I Voted

[JDARNELL]

Will do! We drove by the branch library where we vote, again today. It's open and functioning as a library today, so I think we will be able to vote there tomorrow, yay!

Then we came home and put my walker (for me) and the camp chair (for him), inside my SUV so that we will have them when we get there tomorrow. We are taking these to sit on in case there are long lines. Yes we are old.



Ahem. Moving on.... Frank checked my tire pressure again, since one of my tires was half flat yesterday and he put air in it for me. The air is holding so I don't have to get the tire fixed today in order to get us to the polling place tomorrow.

I can hardly wait to cast my vote. We haven't yet decided what time of day would be ideal, so we'll figure that out this evening.

I saw a headline about a power issue in New Orleans that people thought might impact voting. What is ground truth? Makes me feel good that people are voting.

 

[W2R]

I saw a headline about a power issue in New Orleans that people thought might impact voting. What is ground truth? Makes me feel good that people are voting.

Yesterday I read that twelve voting locations needed generators, and who should pay for renting the generators was becoming a political bone of contention. My "ground truth" is that this is all politics, mudslinging, and nothing more.

Obviously I am not going to discuss politics here and we need to stick to the topic of this thread. Today I read that power is returning all over town, and now only three locations within the city might need generators. None of the polling places will need to be relocated. My own voting location has power (which is what we were checking out) and voting will take place there as planned.

 

[JDARNELL]

Yesterday I read that twelve voting locations needed generators, and who should pay for renting the generators was becoming a political bone of contention. My "ground truth" is that this is all politics, mudslinging, and nothing more.

Obviously I am not going to discuss politics here and we need to stick to the topic of this thread. Today I read that power is returning all over town, and now only three locations within the city might need generators. None of the polling places will need to be relocated. My own voting location has power (which is what we were checking out) and voting will take place there as planned.

Good to know. We had some early voting places and I am curious if they are ones for Election Day. Surely they are. Hopefully all the lines will move efficiently tomorrow.

 

[Koolau]

This will feel very strange to me as this will be only the second time I have voted by mail - not in person. I really like the in-person concept, but as stated earlier, it seemed wise to use the mail-in since they have significantly curtailed in-person voting. Sort of an "(you can't complain because, even though inconvenient, far away, may be a line, there IS in person voting available - but you'll be sorry!)" But, I'm not bitter.

 

[NW-Bound]

Voted by mail and checked that ballot has been received

We have voted by mail for many years (I forget when we started), but never thought of checking online to see if the ballots were received.

I did it this time, and saw the confirmation on the state election Web site. Pretty cool!

 

[aldo]

Don't think I've seen a post here from Colorado. Colorado has been mailing ballots to all registered voters for about 10 years, beginning 10/9 this year. County sent an email on 10/9 that ballot was in the mail. USPS delivered it 10/10. I dropped it off at one of many collection boxes, and received email confirmation of receipt that same day. Piece of cake

 

[GalaxyBoy]

I checked my voting record on the state's web site to be sure my absentee ballot was accepted - it was. But I was surprised to see just how many times I've voted absentee over the years as a result of traveling for w*ork.

 

[Gumby]

Just back from the polls. We've been voting at the same school now for 30 years, and this is the longest line I've ever seen. Physically, of course, because of the social distancing, but also timewise. We arrived at 5:58 am, just before the polls opened and we left at 6:48 am, which is the longest it has ever taken us. We always vote at this time and it usually takes no more than 10 minutes; 2008 was the last year we actually waited longer than that. It is particularly impressive turnout given that this year everyone was allowed to vote absentee with no excuse (unlike all prior years when you needed to be in certain categories to vote absentee.) It was a quiet, well ordered line. Everyone was masked and people did well with the six foot separation. Clear skies, about 40 deg. with a breeze; I'm glad we dressed warmly.

 

[street]

Voting numbers today at polling places have been heavy with parking lots full. This has been all across the US with unprecedent volume of people.

 

[Dawg52]

Playing golf this morning so will vote mid-afternoon.

