith are seated by a window in the corner. Both support Trump for his policies on the border and economy. Carlson is a business owner, and while he doesn’t like Trump as a person, he believes his policies will help companies make better profits. As for how they’re handling potentially fraught conversations with loved ones? Most people close to them are fellow Republicans — though Carlson joked he avoids talking politics with his sister.

Smith has neighbors who are Democrats, but politics rarely come up. “As long as a candidate has a ‘D’ at their end of their name, that’s who they’re voting for,” he said. “They’re never gonna see my point of view, right or wrong.”

Across the room, a group of four 20-something women — all members of a “mass ladies’ text” — are discussing the previous night’s events. They decided at 6:30 a.m. to convene before work and discuss grief. Kimberly Lynn, 44, is having similar conversations with colleagues from Western Washington University at the adjacent table.

Lynn, who is the director of Western’s Honors College, has been fighting back tears and calling loved ones since the results began to turn on election night. When asked about the issues that matter most, she responded: “All of them. Climate, education, a future for my 17-month-old daughter and 8-year-old son. Kindness.”

And at the far end of the cafe, Theo Hearon, 28, is coping with their grief by calling out of work and playing card games.

“I didn’t think it would be that close,” they said. “But again, I’m surrounded by people who are more like-minded.”

1:51 p.m.: Quiet frustration at this Bellingham tattoo parlor

It’s noon at Red Sparrow Tattoo Collective, and the shop’s three artists — Carson Johnson, 25; Devin Maquette, 28; and Andrew Joyner, 30 — are talking politics. Red Sparrow hasn’t had any customers today. But even if the shop were busy, conversation topics with their left-leaning clientele would likely be the same.

Johnson tries to stay away from politics with customers, but “everyone here is pretty liberal,” he said. “I feel like most of my clients I talk to — like, if politics ever do come up — are usually on the same page.”

“I feel like it’s relevant that y’all do the Planned Parenthood thing,” added Baylee Crouse, 23, who is Johnson’s partner. Earlier this year, Red Sparrow collaborated with other local shops on a flash tattoo fundraiser for Planned Parenthood and raised more than $40,000.

All four expressed frustration at how the Democratic National Convention’s handled the race, with Joyner adding that Harris was unpopular from the start. To cope, Crouse is blocking Trump supporters on Instagram (“very freeing,” she joked).

“Might have to delete Instagram for a couple days,” she said. “We took a walk in the arb [Sehome Arboretum] this morning, looked at some mushrooms. That was awesome — touched some grass.”

Ultimately the group is just grateful to live in a blue state. “Obviously I’m not affected by a lot of the potential negative things that could come out of it,” Joyner said. “But, I mean, I still care about people that are.”