Election Night Party

Celebrate the Election Year with an Election Night Party! Gather everyone and join together to celebrate the election of a new president this year! Election Party Supplies

Election Night Party Invitations

• Red, White and Blue Invitations. Use simple red, white and blue card stock with patriotic stickers and ribbons to create your invitations. Cut out a 5 inch by 7 inch red card stock. Cut out a smaller piece in light blue, about 3 1/2 by 5 inches. Use 2 inch patriotic ribbon to decorate the background of the red card stock. Layer the smaller size light blue on top. Decorate with American Flag stickers. Write party details on the light blue card stock. Patriotic Invitation instructions details.

Election Night Party Decorations

• Flags everywhere. Stick flags in baskets of flowers, in ice buckets, coolers, on tables, in planters, etc.
• Presidential Candidate Masks. Decorate with masks of Obama, Mc Cain, Palin and Biden. If you want to make your own out of paper, The Chicago Tribune’s blog let’s you download the masks for free. Obama’s mask was not up yet but the blog mentions that it will be in a few days.
• Balloons. Repeat the red, white and blue color theme in the balloons and patriotic garlands. Consider making or getting a large Balloon Arch for your entrance.
• Voting Booth. Make a voting booth sign and stick that in front of your door. Set up a table at the front entrance where guest can sign up and register as they enter. Check ID, and party preference on a list. Keep a tally for trivia, door prizes, etc.

Election Night Guest Arrival and Introduction

• Election Gear. When guests arrive, give each one a patriotic hat and flag.
• Picture Perfect. Have guests take a picture with a Presidential Standee. You can have one custom made with your favorite Presidential candidate or use a generic Patriotic one with the head cut-outs so guests can pop their heads in for a quick fun snap shot.

Election Night Party Crafts

Generally this party theme is geared more for adults but if you will be having kids present, it is a good idea to keep them busy with some crafts. These are crafts that both kids and adults will enjoy.

• Democrat or Republican Soap. Get blocks of soap from craft stores or online. Microwave in the microwave on low until melted. Clip pictures of candidates from magazine and gently put into the mold face side down. When the soaps are cooled pop out of the mold and the pictures should be facing right-side up. The idea is that the new presidents will “clean house”.
• Election Day Votive. Get mini votive candle holders, blue and red tissue, white glue, small star stencil, and white paint. Use a brush to brush a thin layer of glue on to the votive. Take strips of the blue and red tissues and cover the votive with it. Brush on a final thin layer of white glue and let dry. Once dry use a stencil to paint on a white star on to the front of the votive. The light is a symbol of “hope” and “optimism” for the country.
• Mapping The Victories. Get a large blank map of the United States and color the states blue or red based on the outcome using erasable markers. If kids will be present at the party, this activity is an educational one. Teaches them the location of the states and about the election process.

Election Night Party Recipes and Snacks

Serve Party Foods from the Presidential Election Candidate’s State or Party Colors. Print out pictures of the candidates and use them to make food labels for the table.

• Sarah Palin Alaska Salmon. Serve smoked salmon on toast with red Republican cranberry chutney. Sarah Palin is the governor of Alaska but is there something fishy about her? While researching information for this article, I found a bit about her real stance on protecting the Alaskan fisheries and the livelihood of the Alaskan fishermen. To heat and cool things down: how ’bout a Baked Alaska for dessert. This dessert is show-stopping with its flashy flames and is delicious too.
• John McCain’s Baby Back Ribs. Serve John McCain’s Ribs using his personal recipe.
  
• Joe Biden Delaware Blue Crab Cakes. Mini Blue Crab cakes with celery sticks and Democratic blue cheese dip. Serve with some pasta. Biden’s favorite food is pasta.
  
• Barack Obama’s Secret Chili. Obama has been making this recipe since college where he would bring this to potluck parties.
  
