Early voting

[Beth]

Well, I voted Kerry today. My ballot cast. No one to bother me or try to sway my votes. No more anxieties that another hurricane may keep me from the polls. The line was very long. I waited an hour to vote. The turnout to vote early is very suprising.

In place of one candidate, I voted Mickey Mouse as a protest vote. Could not think of someone else to vote for.

Anyway, it's time to get out there and be proactive and vote. Let's kick some politition heiny!

[livius drusus]

Good for you, Beth. I'm really surprised to hear that there was a line this early in the game too. What kind of ballots did you have? Where they paper or electronic?

[lisarea]

You know, as much as I enjoy going to the polls on election day and all, I'm getting nervous. I'm afraid I'm going to fuck up my ballot, like I'm going have some sort of seizure and accidentally fill in the wrong circles. Then, it occurred to me last night that I could die in my sleep sometime in the next couple of weeks, and THEN WHAT? Even if I were just in a coma or something, I wouldn't be able to vote. Or maybe my legs will fall off on election day, and I'll be sitting in the ER all day, waiting to have my leg holes sewn up. What if I get the flu and my eyeballs are boiling and I can't see the ballot? What if, like, I get shot in the head with an arrow and it destroys some part of my brain that regulates my previously latent neocon impulses, and I subsequently vote for Bush and Pete Coors and Marilyn Musgrave* and shit?

And I'm thinking maybe I'll sleep a little better if I get it over with now. I am going to make the ODB decide on all the judge stuff and whatnot**, so I have to get his crib sheet first, but maybe I just need to go do that, too, so I can die in my sleep with a clear conscience next week. Or, you know, whatever.

* Sure, she's not actually on my ballot, but what if I write her in somewhere or something?

** Because I am a lady and as such, I require strong masculine direction on non-frivolous issues.

[LadyShea]

Frankie and I went over all the amendments and shit this weekend, did some extra research and marked our sample ballots. I planned to go vote tonight after getting my hair cut. I want to be done with it.

[Beth]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Good for you, Beth. I'm really surprised to hear that there was a line this early in the game too. What kind of ballots did you have? Where they paper or electronic?

We had electronic, which I'm still suspect of.

You know, I've never had to wait in line to vote before. I know there were some areas that had waits, but I just never a mass of people turn up to vote, especially early! All I can do is hope that America's apathy is dissapating and that people are becoming politically aware.

Anyway, I mainly saw a lot of elderly and really, I was the youngest one in the line, while I was there. But I wanted it done with. I mean, a hurricane could happen, my kids could get sick,...or my car my not start on election day. Why risk it?

[Godless Dave]

We don't have that option in Minnesota. If I had planned ahead better I would have taken election day off so I could give people rides to the polls. Instead I will do my usual: come home from work, smoke a joint, and walk to my polling station.

[SharonDee]

lisarea, you're killing me over here!

I went to the polls and did my early voting yesterday. The whole thing from getting in line to voting took roughly forty-five minutes. There were many first-time eighteen to twenty-somethings in line, too, which I took as an encouraging sign for some reason.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by Beth

We had electronic, which I'm still suspect of.

You know, I've never had to wait in line to vote before. I know there were some areas that had waits, but I just never a mass of people turn up to vote, especially early! All I can do is hope that America's apathy is dissapating and that people are becoming politically aware.

Anyway, I mainly saw a lot of elderly and really, I was the youngest one in the line, while I was there. But I wanted it done with. I mean, a hurricane could happen, my kids could get sick,...or my car my not start on election day. Why risk it?

Hopefully your fellow Floridians want to ensure there isn't a repeat of 2000, so are voting early in the hopes they will be actually counted.

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Frankie and I went over all the amendments and shit this weekend, did some extra research and marked our sample ballots. I planned to go vote tonight after getting my hair cut. I want to be done with it.

You want to cut all your hair off?

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by JoeP

You want to cut all your hair off?

Yes as a matter of fact, it's too long and shaggy. I have no idea why I felt the need to add that extraneous bit of info to my post other than I already planned to leave work early for a hair cut, and the voting venue is right there on the same street.

[JoeP]

Women and hair - we know it matters. It's OK to talk about it. It's OK to bring it up in other conversations.

Back on topic, does Kerry have better hair and is this a voting liability, in a male in a position of authority?

[LadyShea]

Ugh, to really get back on topic, looks like Florida is still fucking up. You'd think after 2000 they would have ensured their voting process was above reproach.

Here is just ONE example of the shit going on there. Read the article...it's crazy shit

Now her office is instructing county officials to reject registration forms from thousands of Floridians who did not check a box answering "yes" to the question "Are you a US citizen?" - even though, in signing the form, applicants agree with the statement "I do solemnly swear ... [that] I am a US citizen."

article

[JoeP]

But you can see the mental process that says "if the form's not exactly right I must reject it " - so as to be "above reproach". By the book, just not right.

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by JoeP

But you can see the mental process that says "if the form's not exactly right I must reject it " - so as to be "above reproach". By the book, just not right.

