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The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

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If time is money, it’s time to put your money where your keyboard is. The polls are open, at least on the east coast. Show us you’re more than just a voice on the web: get in line and pull the handle, punch the card, touch the screen, check the box, or whatever method your precinct uses. Then come back here and let us know you’ve taken advantage of the right so many have given time and life to defend.

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I voted last week,

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

cause I knew I was going to be on the road today 🙂

Did my thing. Left early, before they opened.

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

There was a LONG line but it moved really well.

It was funny, when I left the house, 8 miles from the voting station, every vehicle I got behind in traffic was going to the same place.

Got in line at 6:00AM

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

Voted and got out at 7:30.

Now the plan is to try and stay awake at work.

I got there

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

just as the polls opened and had to wait around 35 minutes. Mostly painless.

No more robocalls!

I got rid of my land line a year ago

In reply to I got there

so robocalls has not been an issue this year.

I am going to be pissed years from now when all there are is cell phones, and they open them up like the land lines are for phone books and cold calls. X-(

Only had to wait 45 minutes in line :D

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

I performed my civic duty.

Don”t know if this is common knowledge but I got an email from Starbucks that they are giving away a free 12oz cup of coffee to everyone that voted. You just gotta stop in and tell ’em you did. I was gonna but the line at the Starbucks was as long as the line at my polling place and I was already late for work 😉

There is a change on the Starbucks offer

In reply to Only had to wait 45 minutes in line :D

It is illegal to give any compensation to someone for voting, so they changed it to ANYONE that asks for it will get the free coffee. And around here, they were talking a free LARGE coffee. unfortunately, I think starbucks tastes like stewed sh1t.

I was unaware

In reply to There is a change on the Starbucks offer

Makes sense though. It was a nice gesture by them I thought.

I like Starbucks. To me there is no such thing as coffee that is to strong. I like like my coffee hot, black as a bat cave and strong enough to get up and walk off on its own 😉

scorched

In reply to I was unaware

I love strong black coffee, but starbucks tastes like it is scorched/burnt.

“I like my coffee the way I like my women, full of booze” – auggie smith.

Where I live

In reply to Only had to wait 45 minutes in line :D

Your employer must compensate you the same as always even if you are late for work because you stopped to vote. If you stopped at Starbucks for a coffee on your way to work, I would bet it would count too- unless your boss was in line behind you! But that could be manageable too. You both just agree to not rat each other out.

Is that a law or just company policy?

In reply to Where I live

I could have stopped after work but the lines are likely to be MUCH worse this evening. Figured I’d stop this morning, get it over with then go home tonight turn on the TV and sit back and watch my vote count. 😀

The missus can’t wait

It’s the law here

In reply to Is that a law or just company policy?

We were reminded several times this morning that by law
you could stop and vote and your employer had to pay you as
if you came in on time. Your employer can’t extend your
normal work day either.

I may check the evening news as I normally will watch the
6:00 broadcast. After that, I will watch a DVD or Discovery
channel. I can get the results in the morning.

I was the 32nd to vote

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

but the line was moving quickly EXCEPT for the one guy that couldn’t find his a$$ in the dark using both hands and a flashlight….

I even have my little “My vote counted” sticker on my shirt. B-)

I had come into work early yesterday to make up for coming in late today.

You got a sticker :(

In reply to I was the 32nd to vote

I want a sticker… all I got was a stupid receipt from the voting booth 🙁

I’d look pretty stupid if I taped that to my shirt.

I was number 71 and we had one of those guys that “couldn’t find his a$$ in the dark using both hands and a flashlight….”

On my mail in

In reply to You got a sticker :(

I got a sticker too! It says “I Voted” and has the flag 🙂

we had those the last time around

In reply to On my mail in

they were an oval, right?

This time it is a boring circle. It it isn’t trashed by the time I get home, I will post a pic of it! :p

Yup, better than a plain old circle

In reply to we had those the last time around

it is oval, as you said 🙂

Mine DOES have

In reply to Yup, better than a plain old circle

a kewl flag in the middle of it though…. 🙂

This is what our sticker looks like.

