The election mania is real. This Nov. 6, Americans from all walks of life will cast their ballots and be heard in the country's electoral process. And judging by the memes of the 2018 midterm elections, it looks like people have been through some rough times since the 2016 presidential election — and they're not going to take it anymore.
Here's the thing. Remember that it's OK to feel a little nervous about this midterm election if it's your first time or you're just a little rusty. The pressure is on, there are many newcomers in the political arena, and the stakes — from issues like reproductive health to immigration — are high.
But don't fret; there are helpful tips for first-time voters, journalists that you can follow to understand what's happening on the ground, how to avoid falling for midterm conspiracy theories, key midterm races you should keep an eye on, understanding voter ID requisites, and much more.
Based on these memes, it seems like people are painfully aware of their exhaustion — and of how important this election is. From images of a young LeBron James and a delightful Pomeranian pup to shots from the dystopian Handmaid's Tale and Mad Max: Fury Road, people are ready to cast their ballots all the while letting you know that the stakes are really, truly high. Here are some of them.
1Well, That Escalated Quickly
To put it in terms of Mad Men and The Handmaid's Tale, it's gone from chipper Peggy Olson to bleak Offred for journalist Whitney Friedlander.
2From Puppy To Teeth-Baring Wolf
For the founder and publisher of Dame Magazine, Jennifer Reitman, it's no longer about heading to the polls like an excited Pomeranian; it's time to show some wolf-fangs.
3Oh, How Time Flies
Remember young LeBron James? Forget that. For the 2018 midterm election, NBA reporter Tyler Conway used the photo of a much more no-nonsense James to show how totally serious this race is.
4From Smizing Charlize Theron To Raging Charlize Theron
It's time to put a pause on the smize and bring out the rage.
6Oof
There's nothing like truly depicting a swift change in one's mood when you have a happy Leonardo DiCaprio frolicking through the summer grass and then an unmistakably miserable Leonardo DiCaprio in bone-freezing winter.
8How Folks Feel
Youthful Tim Allen juxtaposed with a white-bearded Tim Allen character (fictional as he may be) is a pretty good way to make a point.
10Hard Times
Here's another example of how real the struggle is for voters this year.
11Serious Business
We've gone from Bruce Willis enjoying a cosmopolitan evening to Bruce Willis smoking and sweating in a tank top.
13'Game Of Thrones' Reference, Of Course
You wanted some Sansa Stark in the mix? Say no more.
15From Prim To Pow
There's performing your civic duty, then there's waging war while your dragon sets your nemesis on fire.
17Going Before 2016
This person had his slightly tweaked version on the election meme by pointing how he felt during the 2014 election. And how he feels now.
22Kill Bill Time
Maybe you could listen to the Kill Bill soundtrack while you're waiting in line to vote.
25No, Thank You
Simon Cowell's expressions often do the trick, whatever the year is.
27For The Literary Enthusiasts
Thought there won't be a literary reference in here? You were wrong. Here's a voting plus bookworm meme in the form of the American novelist Flannery O'Connor.
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Considering how precious this race is to many, it's possible the 2016 and 2018 voting memes will keep coming in.
