Early Voting?

Re: Early Voting?

Voted at the mall today w/DH. He's working on the fourth and I worried I wouldn't get through the line w/DD in decent time frame. So that's that, now to wait and see how it goes on the fourth.

Ooooh - and the last time you posted about it you said that Colin Powell's endorsement had swayed you! Here's hoping you punched a ballot (or touched a screen) for Obama!!

I'll never tell, but Davita will.

[MrsK]

Re: Early Voting?

:nothing:

[DCJenn]

Re: Early Voting?

The Texas Secretary of State just released the early voting numbers for yesterday and more people voted yesterday than on Monday. So far 7.2% of the registered voters of Texas have already voted. Almost 10% of the registered voters in the county where Austin is located have voted- in TWO days! Bexar county (San Antonio's county) is at 7.9%

This is amazing to see. I just read that the highest national turnout we've ever had was in 1900. and it was only 64% of the electorate. That's pathetic!

Jenn

[scarlett09]

Re: Early Voting?

I will be voting on Nov. 4 - I want my sticker.

I want my sticker too, so that way I can get me some free ice cream: http://www.benjerry.com/features/i_voted/

In all seriousness, I have no idea whether or not my corrupt little state has advanced voting, mail voting, whatever. This is the state where someone working at a certain Ivy League university bought electronic voting machines for a good price and tested them again and again. He proved that it is very easy to hack into them. In fact, it is so easy to do this that a superior court judge refused until recently to release the pages of his research that show how to do it. You can read all about it and find the link to the report here: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/31222984.html Scary huh? Probably makes everyone want to vote by mail now, right?

My little district has the regular ol' voting machines and I will be in one sometime on the afternoon of November 4. My grad school is closed that day, and I am really, really glad for this. Because if it weren't, then I would be stuck at my DM's house, watching the returns with her and her BF. Now I can watch them from the comfort of my own home, without the political arguments and philosophical differences.

[scarlett09]

Re: Early Voting?

I will be voting on Nov. 4 - I want my sticker.

You get a sticker when you do the early voting. I proudly sported mine around that Saturday. (in-person absentee voting in Ohio)

Isn't amazing how we all still excited by the prospect of receiving a sticker? Kindergarten really sticks with us, doesn't it?

Then I guess I will have to do the "I Voted" dance for my free ice cream. :rah:

[MDPhDWife]

Re: Early Voting?

NM has early voting which DH and I are intending to do but just haven't gotten around to it yet. BTW, Obama will be here in Albuquerque tomorrow night and I plan on going to see him again with my sister!

Re: Early Voting?

NM has early voting which DH and I are intending to do but just haven't gotten around to it yet. BTW, Obama will be here in Albuquerque tomorrow night and I plan on going to see him again with my sister!

Jealous! He was in KC last Saturday, but we were driving home from Cleveland. And, I don't think I could have justified taking a 3 week old baby to an Obama rally.

[alison]

Re: Early Voting?

Obama's having an election night party in Grant Park in Chicago. I probably won't go, because it'll be just crazy trying to get down there. Anyone going? Jenn/Jane?!?

Re: Early Voting?

Anyone going? Jenn/Jane?!?

Yeah - no. My friend and I have decided we're having an election night dinner w/some of the neighborhood democrats. Everyone has to bring a dish and 2 bottles of wine, and we'll either toast in our joy or drink our sorrows away.

[DCJenn]

Re: Early Voting?

I'm having the neighbors over, too. With much the same agenda. Either we're cracking open the champagne or figuring out how my husband can get stationed in Europe.

Jenn

[TulipsAndSunscreen]

Re: Early Voting?

I voted yesterday. It took 2.5 hours at the Cuyahoaga country board of elections. We didn't realize that the really long line outside also wound around inside and by the time we got inside, we decided to gut it out. It was REALLY exciting though. There were a TON of people in line who said it was their 1st time voting and most were middle-aged adults. I thought that was pretty cool! (though I could have done without the gigantic line and 2.5 hour wait).

[DCJenn]

Re: Early Voting?

Almost 21% of the registered voters in Texas have already voted. 22.47% in my county.

My friend said the same thing- she was in line with a lot of 40 year old first time voters!

Cool.

Jenn

ETA: maybe people are finally "getting" that while it's the electoral college that does the electing, they have to get there somehow!

[Sheherezade]

Re: Early Voting?

The Secretary of State for Ohio (Jennifer Brunner)* was on Diane Rehms today and she says they expect an 80% turnout. That's fantastic!!! I imagine she's going for a "worst case scenario" in terms of staffing, etc. so that they can avoid a Florida 2000 style meltdown. Still, 80% would be fantastic. They also expect a 25% turnout to occur in the early voting stages here in Ohio.

* I'm not sure of the title or the spelling....so YNWIM.

[moonlight]

Re: Early Voting?

I made a quick trip home (dfw area) and voted early for the first time in a presidential election. Normally, I wait and vote on Election Day. It makes it a bit more fun for me. I vote in a somewhat rural area (i.e. ALL Repubs) In fact, my precinct is located inside a county maintenance facility, that everyone calls 'the barn.' Normally no one is there voting and once again I was the only person voting when I showed up at 4pm Saturday. In fact, I think I somewhat frightened the older ladies working there when opened the loud clucky door to walk in. LOL!

Re: Early Voting?

I caved and went today (the talk of lines was really scaring me). I'm glad I did. The line was out the door, to the parking lot, and the parking lot was FULL, including cars parked on the grass behind the building. I asked one of the workers if it was always this steady, and he said it's been that way since early voting started (around 10/15 - I think), and is consistent until they close their doors at 7PM.

I'm actually worried about states that don't have early voting. It will be INSANE.

Oh - and I got my sticker, and put it right on my "Barack the VOTE" pin that is on the outside of my diaper bag.