In reply to Yup, better than a plain old circle

http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/jj4/sharewhat4/Vote-2008.jpg

Fancy

In reply to This is what our sticker looks like.

Guess I got the econo sticker.

Oh well, still better than the people that didn’t even GET a sticker! :p

:( Mine is — well — GENERIC :(

In reply to This is what our sticker looks like.

in comparison

However, it doesnt

In reply to This is what our sticker looks like.

make a good avatar

It doesn’t scale well for an avatar even if the ratio is correct.

In reply to This is what our sticker looks like.

Bummer.

No fair I stood in line :_|

In reply to On my mail in

.

loooooser!

In reply to No fair I stood in line :_|

B-)

what number were you to vote?

I was 32, and in and out. :p

I was number 71…

In reply to loooooser!

Not in and out. :p

I just got my flu shot and I got a sticker for that :p

In reply to loooooser!

A nice big smiley face.

🙂

Mine are every 3 to 4 years

In reply to I just got my flu shot and I got a sticker for that :p

as I have to get the pneumonia shots. 🙁

Don’t ever want that again… had Double pneumonia and spent a week in the hospital and another week at home. Doc wanted it TWO weeks at home but I explained I can sit on my a$$ all day at work, so he just told me to take it easy.

Never got a sticker for that shot though. I was robbed!

Didn’t bother with the sticker

In reply to You got a sticker :(

I’m wearing a cashmere sweater. There are things in life more important than the sticker and in my world, cashmere is on that list.

I don’t have any idea what number I was. I DID get to see all my neighbors though!

Our stickers are still stuck to the paper.

In reply to Didn’t bother with the sticker

I’m going to save mine for 20 years then sell it on eBay for 50 cents plus s&h.

But Tigg…

In reply to Didn’t bother with the sticker

I like stickers 😀

I do too

In reply to But Tigg…

Normally on the 3 Day I end up with bunches of them. I
decided to pass on the Voter sticker because it was red and
boring (no little flag or anything!) and I was wearing a peach
cashmere sweater. It would have clashed!

Seeing the number

In reply to Didn’t bother with the sticker

they recommend you watch to make sure it increments, so you know it took and counted your ballot.

Our system must be different

In reply to Seeing the number

No little numbers to look for. The system here is similar to
the old Scan Tron system- fill in the little oval. The scanner
does have a sound feedback when it accepts the ballot so
you know that it has been taken.

That is what we have

In reply to Our system must be different

there is a small readout on the top of the scanner that keeps count, and the ancient guy helping out recommended to everyone to watch to make sure it increnemtns. The only thing different this time is we had fill in the oval instead of connect the line, but same scanners.

I always check it to see how many have voted before me. I get silly like that. You know, that whole counting disorder….

[i]My office is seven tiles long by three wide….

I just wonder JD

In reply to That is what we have

just what will you talk about after today ?:|

Seems like nothing will be left for you :0 :^0

The bright side

In reply to That is what we have

medical pot is passed, so I can use that to combat my depression….

Maybe even kill a few defenseless bags of Doritos….. :p

make up for beiing late?

In reply to I was the 32nd to vote

sucker!!
here the employer is REQUIRED, by LAW to give you 2 hours off to go vote. :p

lucky us huh?

and the polling station for me was only one measly BLOCK from work. 😀

Well actually…

In reply to make up for beiing late?

My understanding of the law is that you must have 2 hours when the polls are open, the employer doesn’t have to give you 2 hours unless you work from the time the polls open to the time the polls close.

For example, if I work 9-6 and the polls close at 8, I don’t need to take any time off work.

People who work a 12 hour shift on the other hand…..

Your provincial rules may be different , I know the federal rules.