Actually, it is actually against the law to reject an application based on an insignificant oversight. Someone would need to confirm this, because I can't find it on a quick search, but that's essentially why the registrations on the wrong paper couldn't be tossed out in Ohio. (I don't think this is just a state law.)

So, to be 'above reproach,' they would actually have to accept the applications. As long as the registrants attest to their citizenship elsewhere on the form, they should have to accept the registration in order to go by the book.

[JoeP]

I didn't say the mental process was reasonable; in fact since you point that out, I have to question the mental process of the people who designed the form too.

[LadyShea]

Okay, ballot cast. Our new machines are pretty cool...you vote via touch screen, but then it prints a paper copy of your choices and displays it behind plexiglass for you to verify before casting the ballot. I kinda felt better knowing there was both a hard copy and the electronic count.

Anybody else have both?

[Beth]

grr, double posted

[Beth]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Okay, ballot cast. Our new machines are pretty cool...you vote via touch screen, but then it prints a paper copy of your choices and displays it behind plexiglass for you to verify before casting the ballot. I kinda felt better knowing there was both a hard copy and the electronic count.

Anybody else have both?

Not us. And that is what truly sucks about our system...no paper back up. In Miami Dade, at a previous election, some of the votes were lost. I still have a lot of reservations in Florida's election with Jebbie Boy being the governor.

[wildernesse]

Advance voting here in Georgia doesn't begin until next week, but I believe that we've settled that we're (RA and I) going to do it. I've never voted in a Presidential election in person, so I wanted to stand in line--until I thought about the possibility of having to stand in line for 2 hours surrounded by Bush voters (likely here in GA). So, now I think I will try the early voting too--especially because lisarea reminds me that I might die or be catastrophically injured before I get to vote!

We have touch screen ballots here too, but no paper printouts. I read a really depressing article earlier in the year about how GA, Maryland, and CA? all have the same system with the same bugs--and how MD and CA have fixed them, but GA didn't b/c they didn't have time before elections. Or something to that effect.

The really awesome thing I found out recently is that Athens transit system, The Bus, is providing transportation completely free of charge on Election Day. Their website even gives you the bus routes to the polling places in town.

[freemonkey]

It really says something that more than one person is so concerned about this election that they are afraid they will die before they can cast their vote.

I'm wishing I'd signed up for absentee voting just so I could have my ballot filled out & ready to go by now.

Speaking of long lines at the polls, I think maybe this is good news? Yesterday was the last day to register in the state of Washington and apparently there were hours-long waits just to register. I'm hoping this means people are voting for change.

[Godless Dave]

Originally Posted by LadyShea

Ugh, to really get back on topic, looks like Florida is still fucking up. You'd think after 2000 they would have ensured their voting process was above reproach.

You'd only think that if you think the 2000 debacle was a mistake, and not deliberate.

[Beth]

I know. I was apprehensive yesterday that all of our early votes would be lost. Purposely. It's like a curse looming over us. The only thing is, I do not think most people I know have fallen prey to these tactics. And if our votes are lost this time, because there is paper and computer record of who voted early, I think there will be some political heads rolling. It is easy to mark the last election a mistake, but if it happens again, we will know certainly and for sure that this is election rigging.

[Cool Hand]

Originally Posted by wildernesse

The really awesome thing I found out recently is that Athens transit system, The Bus, is providing transportation completely free of charge on Election Day. Their website even gives you the bus routes to the polling places in town.

This has nothing to do with voting or the buses in Athens, but your post just reminded me how much I miss Athens, Georgia. I went to graduate school there in the 80s, and it provided me with some of the fondest memories of my life, and with some of my best lifetime friends. I have visited several times since I left, and each time I fall in love with the town and its whole vibe again.

Cool Hand

[Shake]

Originally Posted by Beth

Well, I voted Kerry today. My ballot cast. No one to bother me or try to sway my votes. No more anxieties that another hurricane may keep me from the polls. The line was very long. I waited an hour to vote. The turnout to vote early is very suprising.

In place of one candidate, I voted Mickey Mouse as a protest vote. Could not think of someone else to vote for.

Anyway, it's time to get out there and be proactive and vote. Let's kick some politition heiny!

Well, as I pointed out over here, I'm perfectly willing to let anyone use my name for a write-in. Actually, I think it'd be kind of cool if I got a handful of votes from across the states!

PS. Anyone voting for me definitely gets a say in shaping policy! [/shameless pandering]

[lisarea]

Originally Posted by Shake

Well, as I pointed out over here, I'm perfectly willing to let anyone use my name for a write-in. Actually, I think it'd be kind of cool if I got a handful of votes from across the states!

PS. Anyone voting for me definitely gets a say in shaping policy! [/shameless pandering]

So, we can assume you've filed your declaration of intent in all of the relevant states, then?

Most, I think, require a candidate have filed a statement ahead of time in order for their write-in votes to be counted.

I mean, aside from the fact that most write-in votes for "Shake" would likely be counted toward Master Shake.

Oh, man, I just know you're going to LOSE this election!