• Hillary Clinton Nut Cracker. Set out some fresh nuts and use the Hilarious Hilary Nut cracker to crack the nuts. Adds a touch of humor to the party.
• Star Shaped Sugar Cookies. Buy ready made sugar cookie dough. Roll out into thin layer. Cut out using star-shaped cookie cutters. Sprinkle half the batch of cookies with red sprinkles and the remaining batch with blue sprinkles.
• Star Shaped Sandwiches. Serve sandwiches in shapes of stars. Easy recipes to make ahead of time are chicken salad, egg salad, cheese melts. Generally any sandwiches that would be easy to cut out using cookie cutters.
• Buffalo Wings. Serve in two trays, one labeled “right wing” and the other “left wing”. Serve with Democratic Blue Cheese Dip or Republican Red Plum Sauce.
• Where is the Pork? Serve bacon wrapped in scallops.

Incorporate food that are blue or red into the color scheme of your Election Party Table.

Blue Foods. Use food that are blue in color to represent the Democratic Party:

• Blueberries. Use in cakes and fruit salads.
• Blueberry Pie. Serve hot with ice cream.
• Blue Curacao. Use in cosmo drinks or any other mixed drinks.
• Blue Jello. Use adult version or if kids are going to be present, kids-version. Cut into Elephant Shape.
• Blue Cheese. As a dip or appetizer. Serve with wings or cut vegetables.
• Blue Corn chips. Serve with Red Salsa.
• Blue Kool-Aid. Serve in a punch bowl with star-shaped red and blue reusable ice cubes.

Red Foods. Use food that are red in color to represent the Republican Party.

• Red Strawberries or raspberries. Use in cakes and fruit salads.
• Red Wine. Use in Red Wine Sangrias, Cosmos, or Red Wine coolers.
• Red Jello. Cut into shapes with cookie cutter of a Donkey.
• Red Salsa. Serve with Blue corn chips above.
• Red Tomatoes. Serve Bruschetta appetizers toasted in the oven.
• Red Peppers. Roasted red peppers dip serve with pita crackers. Cut up Red Peppers for a veggie tray.
• Red Fruit Punch. Serve with reusable star shaped ice cubes.
• Red Sauce. Meatballs in red marinara sauce.
• Red Shrimp Sauce. Serve with fresh cold shrimp.

Election Night Party Cake

• Flag Cupcake. Decorate cupcakes like the American Flag. First ice the cupcake with white icing. Then use red licorice for the stripes and pipe in blue stars for the stars of the flag.
• Patriotic Cupcake. Ice cupcake with white icing and sprinkle red and blue sprinkles on top.
• Large American Flag Cake. Make a large sheet cake. Ice with whipped topping. Decorate with blueberries and strawberries for the stars and stripes. Makes a colorful and delicious summer treat.

Election Night Party Games and Activities

• Voting Booth. Set up a mock voting booth and have guests do a mock election. See if the results of your guests match the actual results at the end of the evening.
• Mini Interviews. Conduct mini interviews with your guests and let them tell you who they predict will be the winner and why?. Play the video back at the end of the evening for a laugh.
• Presidential Trivia. Hold a trivia game to see who knows the most presidential trivia.
• Giant Screen TV. Set up a giant screen TV and watch certain important parts of the election on TV live.
• Patriotic Bean Bag Toss Game. Try to score as many points as possible by throwing a ball or hacky sac into the Bean Bag Toss board. Each hole has a certain number of points. Whoever has the most points after 3 throws, wins.
• Patriotic Trivia. See who can answer the most questions correctly on the US Citizen Immigration and Naturalization Test. Give the winner a Passport Cover for their Passport.

Election Night Party Favors

• Bush Countdown Key chain. This key chain actually counts down the number of days left until President Bush’s last day in office.
• Patriotic Lollipops. These cute lollipops come in red, white and blue.
• Celebration Cigar. Give each adult guest a celebration cigar from your vintage cigar humidor. Have custom labels made for your cigar as a favor.
• Patriotic Heart Chocolate. These mini chocolate are wrapped in bright stars and stripes and makes a perfect sweet ending to an election party.
• Cracker Jack. Boxes of traditional Cracker Jack are always a hit with adults and kids alike.
• Obama Cookies.
• McCain Cookies.

Resources: Patriotic Party Supplies

Other Related Links:

• Obama Inauguration: Nostalgic Americana Party
• Obama Chili Recipe
• Patriotic Red-White-Blue Dessert
• Patriotic Election Invitation
• Hawaiian Recipes for Obama Party