Having said that I tell my staff that if they can do it at lunch, they will avoid the lines. Personally, I leave work at 5 and get home by 6, the polls aren’t crowded till 6:30 -7:00 or so.

James

I’d make it a national holiday.

In reply to make up for beiing late?

I think it’s more significant than any dead gentleman’s birthday, be he president, civil rights leader, or wayward Italian navigator.

Three blocks from my house

In reply to make up for beiing late?

so it is easy to get in and out just as they open up.

The part that slowed me down was the polls don’t open until about 20 minutes after I am already on the highway.

Working salary, so it just has to be close. No one TOLD me to do that, but I make a point to not give anyone a reason to beotch, ya know?

It took longer to fill out the ballot than the time I spent in line.

Another advantage, it is a poorer district in town, and many must not vote because there is NEVER longer than a 15 minute wait.

Will have to drive by this evening to see if the lazy can drag themselves off of their couches.

Nice weather, so that won’t be a factor.

The only thing left is if there is anything good on TV tonight or not….. ;\

Ahh, the three hour lunch break! a Canuck’s best friend.

In reply to make up for beiing late?

One of my anual favorites, “I am going to go vote (10AM) I’ll see you at 1, after I have voted and had lunch. 🙂

Of course I don’ tvote in Canada’s election, even though they try to get me to every year, I don’t want to give up my LI/PRS just to vote for the Canadian wankers.

It is actually easier for me to register as a US absentee voter, as I pay taxes in teh US and they let just about anyone in teh world cast a vote for the US election. That in itself is enough to deter me though, plus they’d really nail me for more taxes on my US income too. As it is now, I keep a US bank account and just leave money there for conducting business or when travelling in the US. With the Canadian dollar so low right now, it is tempting to exchange a bunch of it though. 🙁

Looooong lines

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

They had to combine 3 voting places into one due to construction at 2 places, so I expected long lines. I didn’t expect the over 500 people before the doors even opened.

I admit that they were extremely well-organized and despite the long line, I was out of there in 40 minutes. A friend was in a much quieter precinct, about 40th in line, and it took an hour becuase they weren’t so well organized.

What got me was that they had young high-schoolers set it all up, and direct people through the lines. Those kids were so excited to be part of the process and they did an excellent job.

I also noticed quite a few people had their kids with them. I’m talking 10-12 years old, and they were explaining the process and walking them through all of it. That was good to see.

The irritating thing is

In reply to Looooong lines

I made the comment when I was standing in line “Boy I don’t remember standing in this kind of line LAST November” It would be great if the turn out was that good every year.

Maybe, maybe not

In reply to The irritating thing is

I am more irritated by ignorant people voting based upon a bumpersticker. An uninformed vote is not a good thing. They undermine the value of the whole system.

That’s a valid point

In reply to Maybe, maybe not

I fear there are too many people that are going to be voting today based on an emotion without actually know what the candidate they are voting for stands for.

There was a movement at one of the candidates rallies

In reply to That’s a valid point

telling people to stop thinking and start feeling.

Not to hard to figure out which that would be and why.

My ten year old son

In reply to Looooong lines

Is very interested in the whole process. My mother and my older son will be taking him with them to the polls when they vote today.

Almost 2 1/2 hours!

In reply to My ten year old son

Thought I was being clever by being there early (polls
opened at 6:00, I was there about 6:30)… wow! Voted at
the local community college and the line snaked out of the
Student Center, through the campus, and around the
parking lot! We used the fill-in-the-oval paper ballots
and had registration check in 6 lines! Still cannot believe it
took so long. Thank heavens, my company allows up to 4
hours of paid time to vote.

Brought my 13 year with me, though this being a very momentous election. He ran the ballot through the
scanner… was very curious about the whole thing.

Glad I am done… I think things will be worse as the day
wears on… they are predicting upwards of 80% voter
turnout in my state.

