Essential Election Night Cocktails (Because You'll Definitely Need to Get Drunk)

Let’s face it: The 2016 Presidential Election was absolute chaos. We don’t think we’ve ever consumed so much alcohol in the span of just a few weeks. Election Night was, without question, the ultimate test of our livers.

It’s our American duty to get drunk on Election Night. After all, it’s part our history. Booze and voting have gone hand-in-hand since 1758, when a young candidate for the House of Burgess decided to spend all of his campaign money on liquor to buy votes.

Do you know who that candidate was? You may or may not recognize him as the first President of the United States. #TeamAmerica Needless to say, booze is non-negotiable on Election Night. Of course, playing a drinking game with your favorite beer will suffice, but we think an election night calls for a bit more creativity.

So with that, we bring you the essential Election Night cocktails inspired by each of the 2016 primary candidates.

The Democrat While this cocktail was originally inspired by President Truman, it still holds ground today. Made with bourbon, peach liqueur, lemon juice, and honey, it’s just the kind of cooling drink you need when tensions start to get hot. See recipe

The Comb-Over Tall, golden, and in-your-face, this cocktail screams “The Donald.” Vodka acts as a neutral base for gold-flecked cinnamon schnapps, while orange juice gives that not-so-subtle self-tanner-like appeal. This drink brings it home with the ultimate of garnishes: a perfect, puffy piece of yellow cotton candy. See recipe

The Nasty Woman Nice women drink Cosmos. Nasty women drink this. This play on the classic goes hard by doubling up on the booze and replacing cranberry juice with viscous raspberry syrup. A few final cracks of fresh pink peppercorn lend some potent, boss-bitch spice. See recipe

The Bad Hombre There’s never a bad reason to reach for a smoky mezcal. Pair the Mexican spirit (ideally the Ilegal brand, because ha!) with lime juice and agave syrup. This smoky version of a Bloody Mary goes really south of the border by trading traditional tomato juice and spices for strained salsa verde. Ole! See recipe

No matter which way the results swing, a well-crafted themed cocktail makes any watch party more memorable. If you’re looking for more easy cocktail recipes for your next gathering, Cocktail Builder lets you search by ingredient so you can whip up crowd-pleasing drinks with whatever you already have on hand.

Last modified on May 23, 2026