13 Unique Election Watch Party Ideas

The presidential election is a tense time for everyone, especially in this day and age. Relieve some stress by sharing the election-watching experience with friends and family. Turn the viewing into an entire event complete with food, drinks, and activities. These election watch party ideas will help you and your guests relax a bit during this time when emotions are running high.

Along with election watch party ideas, we’ll also share election watch party venues courtesy of Peerspace, the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals. Peerspace makes it easy to find and book unique spaces packed with the amenities and the style you want for your special events. We’ll show you a few examples ahead alongside our election watch party ideas. Let’s get to it!

1. Curate a guest list that will keep the ambiance friendly

The first item on our list of election watch party ideas is one of the most practical. To avoid fights, only invite those you get along with or can cordially disagree with (so maybe not your uncle who always starts heated political arguments at the Thanksgiving table).

You’ll be doing yourself and the rest of your guests a favor!

2. Find the perfect election watch party venue on Peerspace

Book a seriously awesome election watch party venue on Peerspace! As the largest online marketplace for peer-to-peer event venue rentals, you can book a welcoming watch party space that provides neutral grounds for you and your crew. Be it a stunning penthouse, an eclectic loft, a cozy cabin, or a sports bar with a big-screen TV, Peerspace has a private venue for you and your guests to enjoy as the results come pouring in.

Along with the rest of our party ideas, we’ll include information about real Peerspace venues that you can book for your election watch party. You know, so you can see what we’re working with!

3. Sweeten the day with political and/or patriotic sweets

Stressed spelled backward is desserts for a reason. Serve treats like cake or cookies with your favorite political slogans (see The Sweet Feminist or Drunk Bakers on Instagram for inspiration). Or, simplify it with donkey and elephant cookies or an assortment of red velvet and blue desserts. For a patriotic treat, make these American flag fruit kebabs with strawberries, bananas, and blueberries.

It’s also the perfect day for some good old-fashioned comfort foods, like mac n’ cheese, lasagna, crescent rolls, pizza, and any snacks that were childhood favorites.

Add more fun to the festivities by using our November party theme ideas!

4. Don’t forget to mix up some patriotic drinks

Don’t forget to mix some themed drinks (let’s face it, you may need them)! This is a party after all, and a good cocktail can help calm your and your guests’ nerves as the election results start rolling in.

If you’re a fan of rum, check out this cocktail recipe to serve your guests an El Presidente! Prefer whisky? Then check out Table Magazine’s spin on The Ballot Box. You can also go more party-specific by serving red and/or blue cocktails or mocktails for non-drinkers.

If you book a Peerspace venue, like this unique speakeasy with fun cocktail services in Seattle, WA, you and your guests get access to a full bar and a host that can help you plan a fully customizable event, including a custom cocktail!

5. Support a charity or meaningful cause

Give back to the causes that mean the most to you this election season, whether that’s healthcare, housing, the environment, education, or human rights. Because that’s really what it’s all about, right? You are hoping your candidate will help bring change because as a citizen, you can only do so much.

How can you help at a party? Instead of asking people to bring snacks or drinks, request that all guests bring items to donate.

Just a few examples include:

• Gather supplies for local teachers based on their wish list.
• Create care packages for homeless shelters or hospitals.
• Make eco-friendly living starter kits for other friends, complete with reusable bags, water bottles, and other zero-waste products.

It’s a positive, meaningful use of your time that will allow you to make a small difference even at a time when you might be feeling powerless.

6. Dress up as your favorite political figure

It’s time to put on your power pantsuits. Dress as your favorite political figure of the past or present or the one you think is a style icon. The silliness of dressing up will help add some levity to the night. Complete your outfits with wigs and props. (It should go without saying that if you are going all out and dressing up as a particular candidate, do not include any costume elements that belong to a race or culture to which you do not belong).

7. Get crafty and create some neat election night goodies

For some people, getting creative and making arts and crafts is the best way to relieve stress. So host a crafting party! Crafts could include making buttons, T-shirts, stickers, or posters. You these items to decorate your party space as themed, makeshift decor. If you aren’t good with hands-on crafts, create relevant GIFs and memes.