45 minutes in Pittsburgh, and they had extra staff and machines

In reply to Looooong lines

Usually for a Presidential election there are a few people standing outside the door to the gym of the Dilworth school, but today there was a line that ran twice across the playground and out the gate. That was at 7:20 AM, 20 minutes after the polls opened. This is by far the most people I’ve ever seen voting, whether in the evening or first thing in the morning.

I’ve Voted

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

I arrived at 6:33, and I was number 35 at 7:28. I don’t think that comes out so efficient. We have these gigantic paper ballots that you have to connect an arrow on, though, so I’m thinking that probably doesn’t help.

I have my I voted sticker, though. I took my daughter with me so she could see the importance of voting. She did parrot and chicken impressions for the crowd – in the line, not the voting booth.

An hour for 35 people?

In reply to I’ve Voted

with the polls opening at 7am, that is less than one vote an hour. :0

We had paper ballots, but there were “fill in the bubble”. Takes longer than the line ones we usually have.

I was in and out. I was also VERY surprised to not see any extra staff or voting tables. Just three old people [i](about 150 each and turning to dust as they talked).[/i]

I have talked to my boys about the process, but they didn’t have school today, so I let them sleep.

I was very surprised

In reply to An hour for 35 people?

when I saw the number of votes counted on the machine you feed the ballots into. I though that seemed excessive since there were about 10 or 15 voting booths. It appeared that the people checking off voters on the rolls were moving a bit slowly, at least from what I saw.

I also noticed that although 35 ballots were counted in the machine, I had ballot number 41. If they started at number 1, that would make 6 people who couldn’t operate the ‘make the arrow solid’ form of ballot who went before me. This is not a good average.

My daughter is only 7, so she couldn’t be home alone. Rather than take her to the babysitter prior to voting, I decided to take her with me and let her see how it works.

*edited since I explain myself badly*
*edited again*

Ok, explain yourself

In reply to I was very surprised

what was the SECOND edit all about??!!?!?! :0

😀

I noticed my ballot was 200 something, even through I was the 32nd to vote. All I can think of is when they divided them between precincts?

It was the speculation

In reply to Ok, explain yourself

about the discrepancy between my ballot number and the number of votes on the voting machine they get fed into. I shouldn’t be left alone while I watch servers install stuff.

Wuz jus

In reply to It was the speculation

given’ ya a hard time, one Michigander to another… :p

I voted almost 2 weeks ago

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

Spent 25 minutes in line, but the line went to 2 hrs later in the week!! :0

Will be glad to see this over with and see something else on the news.

Oh, come on Dad

In reply to I voted almost 2 weeks ago

it has only been the main story for two years. You can’t possibly be tired of it yet, can you? :0

Would you believe I heard Christmas music in a department store two days ago?

Drove out of town this past weekend

In reply to Oh, come on Dad

On the way down, did a station scan, and came across 2 different all-Christmas music format stations.

EGADS!!!

Worse, it was 70+ degrees the entire weekend…I can’t wrap my mind around Christmas until the temps are consistently in the 40’s, at most.

what I can’t see

In reply to Drove out of town this past weekend

is palm trees with Christmas lights on them. That is just so wrong….

Christmas in shorts just wouldn’t feel like Christmas.

It would…

In reply to what I can’t see

….only if someone else paid for the trip!!

😉

Sshhhhhhh, don’t tell my grand kids

In reply to what I can’t see

They don’t know what Chistmas is under 70 degrees F 😀

There should be a law

In reply to Drove out of town this past weekend

No Christmas music until after Thanksgiving at least. It burns me out on the holiday before it even gets here. Bah Humbug!

Friday after Turkey Day…

In reply to There should be a law

…is fine by me; since so many people start their shopping on that day.

Anytime before, though, seems to me to disrespect the Thanksgiving Holiday.

The 12 days of Christmas have become the 2 1/2 months of shopping season. Bah humbug is right!!!

