Nothing exemplifies the maturity level of this election like the fact that we get a sticker when we're done voting. I filled in my ballot. I exhaled a cry of relief. And then I spent the next hour carbo-loading on bagels and Xanax (this is the Jewish male's version of drinking before noon). Yes, the day has finally arrived. And with any luck, nightfall will bring closure to the weirdest, wildest, most obsessed-over election in modern history. The Guardian looks back on two years, 20 candidates, and a few thousand Tweets: How the 2016 campaign tore up the rule book. It also pretty much tore up my frontal lobe.

+ Here's a look back at 43 iconic photos from the presidential election. And one pretty iconic shot from today.

+ Here is my prediction for the outcome (or why I think this election day will be known as Taco Tuesday.)

+ You can follow the election live with The New Yorker, FiveThirtyEight or Buzzfeed. Or, if you're up for something a little more unusual, I'll be live-tweeting. My stream won't contain exclusive exit polling data, but its tone should give you a pretty good idea of how California's legalized pot initiative is going.

You'll be inundated with information today, but there are really only a few factors that will determine the presidential race -- and drive the results of many down ticket races as well. From NPR: 5 Exit Poll Numbers To Watch On Election Night.

+ WaPo: These 127 counties could point to the election winner tonight.

+ NYT Upshot: What Are the States to Watch?

+ Given our national obsession, it seems safe to predict that turnout is going to be really fantastic, believe me. Consider this stat from everyone's favorite election day state: More Floridians voted early in 2016 than in all of 2000.

"No candidate wins the Electoral College -- and the House gives the presidency to … Evan McMullin?" OK, that's unlikely. But what about this election hasn't been? So let's take a look at Vox's list of 6 plausible ways this election could go wildly off the rails.

+ And this seems like a safe prediction from WaPo: Even once the polls close, gridlock and dysfunction could remain.

Banishment. Shouting. Paying for Votes. Excluding women and immigrants entirely. That might sound like a list of issues raised during the debates. But in fact, these traditions are entirely old school. From NatGeo: What Modern Democracies Didn't Copy From Ancient Greece. (The list should include critical thought.)

Once this election is over, the media will do what the media does best: Talk about the media. Here's a take from Brian Beutler: The press blew this election, with potentially horrifying consequences. The biggest media affront was the coverage of the email garbage over the last two weeks. I examined that issue here: The First Rough Draft of History is Too Rough.

+ Ben Thompson: Why Twitter Must Be Saved.

+ Pacific Standard: Your friends' unhinged political Facebook rants may actually make a difference in the election. (This assumes you haven't already unfollowed all your irritating friends.)

+ The future of the death penalty is on the ballot. California's really weird proposition to create an army of condom vigilantes. And Hillary and Donald will be holding their election night events a few blocks from one another. (In other words, you can expect some bipartisan surge pricing from Uber.)

"I had to follow their rules. I grew a beard and everything, but I never took a selfie. I want those memories erased." On a day when we're focused on the sport of politics, it's worth reminding ourselves of the impact of politics. Liberated from Mosul, Iraqi men celebrate their freedom by shaving.

"The successful tests of the devices pave the way for servicemen and women to be wired up at critical times of duty, so that electrical pulses can be beamed into their brains to improve their effectiveness in high pressure situations." Popping pills to stay focused while you're on duty is so last week. These days, it's all about zapping your brain with electrical currents. (Everything always comes back to Bill Murray.)

One of the key arguments made by the pro-vaping crowd may have just gone up in smoke. According to a study done in LA, teens who vape are more likely to become teens who smoke -- and smoke more often.

"A glamorous back-to-nature exercise in pricey self-abnegation has become the logical way to spend one's leisure time." Have we ruined vacation by replacing it will a long, stange wellness trip? From the NYT: The End of Relaxation.

I could have written this about Gaga, Bon Jovi, my bud Debra Messing, or any number of people. But I wrote it about the Boss because I think he has the most brand exposure in the at risk areas. And because I really hope he reads it, signs up for NextDraft, and becomes my pal. Bruce Springsteen is Not Dancing in the Dark.

+ Cottage Cheese wants to be the next Greek Yogurt. (Don't we all...)

+ Apple fans are really mad at the new MacBook Pros.

+ Election, blah, blah, blah. Steph Curry just set a new NBA record by hitting 13 three-pointers in a single game.

+ And, my fellow Americans, at long last, Ken Bone has decided. (But he's not telling us who he voted for.)