8. Get creative and create your own campaign ads 

Create parody campaign ads or ads for fictional characters like Baby Yoda and other meme characters, complete with slogans and attacks on other candidates. These could be filmed on smartphones or acted out in person. Then, vote on the best ones. Like with the arts and crafts idea, this gives you a chance to get creative and shake the nerves away.

9. Turn up the tunes on your playlist 

Set the mood with a playlist of the best campaign songs of the past and present. Some are very political, others are just plain random. Here is a list to get you started. You can also opt to hire a band or ask performer friends to entertain the crowd if they’re interested.

10. Choose a venue with a large media wall

Don’t let your tiny apartment stop you from having a big watch party. With Peerspace, a spacious loft, mansion, historic home, or even a theater can be yours for the evening. You can filter local options by desirable amenities, like a kitchen, screening room, a patio, and a sound system.

Just make sure your chosen venue has the capabilities necessary for playing the election coverage live and enough comfortable seating for all of your guests. One of our favorite election watch party ideas is to book a venue with a large media wall so that you and your guests don’t miss a moment of the results!

Our friends in Los Angeles, CA should check out this bright and airy downtown loft. It’s a 3,000+-square-foot event space that provides you with a 17′(!) TV wall, a full kitchen, and comfy seating.

Learn more about how and where to rent a TV for a day here.

11. Chill out with some games

Break up the lulls in the election broadcast with games. Play charades by breaking into teams and acting out memorable campaign moments. Have the guests in the audience guess what is being performed. Another idea is to play trivia; quiz your guests with questions about the presidency in general, current and former candidates, and the election process. The history buffs in the room will love this, and it will be a nice refresher course for those who are a little rusty.

Lastly, try the game Guess Who Tweeted? This is the simplest game that requires only a smartphone, Wi-Fi, and maybe some good voice impersonations. Have everyone take turns reading tweets out loud and have guests guess which candidates tweeted them. Tally up the number of times each person guesses correctly (they have to be the first to guess for it to count) and crown your winner at the end of the game.

12. Host your own debate with not-so-serious topics

Host a debate with really random or just plain silly topics to lighten the mood on this stressful day during commercial breaks.

Use internet debate topics like:

• “Does pineapple belong on pizza?”
• “Should you bite ice cream or lick it?”
• “Which is better: Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts?”
• “Is it pronounced GIF or JIF?”
• “Was that dress black and blue or gold and white?”
• “Could Jack have fit on that door in Titanic?”

Lay down some rules for the debate (you can steal them from the actual debate rules). The key is brevity. Set a timer on your phone for each speaker so that everyone has an equal opportunity to voice their opinion. Offer prizes for the game winners like stress-relieving candles, bath bombs, essential oils, positive mantra books, books with photos of cute animals, and adult coloring books.

13. Re-watch the Saturday Night Live political skits

Laughter is the best medicine. Take a break from reality and watch some Saturday Night Live political skits covering the debates and other big political moments. Think Maya Rudolph as Kamala Harris, Jim Gaffigan as Tim Walz, and James Austin Johnson as Donald Trump. Don’t forget the classics, like Dana Carvey as Ross Perot, Darrell Hammond as Bill Clinton, and Will Ferrell as George W. Bush!

Election watch party ideas are more fun with Peerspace

No matter the outcome of the election, it’s important to be surrounded by those you love so you can celebrate with or be comforted by those who matter most. Make the night even more enjoyable by choosing a stylish and comfy party venue through Peerspace. You can book a space by the hour and gather your friends to watch election results in a private venue of your choosing.

And remember, you can count on your venue’s host if you need any extras for your party, be it catering or A/V equipment. It’s a simple way to take away a lot of the stress of an already tense night! In fact, these election watch party ideas at a Peerspace venue will help you turn a momentous night into a good time.

Find unique election watch party venues on Peerspace