I remember

In reply to There should be a law

when that was the status quo, merchants didnt even put out their christmas until after thanksgiving, course back them they actually said merry christmas to you when you walked in…my how times have changed

If the weather here is anything to go by

In reply to Drove out of town this past weekend

You will start seeing those 40 degree temps by the end of the week. The weatherman even said the “s” word this morning.

Yeesh! Can’t we just have a few more weeks of Fall???

Not only Chistmas music, but xmas trees and toys!!

In reply to Oh, come on Dad

And all before Thanksgiving! 🙁

I’ve already

In reply to Not only Chistmas music, but xmas trees and toys!!

bought my child a Christmas present. But it was an extenuating circumstance – a clearanced book about sharks with really cool photos.

We have picked up a couple of things for our grandkids

In reply to I’ve already

We shop as early as we can, this can save a lot of money.

Christmas stuff goes up Halloween night

In reply to Not only Chistmas music, but xmas trees and toys!!

Or the day after. There is a new store opening in my territory on Thursday. The seasonal aisle is fully stocked…for Christmas! 🙁

I voted early, as well

In reply to I voted almost 2 weeks ago

Spent an hour in line, but it was worth it. I live down the street from the local polling place, and the line snaked around the block when I left for work this morning (5:45).

You’ll probably see the next president in the news for quite some time (repercussions, what does it mean for issue ‘X’, transition of power, yada yada). What you won’t see are all of the political ads.

I’ve only seen one ad this entire campaign for a candidate stating why someone should vote for him, as opposed to simply ripping the other candidate (congressional race, Bill Foster vs. Jim Oberweiss).

Won’t miss the ads in the least!

Norm Coleman

In reply to I voted early, as well

Our incumbent Senator made a decision to not run negative ads. His opponent called it a stunt but I agreed with it and appreciated that he made that choice. I just wish more candidates would do similar.

“Vote for me because the other guy is an idiot” has never sat well with me.

“A stunt”

In reply to Norm Coleman

Figures the challenger would say that.

Heaven forbid someone actually wanted to demonstrate their mettle and provide evidence of their own worth as a candidate.

I’ve recently been having a good time

In reply to “A stunt”

Writing to anyone who airs a negative ad and telling them
that they have lost my vote and my confidence. I cannot
believe that the negative ads are helpful and they certainly
don’t speak to the issues. The best way to get that message
across is to make sure that it gets heard.

Any responses???

In reply to I’ve recently been having a good time

I used to write quite frequently to local politicians (oppose this, support that, new ideas). I stopped when I stopped getting responses back.

Did you hear back from any of the candidates??

Nothing that wasn’t straight out of a can

In reply to Any responses???

Except from Norm Coleman. I wrote him to thank him for
having the cajones to NOT go negative. He wrote back and
thanked me for my note and explained that people like me
were the reason he did it.

I’ll do the same thing again when whoever gets elected. I am
sick and tired of campaigns that are run on pure bile and will
be letting those who are elected know that.

On my way out now

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

And thanks, Palmie. This is important.

When I was young, my mother referred to voting as her “civic duty and privilege as an American”. I agree. This is a historic election. It is no time to sit on the side line and watch.

I’ll be back shortly. MY voice will be heard. I look forward to the other voices across the nation, regardless of how you vote.

In line at 0400

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

I arrived at my assigned polling place at 0400 and parked on the side of the road as there were NO parking spots in the lot. There are 3 LARGE churches in the area and there losts were ALL at capacity also.

There were 385 people in line when I got into line at about 4:15.

Once the polling place opened, we did the congo line dance till the voting machines and I got my I Voted sticker at 8:38.

According to the precinct captain, 35% of Georgia has voted either by absentee ballot or early voting. They think as much as 55% of ALL registered voters WILL vote today. We have 2 voting spots here in the city limits, and according to the local Waffle House chatter, the line was 3 hours wait time at both of them this morning.

If 90% of the voters go to the polls, I will gladly stand in line for nearly 4 hours to vote.

