What You Need to Know Before Heading to the Polls

After months of aggressive campaigning, scandalous headlines and heated debates, the 2016 presidential election is just one day away. Tomorrow, Americans will head to the polls to cast their votes for either former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or businessman Donald Trump. No matter the outcome, the person and political party that wins the White House will have a strong impact on the country’s industries and businesses, including franchising.

For the past week, 1851 Franchise has been highlighting the main issues at stake for the franchising industry this election season, including the National Labor Relations Board’s joint employer standard, new overtime regulations and a potentially higher minimum wage. But those aren’t the only issues that industry professionals need to focus on before filling out their ballots.

Here are the top three things to know and catch up on before heading to the polls:

Final Campaign Pushes

Both Clinton and Trump had packed schedules over the weekend in their last attempt at securing votes, especially in key battleground states. Trump turned his attention to North Carolina on Saturday in an effort to recreate the success Mitt Romney experienced there in 2012. He then had five scheduled appearances on Sunday in Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Clinton, on the other hand, used star power to fuel her campaign efforts this weekend. A-listers like Jay Z, Beyonce, Chance the Rapper and Big Sean headlined a concert in Cleveland to drum up support. Katy Perry also performed with Clinton on Saturday in Philadelphia before making an appearance with LeBron James back in Cleveland on Sunday.

Clinton’s packed campaign schedule comes as the FBI clears her in its ongoing email case. On Sunday, FBI Director James Comey announced that the agency hasn’t changed its opinion that Clinton should not face criminal charges after reviewing new emails connected to the now closed investigation into whether or not she mishandled classified information while serving as Secretary of State.

Both Clinton and Trump have busy days lined up again on Monday. Trump is set to make appearances in Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Michigan. Clinton is also targeting a lot of those same locations—she’ll appear in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and North Carolina. President Obama is also set to make appearances with Clinton on the final day of the campaign in an effort to lock down more votes in battleground states.

Early Voting Trends

Even though election day isn’t officially until tomorrow, about 40 million votes have already been cast. That includes more than 18 million early votes in 12 battleground states like Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado and Ohio. Right now, it’s unclear whether early voting trends are pointing towards a wide victory margin for Clinton or Trump. But early voting data is suggesting that more Hispanic voters will head to the polls this year, which could give Clinton a slight edge.

That potential competitive advantage is visible in the latest polls. However, it appears that there are still a large number of undecided voters that the candidates could sway over the course of the next day. The final POLITICO/Morning Consult poll shows Clinton up three points 45 to 42 percent, with nine percent of respondents saying they weren’t sure who to vote for. The Washington Post-ABC Tracking poll, on the other hand, has Clinton with 48 percent support while Trump has 43. But Clinton’s lead is smaller in Real Clear Politics’ average of state and local polls. It shows her holding a 1.8-point lead over Trump with 46.6 percent support.

Beyond the Oval Office

While the race for the White House has taken center stage this election season, there are a lot more names on the ballot than Clinton and Trump. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives, for example, are up for grabs on Tuesday as well as 34 seats in the Senate. State legislatures and executives are also being voted on this year—80 percent of all state legislative seats are open while voters in 12 states will elect new governors. Policy issues like marijuana use, minimum wage and the death penalty may also appear on ballots depending on the state.

It's just as important to pay attention to state and local elections as it is to be aware of both presidential campaigns. That’s especially true for people working within the franchising industry—the key issues impacting the business model are likely to be addressed on a state by state basis.

“I think it’s prudent that everyone in the franchising industry—particularly franchisees—pay close attention to their local political candidates and congressional races. There’s no doubt that the battles over issues like minimum wage and overtime are going to be held on the state level,” said Lonnie Helgerson, president and franchise consultant of Helgerson Franchise Group. “Of course the next President will pay an important role in those fights too, but I can’t stress enough the importance of this year’s local elections.”

For more information on when polls open and close in your state, click here. And to find out what you can expect to see on your ballot before you cast your vote, click here.