Yesterday, actually.  But you get the idea.

The Unicyclist and I were lucky.  We hit our polling place early yesterday, about 8:30, and lines were virtually nonexistent.  We were in and out quickly, despite living in a huge metropolitan area.  Throughout the day, we caught snippets of stories on the web or the radio about huge lines in cities around the nation, lines of people that snaked well out the door of polling places.  Many people waited an hour–or several–to cast their ballots yesterday.  Although official counts will be a few days in coming, the U.S. State Department had some impressive statistics to illustrate the size of turnout.

• The Virginia State Board of Elections estimated that as of 10 p.m. on November 4, some 50 percent of the state’s eligible voters already had cast their ballots.
• As of 2 p.m. EST, counties in western Pennsylvania were predicting that more than 70 percent of eligible voters in the region would cast ballots.
• In Minnesota, Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said that nearly 80 percent of the state’s registered voters cast ballots (of 3.7 million eligible voters in Minnesota).
• Turnout was so high in the Nebraska 1st Congressional District that some polling places had run out of “I Voted” stickers by early afternoon.
• In New Mexico, some counties were reporting that more than half their eligible voters took advantage of early voting and already had cast their ballots before the polls opened on Tuesday.
• The Texas secretary of state predicted 9 million Texans would vote November 4, breaking the record of 7.4 million who voted in the 2004 presidential election.
• In Oregon, where all ballots are mailed, state officials were not offering official predictions of voter participation. However, based on the record-setting volume of pizza delivery orders for election night, voter interest in the election results is high in this Northwestern state.

All those voters have spoken.  Although the popular vote was close, Obama won the electoral vote by a landslide.  Welcome to the White House, Mr. President.

And hey, give some thought to that organic garden on the south lawn that Michael Pollan suggested.

The buzz has begun in earnest: Obama faces incredible challenges as the next president.  He’s staring down crisis situations with health care, energy, the environment, national security, and the economy.  To say he’ll have his hands full is a gross understatement.

Which is precisely why, regardless of the person for whom you cast your vote yesterday, it isn’t unreasonable to see Obama as a genuine asset to our country.  We face challenges that require mobilization in our government, but also among our citizens.  In order to solve some of these problems, we must come together and commit to real action now. I think the American people are ready to do something for their country.  We are hungry for a brighter future ahead of these somewhat dismal times, and Obama has proven himself a charismatic and inspirational leader.  The turnouts at his rallies broke records, and his campaign was incredibly effective at recruiting volunteers. Obama’s rhetoric and Obama himself have triggered a dynamic outpouring of effort and yes, hope, from millions.

On election night, I attended a lecture by Pulitzer-Prize-winning biologist E.O. Wilson.  One thing that particularly stuck with me as Wilson traced a path from Darwin’s studies to the future of biology was the simple fact that evolution dwells in times of transitions.  Basic science.  Species either evolve as their world changes, or they bite it.

Currently, we are in a time of upheaval as a nation, a point in which many existing systems or institutions must die off and be replaced, or they must evolve–be transformed, reinvented, replaced, refined–if we are to thrive.  When we are not at such a clear transition point, it is more difficult to evolve–either pointless or counterproductive, from a biological perspective.

We are living in a time of possibility. Now is the time when our leaders and we ourselves may be more open to radical change; now, when the possible consequences for a failure to adapt and evolve loom large and threatening.  Now is the time to propose and commit to challenging solutions for challenging problems.  Now is the time to demand much; now is the time to offer much.

The election is over, but the election was never meant to be the beginning and the end of political participation.  Open a dialogue with your representatives, if you haven’t yet.  Draft a letter to the incoming president.  Tell him what matters to you.  Explain why you voted for him, or why you didn’t, and what he can do once he takes office if he hopes to earn your vote four years from now.

President-elect Obama, you can expect to be hearing from me.

Oh–and congratulations, by the way.