Interesting social interactions amongst voters:

I met a lady that is a project manager for the F-22 Raptor project. She is going to get me a poster and send to my office signed by the design team cause I held places in line so people could go to the bathroom.

A younger lady told me she liked men with beards and asked me if I like home cooked Italian meals and opera. When I replied, “Li gradico molto, signora bella,” I got an invitation to come over and watch the election results.

Note to self to wear cologne when I go to vote more often…

I met an older lady that was a World War II Army Nurse at Pearl Harbor and gave me a great Mai Tai recipe.

I met the nurse’s husband that was an Army Air Force pilot that said those Mai Tais were dangerous and could cause you to end up married to a wild woman.

You need to get out of the house more often

In reply to In line at 0400

You obviously live in an interesting area.

James

Nope

In reply to You need to get out of the house more often

Probalby just smart, lines at my polling station started at 4:30 and they were already out of the building when i got there at 5:40

He can’t

In reply to You need to get out of the house more often

it takes that long to dispose of the bodies from his last dinner date….. :0

ROTFLMAO

In reply to He can’t

My last dinner date left right after dinner as she had a “previously scheduled appointment.”

This has taught me the lesson that you should only take the lady to a really nice place if you really like her.

“Can’t buy me love”

In reply to ROTFLMAO

And dating for dinner is always a losing prospect.

Ok, it was the one before THAT, that DIDN’T leave in time, that you had to dispose of….. ;\

The two women I am seeing are both in their early 30’s, and life is “interesting”…..

‘Nuff Said

In reply to You need to get out of the house more often

You said it brother. I do need to get out of the house a lot more.

I am gonna work on that more next year.

You silver-tongued devil

In reply to In line at 0400

No gun, dog, and jug for you.

Italiano Rednecks

In reply to You silver-tongued devil

I am sure there are some Italian Rednecks up there in the hills of Rome!

I am just practicing so I can say, “Buongiorno y’all!” 🙂

They just called Florida for Obama…

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

no wait McCain.. no wait Obama… no wait now it’s someone named Chad… now they’re gonna hang Chad…

:^0 😀 :^0 😀

Sorry couldn’t resist…

Checking in – also first election for my son

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

He turned 18 a couple of months ago, and this was his first election. And in case you’re wondering, no, his vote didn’t [i]cancel-out[/i] mine – and I didn’t tell him how to vote either. (He actually has a circle of friends who all cringe at government interference into people’s lives, and they’ve learned that’s exactly what the Democratic Party is all about.)

But he is missing out on all the free stuff!

In reply to Checking in – also first election for my son

doesn’t he know how it works?

Wow, he could hop on board the gravy train, because it is just getting ready to leave the station……

Another Ron Paul Supporter!

In reply to Checking in – also first election for my son

I am glad that at least 3 of us wrote in Ron Paul’s name there.

What do you mean you didn’t write in his name….

Snort 🙂

Done

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

Just got back. Sometimes it is good to live in a small town. I was able to get in and vote and get out quickly and even managed to get the cynic I live with to do it too.

Parking was a pain though. I guess you can’t have everything.

Now I can spend an election coverage free day! Doesn’t get any better!

Done

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

7:00 am this morning, some people were in line at 4:30

Voted; 15th in line

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

at 7:00 a.m. CST.

Voted 25th in line

In reply to Voted; 15th in line

In line at 06:55 out at 07:25. Saw a funny sign on the wall of the church anouncing that the bathrooms will be closed on election day. That was not very Christian of them.

Okay, I’m finally qualified to respond to my own post.

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

2 hours, 15 minutes, and that was with three separate lines. Great crowd and no problems.

Land of the free, home of the brave. Gotta love it.

Did it at 6p local B-)

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

No line whatsoever; poll workers were falling over themselves to help me. I heard it was hell this morning.

Got called to Myrtle Beach yesterday and was going to vote absentee on the way. Saw the lines and changed my mind to make sure I got home in time.

Checking in.

In reply to The polls are open; check in when you’ve voted!

.

[Author]

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