How's Your Voting Experience?

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

90 min. in line here.

[jazzypaul]

ditto what ejp said, except I was in a church (I'm actually shocked that they didn't just use the lobby at the local high school, which is a gargantuan monstrosity of a building). the judges thing was completely annoying, as were the votes for water commission board. Even as a political junkie, I had no clue about these people. I'm not about to vote in elections where I know nothing about the candidates, so I left them blank and then caught shit for undervoting.

Two things I was in shock by:

1) agreeing with ejp, that there were any republican judges to be found, especially in Humboldt Park.

2) the support for Alan Keyes in my neighborhood. This morning, I walked over there, and saw five or six Keyes for Senate signs in spanish on the walk. I never cease to be amazed.

[sheldonm]

Voted at 7:30 this morning at my county's city center. About 30 people in front of me but it only took about 30 minutes are there were machines working. No problems with the machines or people on site. There were about 60 people behind me when I finished. There were actually four different rooms with 3-5 machines in each, depending on the precinct. Pretty smooth overall!

[J Larsen]

I waited directly behind Moby in an very long, slow line this morning. MTV was there to film Moby's voting experience. If they show the clip, I'm the corporate square looking guy right behind him.

[maren]

New York (or at least my district in NY) uses those big-ass voting booths with the levers. I voted straight Democrat, and was out of there in no time.

All over NYC, it's big-ass voting booths with levers.

All the Democratic candidates were also on the "Working Families Party" line here -- is that just a metropolitan phenomenon, Alexander?

My polling place: in the community room of a housing project 4 blocks from my apartment. Where it was when I moved to the nabe in 1986. Then from about 1990 to 2000, it was in a housing project HALF a block away. Then shifted back to the 4-blocks-away place, while the half-block-away site remains a polling place. Literally, the single block that I live on is gerrymandered between the north and south sides of the street, and the western 3/4 and eastern 1/4 of the block, or something. Bizarre. Probably not too nefarious, though -- seems like it's actually trying to get an economic mix in each little community board district -- so it's not all housing projects in one and private apartments in another. But the first time I voted after getting switched back to "Bracetti" instead of "Wald-Riis", I went to the right place first -- was told it was wrong -- went to the wrong place -- and had to make a third voting trip back to the right place and insist that they could find me in their book. That was 4 years ago.

Today, I got in and out of there in 5 minutes at 8:00 AM, BUT... others weren't so lucky. Crowded into this not-large community room were 8 big-ass voting booths with levers, 2 per "election district" (these tiny gerrymandered entities). The 2 for my district worked fine, but both of the 2 for another district were jammed, and there were at least 75 people lined up trying to find out how long it would take to get a working machine down there, trying to decide whether to fill out a paper ballot (that will NOT be electronically scanned, but put in a box with the hope that someone will read it, read it CORRECTLY, and COUNT it!) or call in late to work and wait, or come back in the evening and hope for better.

When I left, the poll worker in charge of the mechanics hadn't been able to un-jam either machine, or get any word about replacements. I called "311" (the city number to call for any and all non-emergency issues) and was transferred to the Board of Elections, where I got a "press 1 for..." menu and got cut off when I pressed "0" to speak to a representative. Then called 1-800-VOTE-NYC directly and got "all circuits are busy." Then noticed a headline on the front page of my NY Times Metro Section:

Where to Vote in New York? With Time Short, City Can't Say

New York City's main governmental Web site to help people locate polling places was inaccessible for much of yesterday, and voters seeking information by telephone from the Board of Elections were greeted with busy signals, continuous ringing or a recording that said customer service representatives were not available.

The problems came as elections officials made last-minute preparations for what could be a huge turnout as voters prepared to cast their ballots in today's presidential election...

The print story listed some non-city voter info number so I called that and told them about the jammed machines... but maybe they got overwhelmed too? because they don't appear in the online version...

And that's my New York City voting story!

[RainyDay]

I voted absentee and hand delivered my ballot over a week ago to the county Registrars of Voters.

My co-workers report long lines in Piedment, Marin, and Berkeley.

Maybe this is only in California but employers have to give up to two paid hours leave for employees to vote but are required to coordinated their time off with supervisors in advance. The polls are open from 7 AM and close at 8 PM.

I've voted in churches and there was never any proseltizing. If there is political commentary by the polls, it is illegal and should be reported to the county Registrar and/or the Secretary of State (state level).

Last night, the Sundance Channel ran Unprecedented, about the 2000 Florida elections, a doc about the Iraq war, and Bush's Brain (I fell asleep before it started so missed it). I'd seen Unprecedented before but it's still a shock to see how easy it is to disenfranchise voters in full view of the public and nothing is done about it. Especially when you read news reportst that the same things are happening all over again in 2004. My guess is that voter fraud is widespread and carried out by both parties.

I have been wondering a lot lately just how much of a democracy we really live in. This is as much about political activity at the local level as well as the federal level. There is a ballot measure in Oakland that has really divided people. It's a measure to impose a parcel tax to fund police, fire, and social programs geared at violence reduction. I'm opposed because Council has written a crappy measure (Measure Y) with so many loopholes, they could end up using the funds as they see fit. Besides, basic public safety needs should come out of the General Fund. Lots of side deals were cut, etc. The police department hosts a series of Yahoo groups for people to discuss crime issues but Measure Y has consumed the discussion. It's funny because the cops stay out of the fray (they can't promote political issues anyway) posting crime stats in the middle of a flame war over this ballot measure. The cops won't shut the groups down and I'm sure the elected officials want them gone because they are getting their asses kicked in the discussion. The Measure needs 2/3 to pass and we'll see. I know, more than you want to know about Oakland politics.

