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Archive through November 02, 2004

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2004 Nov. - 2005 Jan.: Free Expression... (ARCHIVES): Voting Experiences ~ Election 2004: Archive through November 02, 2004 users admin

Author Message
Mocha
Member

08-12-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 10:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In Baltimore we have the touch screen machines which I love. I went something after 8:30am and there was a line, mainly because the older women were having trouble reading the names from the book but once you got thru that everything else was a breeze.

Llwynn
Member

07-19-2003

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:06 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I am in Iowa(rural) and we have the touch screens, which make it nice and easy. I voted around 11:00 and had no problems!

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Don't you have to give a good/valid reason as to why you are requesting an absentee ballot? Or can anyone just vote absentee?

Kaili
Member

08-31-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:14 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I think it varies state to state. Anyone in Wisconsin can get one and you don't need a reason.

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Conejo, I thought that was illegal, too. Here there cannot be any campaign paraphanalia within a certain 100 ft of a polling place or something like that.

Abbynormal
Member

08-04-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:21 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I am going to admit the most hokiest thing ever. As I stand in line to vote, I get all choked up and misty-eyed. I guess I just feel all happy and proud to be a part of such a process. It's weird, I know.

Tess
Member

04-13-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Just got back from voting here in MN. There are just about 2000 eligible voters in my precinct and I was #1079 and that's before lunch. When I left, there were still 8 hours left to vote and people were coming through the doors in a steady stream. The voting judges and volunteers were very pleased.

We have the ballots where you fill in the oval with a black pen. Very easy. I love putting that ballot into the machine when I'm done. :-)

Yankee_in_ca
Member

08-01-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Abbynormal, I understand.

I went to vote with my parents. My dad was being all chatty and cracking jokes with people around, and I started to get really annoyed. I snippily told him, "Dad, please take this seriously until you vote, then you can make all the jokes you want." Ha -- I'm a little keyed up.

Serate
Member

08-21-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In Iowa you don't have to have a reason for absentee ballot, but [at least where my dad and brother live] the got the ballot around the first of October and had to have it in by the middle of October.

Essence
Member

01-12-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Conejo, it was my understanding that as long as the paraphanalia isn't inside the polling place that it's ok. I could be wrong though.

Karuuna
Member

08-31-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In Colorado, you don't have to have a reason to get an absentee ballot. And once you get one, you automatically get them every year until you tell them to stop.

Texannie
Member

07-16-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Voted around 10, waited maybe 10 minutes. Touch screens were fun and strange at the same time.

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 12:06 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks guys! I wish we didn't have to have a reason to receive an absentee ballot here in Ohio (at least in Franklin Co.) it would make voting a lot easier on rainy days like today!

Hippyt
Member

06-15-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 12:45 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I voted,no problems. The new touchscreens are pretty cool.
Conejo,here in Texas there are no signs allowed within a 100 feet of the building. They had signs outside saying where the line was.

Ladytex
Member

09-27-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 12:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
That's what I thought, Hip, thanks

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 12:58 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Here in Newark, California, I waited maybe 15 minutes, it went by quickly. This is the second time that I've voted on the touch screens, love them. This is the first time, that my kids get to vote for a president. Pretty cool.

Reiki
Member

08-12-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We have the 100 ft rule here too and it is pretty strongly enforced. I think (but not sure) that it is 100 ft from the entrance of the polling place.

Conejo if you have any concerns over the legality of the banner you should call your county board of elections.

Juju2bigdog
Member

10-27-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Voted absentee ballot, punch cards, a couple weeks ago. I don't even remember now when or why I signed up for absentee ballot, but now I get them automatically for EVERY election. it sure is convenient.

Wink
Member

10-06-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yankee your post made me smile. I am the same way every voting day. It is such an awesome privilege and responsibility.

Scootersmom
Member

08-10-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:28 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
We have early voting allowed here. I work right down the street from the county election offices. During the past couple of weeks, traffic was backed up and you couldn't find a parking space. Electronic highway signs were put up to direct traffic since it got so bad...

So off I go to vote today, thinking about traffic jams and waiting in line. To my surprise, I was 2nd in line and it took all of 5 minutes. I love getting my little sticker that says "I voted" :-)

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:51 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Well, I've been trying to reach the board of elections all afternoon to inquire as to whether there is a rule here on banners, signs, etc. I either get a busy signal or get put on perma-hold! (I'm actually on hold as I'm typing this message.) It's really not a big deal to me personally, however, it just might intimidate some people as the huge banner and all the signs are for the same presidential candidate and party affiliations.

Kaili
Member

08-31-2000

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:57 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Maybe you can't actively campaign, hand out fliers, etc within a certain distnce but a sighn not touched by a person would maybe be okay? Seems hard to believe they would just let that slip by if it wasn't legal.

Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't be intimidated by a sign. I've been seeing them everywhere for months.

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I finally managed to get through and learned that there IS a 100 ft. rule from placing signs, banners, etc. from the entrance to precincts. The lady I spoke with was very friendly, she asked for the address and said she would be sending someone "to check it out".

Hypermom
Member

08-13-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 1:59 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I just returned from voting. I had to wait about 15 minutes...only 4 voting booths in my precinct and there were about 20 people ahead of me. I was voter 963. The volunteers said it had been busy all day...one said that they have been doing this for 22 years and have never seen so many people coming to vote. :-)

Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 2:12 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Conejo: Yes, in Ohio campaign material has to be at least 100 feet from the polling place entrance. I'd be very surprised to see a banner for a particular candidate on a building being used for voting but I suppose depending on where the banner is and where the door is, there may be some technical way it's not violating the law. Still, it seems inappropriate.

If it makes you feel any better, where I went to vote in Ohio had one of the those gigantic Bush signs in a yard directly across from the polling place's door.

We use pencils & color in little ovals on paper ballots to mark our choices. Forget 21st century touch screen technology, my county hasn't made it to the 1970's yet, lol.