 

[harllee]

Interesting to see the reports of very busy polls today. I am seeing the opposite where I live. I live directly across from a polling place and during early voting it was very busy every day. It has been open since 6:30 am and and I have hardly seen anyone coming to vote even though it is a nice sunny day. In my community we had very high early voting turn out so I figure most everyone has already voted.

 

[audreyh1]

Just back from the polls. We've been voting at the same school now for 30 years, and this is the longest line I've ever seen. Physically, of course, because of the social distancing, but also timewise. We arrived at 5:58 am, just before the polls opened and we left at 6:48 am, which is the longest it has ever take us. We always vote at this time and it usually takes no more than 10 minutes; 2008 was the last year we actually waited longer than that. It is particularly impressive turnout given that this year everyone was allowed to vote absentee with no excuse (unlike all prior years when you needed to be in certain categories to vote absentee.) It was a quiet, well ordered line. Everyone was masked and people did well with the six foot separation. Clear skies, about 40 deg. with a breeze; I'm glad we dressed warmly.

That’s just shocking!

So many early and mail voters. Still a huge turnout today?

 

[DektolMan]

That’s just shocking! Connecticut?

Here in CT also, just voted and I've never seen the lines this long. Even with early mail in voting I think there will be record turnout today.

 

[Venturer]

We voted early but my DD &DS/nL went this morning. They got in line @ 645 were outside foe about 10 min. inside in line for about 35 min. Overall approx.1 hr. from car to car. She said when they left the line was a lot longer than when they arrived.

 

[vince]

Just got back from voting. Very short line. Didn't even have to wait outside. Poll attendant was saying seems almost 60% of the registered voters, voted early. Glad I passed on voting early. I was expecting an hour wait.

 

[Ronstar]

I voted early, but just drove by 2 polling places. Hardly anyone at either place at 8-9 am.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Just got back from voting. Very short line. Didn't even have to wait outside. Poll attendant was saying seems almost 60% of the registered voters, voted early. Glad I passed on voting early. I was expecting an hour wait.

I just checked, and almost exactly 1/3 (33.338%) of Maryland registered voters have already voted by mail, almost 24% voted early, so more than half here, too. And that doesn't include the mail-in ballots that still haven't been scanned, although the way ours are set up, they have a "privacy flap" so the ballot can be scanned as "received" quickly, but then canvassing that ballot may take days or even weeks. So tl;dr, our mail-in count should be close.

 

[JustCurious]

I voted early about a week ago. There were 2 people in line in front of me, there were about 6-8 lines, I had my ballot in hand and was voting within 5-10 minutes.

 

[W2R]

I hope this article is correct! Short waits reported at polling stations across New Orleans area; no major problems reported

I let Frank decide what time we should go to vote in order to avoid the crowds, and he chose 11 AM (about an hour and a half from now). Afterwards we will go to lunch. Later today I'll let you all know how it went. Yes I am so excited. Like many of us I cherish our freedom to vote for the candidate we want in office.

 

[CardsFan]

We got to the polls at 6:10am (they opened at 6). Left the polls at 8:10am.

The line zigged and zagged, but was easily over a quarter-mile long if you straightened it out. Fortunately the weather co-operated.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here in Washington State (the best thing next to Canada) nearly 61% of the registered voters had voted five days before the actual election day. I believe more people had voted so far than the total who voted in 2016.

Election Day may turn into a quaint, old fashioned phrase used by primitive people who actually had to turn up at the polling places.

 

[misanman]

Got out of the car to vote at 10:22. Got back into car after voting at 10:31, so 9 minutes total. No one in line and plenty of stations open. This is in Michigan.

 

[JustCurious]

Election Day may turn into a quaint, old fashioned phrase used by primitive people who actually had to turn up at the polling places.

What's the alternative? Election season?

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

What's the alternative? Election season?

Yup, that is the term people seem to be settling on: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/26/opinions/retire-election-day-schiller/index.html

"Election Day" becomes "Final Day to Vote."

 

[skipro33]

Election Day may turn into a quaint, old fashioned phrase used by primitive people who actually had to turn up at the polling places.

Wouldn't it be a kick to discover political ads, rallies and such were defunct due to early voting? Sure, there will always be late voters, but the future may prove their votes don't matter if enough early voters already cast their ballots. I get tired of the political ads early on in an election year.