[medjuck]

Voted on the way to work. Polling placae was a church hall. Very nice older people working there

(even older than me!). Took about 10 minutes. I had a cheat sheet with me that I prepared yesterday otherwise I would have been a lot longer just trying to understand all the propositions we have in California.

[catesta]

I went around 10:00 AM at a church down the street. There may have been 20 people total, it took me less than 25 minutes start to finish.

[wesbed]

I voted in a strip-mall church located behind a Goodyear tire store. At 12:45PM there were me and four other people in the voting booths. I was in and out in five minutes. The atmosphere of the place appeared no different than any other presidential election.

[Uncle Skid]

Just came back - took only 15 minutes. I was prepared to wait much longer, so it was a nice surprise to find the lines relatively short.

We also have those ancient lever machines with the curtains here. I've never used any of the newer methods -- it just wouldn't be the same without pulling that big level and hearing the bell ring!

[RDK]

I've never actually voted in those big voting booths w/metal levers, but I certainly remember them from my youth in upstate NY - every election time, they would line the halls of my junior high and high school, which were obviously polling places. Thought they were so neat at the time...

[hutch head]

Lines are long in Ohio: I went at what I thought would be a slow time (10:00 AM) and I still had to wait 2 hours! Even though it has been raining here all day, turnout is going to be huge. I can't imagine what the lines will be like after work.

[desertblues]

I waited almost 45 minutes to vote this morning, never more than 10 minutes in the last 3 presidential elections at my precinct (in Phoenix, AZ). I am told there has been a similar wait there all day. The turnout appears to be even greater than expected!

[SEK]

I walked a little over two blocks from my house to the township hall at about 3 p.m.. I got into the right line (North Side), filled out a little slip of paper (signature, name printed, address), handed it to the nice older man, and when a "booth" became empty two minutes later, he handed me my punch-card ballot in an envelope. I inserted the card into a slot in the little desk under the ballot template in the open booth so that two holes at the top were properly aligned. I then used the little metal stylus that was attached to a chain on the desk to punch out the appropriate chads. This time, I voted straight Democratic Party, which was accomplished with one punch. I then used a sample ballot that I had carefully premarked to chose the judges and other "non-partisan" people and issues. I then took the card out of the slot, held it up to the light to detect any "hanging chads" (there were none), slipped it into the envelope, and handed it back to the election official. He called out the ballot number, then put it into a ballot box.

I then heard that over 50% of the registered voters in my township had already cast their vote. I was in the towship hall a total of 5 minutes. Folks, as usual, were very friendly

[Jazzmoose]

I voted in a strip-mall church located behind a Goodyear tire store.

Do they have an express lane? You know, six sins or less....?

[BERIGAN]

Well, I got you all beat....I thought I would be between crowds and went to vote a little over 11 a.m. Normally just a 10-20 minute wait. It took me 3 hours and 20 minutes!!!! Somebody fucked up. When we finally got inside, the guy in front of me checked things out...he said the line went up the hallway one side, then down the other side back to the cafeteria entrance where you voted in the school....7 fucking booths!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We have had more booths for fucking runoffs!!!!

I saw a few young guys walk in on cell phones, see how long the line was, and leave. How many people, voting for the first time, will want to vote again after waiting 3-4 hours???? I don't know if the touch screens were left at courthouses for early voting, or if some had acted up, but this was nuts. It wasn't all the high turnout, that will just be the excuse used.

[Chuck Nessa]

Berigan must live in a Republican precinct.

[Christiern]

There were about 15 people at my polling station when I got there at 6:05 AM. When I left, ten minutes later, the line extended onto the sidewalk.

[ghost of miles]

I voted in a nearby church, as always--an experience pretty close to what Jim Sangrey describes. About a 30-45 minute wait, a bit longer than what I remember in 2000. Saw about five of my neighbors--ours is a pretty liberal neighborhood, but everybody always talks in a non-partisan manner when they're in line, so as not to offend others who might feel differently. Lots of joking, a very good civic feeling in general. I always enjoy voting.

[BERIGAN]

Berigan must live in a Republican precinct.

HARDLY!!!!

[Chuck Nessa]

Ann and I met at the place at 1:30 to avoid the crowds. There was a constant stream of people in and out of city hall. We only waited five minutes or so. I was initially disturbed by the two "really neat" young men at the door. I now think they were republican challengers but since, to them, we be old white folks they let us pass.

Interesting to hear SEK had a punch ballot. We had those in Chicago but here we have used the mechanical monsters for 20+ years.

Good luck, all.

[Guy Berger]

It was quick. I walked to a local high school, no line, I was able to vote 6 or 7 times in just 10 minutes. Seriously, though, it was quick. One of the few things I like about Connecticut (level voting) is that there aren't any ridiculous propositions on the ballot like in California. Six quick choices.

I voted Democrat down the line except for the House seat. The incumbent is safe and she could use a little moderate-Republican competition.

Guy

[vibes]

My wife and I just got back from voting. We vote at a church near our apartment. No proselytizing or anything of the sort, which was nice. We didn't have to wait in line. We registered at the poll, which was nice. I spoke to one of the election judges and she said the turnout had been really good, and that there had been a lot more "younger" voters than usual, which I think is good. All in all, it went very smoothly - fill in the bubbles and feed the ballot into a machine.

[Noj]

Lickity split, 10 minutes tops.

[BruceH]

I waited in a line of about four people; everything went smoothly. Since the ballot was so long (they usually are here, but this one seemed longer than usual) it slows things down. I must have taken 5 or 10 minutes to fill everthing out, making sure I did everthing right. Of course, I went at an off-time, which helps. The people manning the polling station said there was a long line waiting when they opened at 7:00am. Good thing it wasn't raining.