The New York Times' election needle is broken and people are jonesing hard

Morgan Sung
Updated

UPDATE: Nov. 6, 2018, 6:48 p.m. PST We regret to inform you that the needle is back. Feel free to resume wallowing in overwhelming existential dread. 

The New York Times' election needle failure may be the healthiest possible outcome for our collective mental health. 

The infamous needle sparked deep-seated anxiety and ignited endless rage during the 2016 presidential election, when it perilously oscillated before settling on Trump's victory. Ahead of the midterm elections this year, people were outspoken about how much that damn needle stressed them out.

But maybe for the good of our heart rates, the New York Times' cursed needle appears to have broken. 

SEE ALSO: This election night Photoshop battle imagines wild political agendas

Times elections correspondent Nate Cohn explained that the dreaded needle was experiencing "issues." 

"Don't know when we'll have something," he tweeted.

Did the needle, fueled by the anxiety of Americans nationwide, become self-aware? Has it taken pity on us mere mortals, doomed to rely on a centuries-old system to determine our leaders? Did the needle simply, like many of us, give up? 

Other Twitter users thoroughly roasted the needle in Cohn's mentions

Some turned to the only solace of our turbulent political climate: Memes.

Most people waited in anticipation.

FiveThirtyEight's competing election predictions also appear to be experiencing issues. 

At the time of writing, the New York Times election needle is still out of order. The site put up this statement: 

We'll keep you updated on this meltdown.

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