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Mobilus In Mobili

10 Austin election watch parties—and one final debate—for 2016

By Cindy Widner
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Who'll be next?
| Mobilus In Mobili
By Cindy Widner

Can it be that our long national nightmare campaign season of 2016 is almost over? Yes, yes it can. We've rounded up some great local spots where you can join your fellow citizens to watch the results come in, nosh, drink, and, hopefully, exhale.

Perhaps our favorite event on the list is, naturally, a debate on the impact of design on cities, organized by AIA Austin DesignVoice and SXSW Eco as part of Austin Design Week. It takes place before the watch party (both at Lustre Pearl), and we're guessing some of our readers might want to check it out before diving into full election-alert mode.

This list isn't meant to be comprehensive, and Eater Austin has published a map of many more bars and restaurants for your watching pleasure, which you should definitely check out. But we'd love to add more, so let us know in the comments section below of any you'd like to see, and we'll get on it.

• Where to watch the presidential election in Austin [Eater Austin]

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Lustre Pearl East

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Lucky for us, Election Day is also the second day of Austin Design Week, and if you'd rather put the results out of mind for a bit and focus on what's really important (design!), do they have the event for you. Yes, it's a debate, but it's not about nuclear buttons or nasty women (it might include some thoughts on building walls, but not that wall). Official title: Design Is Dead // Long Live Design: Design Debate + Election Viewing Party. Topic: how design contributes to, or fails to contribute to, our city's best interests—hosted and discussed by some of our leading design lights. Starts at 5:30, and yes, you can stick around for election watching after.

114 Linden St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1143
(512) 524-1143

Also featured in:

The Belmont

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305 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 457-0300
(512) 457-0300

The Driskill

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The traditional Dem Party watch spot for election results will, of course, will be on the job and a big draw on election eve.

604 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-5911
(512) 474-5911

Also featured in:

La Mancha Tex Mex Tavern

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If you're all about the local races, District 7 Austin City Council candidate Leslie Pool's watch party starts at 7pm and will include big screens, light appetizers, and, presumably, lots of supporters.

2203 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 467-4108
(512) 467-4108

The North Door

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A photo posted by The North Door (@thenorthdoor) on

501 N Interstate 35, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 485-3001
(512) 485-3001

Also featured in:

Scholz Garten

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Well, of course, Scholz Bier Garten is a watching place for elections, especially the nail-biting ones. It's been that way forever.

1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-1958
(512) 474-1958

Also featured in:

Big Daddy’s Burgers & Bar

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The Travis County Republicans are hosting their watch party at this North Austin spot, if that's your style. It starts at 7pm and goes to midnight.

9070 Research Blvd #101, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 614-0252
(512) 614-0252

Cheer Up Charlie's

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The Human Rights Campaign and Equality Texas are sponsoring this certain-to-be entertaining watch party at Cheer Up Charlie's, Austin's most eclectic gay bar, with televisions inside and a projection outside, starting at 6 pm.

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 431-2133
(512) 431-2133

Also featured in:

Serranos Lakeline

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The campaign for Jimmy Flannigan, Democratic challenger to tea-partier Don Zimmerman for the District 6 Austin City Council seat, will host a watch party in the Northwest Austin District, starting at 7pm. There will be appetizers.

11100 Pecan Park Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512) 258-3441
(512) 258-3441

The Texas Union (UNB)

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Day 28: The Texas Union was built in 1933 to be the college independent “living room” #spiritSaturday #50daysofSenate

A photo posted by UT Senate of College Councils (@utsenate) on

2247 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78712
(512) 475-6599
(512) 475-6599
© 2023 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Lustre Pearl East

114 Linden St, Austin, TX 78702

Lucky for us, Election Day is also the second day of Austin Design Week, and if you'd rather put the results out of mind for a bit and focus on what's really important (design!), do they have the event for you. Yes, it's a debate, but it's not about nuclear buttons or nasty women (it might include some thoughts on building walls, but not that wall). Official title: Design Is Dead // Long Live Design: Design Debate + Election Viewing Party. Topic: how design contributes to, or fails to contribute to, our city's best interests—hosted and discussed by some of our leading design lights. Starts at 5:30, and yes, you can stick around for election watching after.

114 Linden St, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 524-1143
(512) 524-1143

The Belmont

305 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
305 W 6th St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 457-0300
(512) 457-0300

The Driskill

604 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701

The traditional Dem Party watch spot for election results will, of course, will be on the job and a big draw on election eve.

604 Brazos St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-5911
(512) 474-5911

La Mancha Tex Mex Tavern

2203 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78756

If you're all about the local races, District 7 Austin City Council candidate Leslie Pool's watch party starts at 7pm and will include big screens, light appetizers, and, presumably, lots of supporters.

2203 Hancock Dr, Austin, TX 78756
(512) 467-4108
(512) 467-4108

The North Door

501 N Interstate 35, Austin, TX 78702

A photo posted by The North Door (@thenorthdoor) on

501 N Interstate 35, Austin, TX 78702
(512) 485-3001
(512) 485-3001

Scholz Garten

1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701

Well, of course, Scholz Bier Garten is a watching place for elections, especially the nail-biting ones. It's been that way forever.

1607 San Jacinto Blvd, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 474-1958
(512) 474-1958

Big Daddy’s Burgers & Bar

9070 Research Blvd #101, Austin, TX 78758

The Travis County Republicans are hosting their watch party at this North Austin spot, if that's your style. It starts at 7pm and goes to midnight.

9070 Research Blvd #101, Austin, TX 78758
(512) 614-0252
(512) 614-0252

Cheer Up Charlie's

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701

The Human Rights Campaign and Equality Texas are sponsoring this certain-to-be entertaining watch party at Cheer Up Charlie's, Austin's most eclectic gay bar, with televisions inside and a projection outside, starting at 6 pm.

900 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 431-2133
(512) 431-2133

Serranos Lakeline

11100 Pecan Park Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613

The campaign for Jimmy Flannigan, Democratic challenger to tea-partier Don Zimmerman for the District 6 Austin City Council seat, will host a watch party in the Northwest Austin District, starting at 7pm. There will be appetizers.

11100 Pecan Park Blvd, Cedar Park, TX 78613
(512) 258-3441
(512) 258-3441

The Texas Union (UNB)

2247 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78712

Day 28: The Texas Union was built in 1933 to be the college independent “living room” #spiritSaturday #50daysofSenate

A photo posted by UT Senate of College Councils (@utsenate) on

2247 Guadalupe St, Austin, TX 78712
(512) 475-6599
(512) 475-6599