Today: It's Election Day ... Vote! Then, Seat Belts!

Nov. 8, 2016 5 AM PT

I’m Davan Maharaj, editor-in-chief of the Los Angeles Times. Today is election day, so get out and vote! Here are some story lines I don’t want you to miss.

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It’s Election Day ... Vote! Then, Seat Belts!

After all the twists and turns of a seemingly interminable campaign season, it comes down to this. Yesterday, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump made their final pleas to the American public; she closed with the Obamas, Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi, and he with daughter Ivanka, Mike Pence and lasers. Today, voters will set the course of history, not just in selecting a new president but also in determining who controls Congress and in deciding a multitude of state and local issues. We’ll be with you every step of the way, and to make things easy, we’re giving all readers free access to our election week coverage. Sign up here (and feel free to tell a friend too).

So Tell Us, How Do You Really Feel?

“These are best two candidates out of 300 million people?” “A lot of things that have been buried and unspoken are getting talked about.” “I am deeply worried about the future.” “It makes me feel hopeful.” How do you feel about the election? Readers are telling us in videos and written comments. Take a spin through them and give us your thoughts on camera.

In the California Election, Will Big Money Talk?

California voters will decide the fate of 17 propositions, the most in 16 years. All those ballot measures have drawn a record amount of campaign contributions: $473 million. That’s roughly twice what Trump reported raising for his campaign, based on a Times review of records. Here’s where that money comes from.

More About the Election

-- The fight for Ohio pits a well-oiled Democratic machine against Republican enthusiasm.

-- New York’s security headache: Trump and Clinton will be almost within shouting distance on election night.

-- Did Trump’s staff really take away his Twitter privileges? There’s a clue.

-- Mexico is feeling jitters over the prospect of a Trump victory.

-- Graphics: The fight for control of the Senate and the House.

-- What to make of all of California’s 17 propositions on the ballot.

-- A complete list of endorsements by The Times’ editorial board.

-- Where to find your polling place in California.

Right Now, Everybody Hates Comey

James Comey is a Republican who served in President George W. Bush’s Justice Department and was appointed to lead the FBI by President Obama. But after the latest Clinton email flap, members from both parties have called for his resignation. Would a Clinton or a Trump presidency be better for him at this point? It’s awkward either way.

A Raw Deal Over a Dish of Ceviche?

Need a break from the election? Consider the tale of Mariza Ruelas, a Stockton mother of six who joined a Facebook group devoted to sharing recipes and occasionally swapping dishes for favors or other meals. When she offered to sell some leftover ceviche at the price of $12 for 32 ounces, an undercover investigator showed up at her door and she was charged with operating a food facility and a business without a license. Now, after refusing to sign a plea deal, it’s possible she could face more legal trouble.

CALIFORNIA

-- Air regulators found a cancer-causing metal at 350 times the normal level in Paramount. Now they’re looking for the source of it.

-- A Superior Court judge ruled there is enough evidence for two LAPD officers to stand trial on rape and sexual assault charges.

-- The gunman who killed a Transportation Security Administration officer and injured three other people at LAX in 2013 was sentenced to life in prison.

-- Real estate scion Robert Durst pleaded not guilty to murdering his friend Susan Berman.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

-- CBS News preps for election night, and Bob Schieffer has selected some Simon & Garfunkel lyrics to quote.

-- Inside the Hollywood Film Awards, where the stars come to rehearse for other, more important awards shows.

-- The man who composed the theme for Disneyland’s Main Street Electrical Parade has died at age 87.

-- The first full Edgar Degas retrospective in nearly 30 years shows an artist who liked to be in control.

-- Rapper battle: T.I. says Lil Wayne’s comments about how he doesn’t feel connected to Black Lives Matter are “absolutely unacceptable.”

NATION-WORLD

-- As Iraqi forces close in on Mosul, the whereabouts of Islamic State’s leader are unknown.

-- The Paris climate deal just became law. Now countries have to figure out how to make good on their pledges.

-- The killing of elephants for their ivory is continuing at a disturbing pace in Africa.

BUSINESS

-- Michael Hiltzik: Is the stock market predicting a Clinton win, or just hoping for it?

-- Here’s a tip from David Lazarus: Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Robocall Strike Force to eliminate nuisance calls any time soon.

SPORTS

-- Magic Johnson, 25 years after disclosing he was HIV positive: “November 7, 1991 was a life-changing day that I never saw coming.”

-- L.A.’s chances of winning the 2024 Olympic bid could depend on the presidential election.

OPINION

-- The three things an election law expert worries about the most on election day.

-- Watch for these trends as California votes today.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

-- “I did a lot of freaking out about Barack Obama,” Glenn Beck says. But “Obama made me a better man.” (The New Yorker)

-- How to vet 650,000 emails in eight days or less. (Wired)

-- The system is rigged in favor of morning people (and against night owls). (The Atlantic)

ONLY IN CALIFORNIA

When does the happiest place on Earth become the dapperest? On Dapper Day, a biannual event in which park-goers don tulle, waistcoats and chiffon. There’s no required look to participate, other than to dress sharp. Or as the founder says: “It’s the biggest cocktail party in the world without cocktails.” Check out the video and the photos — and if you do so in your PJs, don’t worry. We won’t judge.

Please send comments and ideas to Davan Maharaj.

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