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Lauren's List: How To Maintain Relationships Despite Bitter Election

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- After what has seemed like a campaign marathon, the 2016 Presidential Election is now in the homestretch.

With Election Day Tuesday, this "Lauren's List" is focused on making sure your relationships are still intact come Wednesday morning!

A recent Monmouth University Poll found 7-percent of respondents say they've ended friendships over this election.

Seventy-percent say this election cycle has brought out the worst in people.

We've all seen our share of Facebook fighting over this topic, and it can get pretty nasty.

But let's not forget, whatever the outcome is, we all still need to co-exist.

So here are some tips for maintaining friendships as we get to the election finish line.

  1. Check the source of your news. Before sharing an inflammatory article about one candidate or another, check that it's coming from a legitimate source. There are plenty of bogus sites posting articles just to get clicks. If you share a fake article, you lose credibility, and open yourself up to criticism that could hurt relationships.
  1. Accept that you probably won't change minds. If you do post something about the candidate of your choice, and someone disagrees with you, know that you probably won't be able to sway them to see your view. You can engage in respectful dialogue, but realizing that you may not convince them to vote differently could save you some stress.
  1. Be excited that your friends care! If they're commenting on your views, whether for or against, that means they're interested and invested in the political process. That's a win!
  1. Listen and/or disengage. If you know responding will result in hurt feelings, maybe just try listening or reading, without commenting. Then, use whatever information you gained to shape your own opinions. But if all else fails, ignore! Scroll by their posts or block them entirely. If you want to revisit the relationship after the election, go ahead an unblock when cooler heads prevail.

Have you ended relationships over opposing election views?

Tell Lauren on her Facebook page or Twitter 

If you have an idea for a future "Lauren's List", send it to lpastrana@cbs.com.

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