For political junkies, a presidential Election Day is like Christmas. It’s like the Superbowl for sports fans; it’s like the Tony Awards for the gays.

This is it.

As we’ve gotten closer to today, I’ve measured the days like I usually do when I anticipate big events:

The election is in 23 days… what was I doing 23 days ago?

The first polls close in 47 hours… what was I doing 47 hours ago?

Ever since the last presidential debate, my emotions have gone from optimism, to fear and anxiety, back to optimism, and finally to giddiness. I kept waiting for something bad to happen. I kept waiting for the polls to tighten. As the day got closer, I kept thinking, What are they holding back? and, Is [event X] going to be the thing that turns people back toward McCain? This past weekend I could focus on almost nothing else but the election.

It’s been 12 years since we’ve had a presidential election that did not appear to be a tossup. The last time the presidential candidates actually spoke on Election Night was in 1996 — Clinton vs. Dole.

The next two election nights gave me agita. I’m not sure which was worse — 2000 or 2004. The first was nerve-wracking; the second was just depressing.

And now it’s 2008, and I feel hopeful about a presidential election for the first time in years.

And this got me unexpectedly choked up.

I don’t want to jinx it… but tonight should be one for the history books.