Vote Today

[rocky_warrior]

You know we don't do political talk, but I do hope everyone exercises their right to vote today!

[MerrittsMustache]

I voted!

They didn't give me a sticker though. Clearly the poll workers were (fill in the opposing political party to mine).

[tower912]

43 minutes from the time I got in line until the time I was done.     There has to be a more efficient way.   Go (my guy)!

[chapman]

Meh.  Guess the winner will only win by 299,999 votes in my state instead of 300,000.

[4everwarriors]

Only vote if you're gonna make the right choice.

[hairy worthen]

Only vote if you're gonna make the right choice.

Operative word being "right" correct.

[real chili 83]

You know we don't do political talk, but I do hope everyone exercises their right to vote today!

Was in line for 30 minutes today.  Got there at 7:00 sharp.  Longest line I've seen in our town in 20+ years.

Honor our Marquette veterans who served our country to esnsure our right to vote. 

Whether you like donkeys or elephants.  Green, purple, pink or blue parties.  Commies, conservatives, liberals or libertarians.  GO VOTE!!!

And yes, GO WARRIORS!

[CTWarrior]

Voted (a pointless exercise on the presidential level as the incumbent will win our state easily) at 6:50 AM with no line at all. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Voted (a pointless exercise on the presidential level as the incumbent will win our state easily) at 6:50 AM with no line at all. 

Yes but your vote will count for the senate.  Went through my CT poll at 6AM; had coffee back on the couch at 6:15.

[rocky_warrior]

Meh.  Guess the winner will only win by 299,999 votes in my state instead of 300,000.

If you choose not to vote you still have made a choice?

I vote more for the local issues than the national ones, but Colorado, it's counties, and towns seem to LOVE to create "issues".  Sigh

[Benny B]

"Elections are a charade... elections and politicians are in place in order to give Americans the illusion that they have freedom of choice.  You don't really have choice in this country."

-George Carlin

[Hards Alumni]

"Elections are a charade... elections and politicians are in place in order to give Americans the illusion that they have freedom of choice.  You don't really have choice in this country."

-George Carlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hYIC0eZYEtI

Wish I could figure out how to embed that.  I miss GC every day.

[Lennys Tap]

"Elections are a charade... elections and politicians are in place in order to give Americans the illusion that they have freedom of choice.  You don't really have choice in this country."

-George Carlin

George was one funny guy, but celebrity/show biz talent doesn't tranlate to political wisdom. Celebrities say some incredibly wacky, even infantile things.

[augoman]

voted early last week..., working as an observer at central count in Waukesha County.  On a short break-heading back shortly(left my wife there).  Expect it'll be a long night.

[Benny B]

George was one funny guy, but celebrity/show biz talent doesn't tranlate to political wisdom. Celebrities say some incredibly wacky, even infantile things.

So do politicians.  Where's the wisdom in that?

[forgetful]

I voted!

They didn't give me a sticker though. Clearly the poll workers were (fill in the opposing political party to mine).

I didn't get a sticker either.  Regardless of who you vote for, get out and vote. Celebrate the right.  Make your own sticker.

[mu_hilltopper]

Lines at polls interest me.  My community has 14,000 people, of which say 9,000 are adults.  Our voter participation is always huge, it'll be around 90%.   We have 4 polling places .. there's a morning rush that might have 20 people, but after that hour it's more like 3-5 people.

For places that have big lines .. is it just a lack of polling places to distribute the demand?  Or is it the rush hour(s) that kill it?

It's possible that my community has a more "even" flow of voters .. Sure, it's busy before 8am, and after 5pm.  But lots of residents are available to vote between those times (read: stay at home moms, retired, telecommuters.)

[Benny B]

Lines at polls interest me.  My community has 14,000 people, of which say 9,000 are adults.  Our voter participation is always huge, it'll be around 90%.   We have 4 polling places .. there's a morning rush that might have 20 people, but after that hour it's more like 3-5 people.

For places that have big lines .. is it just a lack of polling places to distribute the demand?  Or is it the rush hour(s) that kill it?

It's possible that my community has a more "even" flow of voters .. Sure, it's busy before 8am, and after 5pm.  But lots of residents are available to vote between those times (read: stay at home moms, retired, telecommuters.)

I would suspect that some of these polling places - e.g. the inner cities of Ohio (where voting will continue long past 9:00 pm tonight) - have a shortage of election workers.  Whereas a well-staffed polling site in an urban precinct can run four or five lines, some places may have one for the same number of registered voters.

[mu_hilltopper]

Not the case here .. there's one line, 3 election workers.  Plus one worker/one line for people who want to register.  Clearly, since that takes a while, that could be a bottleneck.

[real chili 83]

Lines at polls interest me.  My community has 14,000 people, of which say 9,000 are adults.  Our voter participation is always huge, it'll be around 90%.   We have 4 polling places .. there's a morning rush that might have 20 people, but after that hour it's more like 3-5 people.

For places that have big lines .. is it just a lack of polling places to distribute the demand?  Or is it the rush hour(s) that kill it?

It's possible that my community has a more "even" flow of voters .. Sure, it's busy before 8am, and after 5pm.  But lots of residents are available to vote between those times (read: stay at home moms, retired, telecommuters.)

Our community in the East Metro (east of 494) has a population of 63k and 16 polling locations.

[Benny B]

Wisconsin is a bit of a different animal as it is one of eleven states that don't require preregistration for the presidential election... that is what slowed things down in 2000 as I recall.  One table & two workers to handle registration, check-in, & ballot distribution; the line was 30 people outside the front door most of the day.

Bottom line is that those responsible for the "ground operations" of an election are typically retired, unemployed, underemployed, student, and/or homeless volunteers, and as such, great variability will exist in the "productivity" from site to site.  Some take pride in what they do, others are just in it for the meal that's provided.

[BrewCity83]

Our poll workers (Wauwatosa) are all old as dirt and slow as molasses.  They like to chit-chat and visit all day, even if there are hundreds waiting in line.  At the end of the day, I don't question their integrity, though.

[Goose]

Took my MU freshman son to vote this morning for his first Presidential election. As for my "right" choice my clan agreed and all five old enough to vote voted same way. Did not appreciate the experience when younger and very glad my son wanted to come home and vote.

[warriorchick]

My daughter texted me a picture of the long voting lines at the Union.  I heard from other parents that the wait was as long as 2 hours.

I am just happy the youngsters are taking their civic responsibility so seriously......

[4everwarriors]

Nah, they just wanted an excuse to skip class.