I voted! Did you?

[AirPo]

After all the kids were off to school, including an unplanned trip with one child who forgot his band folder and had to have dad take him, my dh and I headed to the polls. DH was approached by two people passing out info on school board members while I sneaked on past without their notice. (Note to self, next time park less than 50 feet from the door) We held the doors to the church open for an elderly man who despite being in a wheel was making his way to the polling place. Then we showed our driver's licenses to the polling person, and received our ballots. I was done quickly and chatted some small talk with a lady there I know while dh finished up.

Your kids had school? Mine are off.

The whole process took a mere 5 minutes for me to exercise my voting privilege.

This year I made a point to thanking someone specifically for being there to help facilite my voting priviledge.

 

[The Lone Gunmen]

I voted by mail.

 

[fanatiquefou]

I've run out of reps for the day, but I think everyone should get reps for voting. Who's gonna take the baton and run with it?

I'm on it! Or actually, I'm not any more, because I just ran out of reps, too. Someone else's turn!

 

[Chajara]

I just got back. No unexpected problems with the machine or anything, just flashed my ID, signed my name on the list, and pushed buttons for what I wanted until I was done.

 

[burrow_owl]

Voting is just fun. Even in NY, where none are the outcomes are in dispute. Spitzer & Clinton will win in landslides, and the slimy democratic state machine will win its normal positions (I voted to break the machine - in states with political machines, it's always a good idea to vote the opposition, regardless of political affiliation - did you hear that family in Ohio?)

 

[The Lone Gunmen]

I'm on it! Or actually, I'm not any more, because I just ran out of reps, too. Someone else's turn!

I'm out of reps too.

 

[AirPo]

I just got back. No unexpected problems with the machine or anything, just flashed my ID, signed my name on the list, and pushed buttons for what I wanted until I was done.

Was this your first election?

 

[Rae]

I voted, too. I was kind of surprised that we didn't have an option to vote straight party any more in my state. I wonder who took that away and when ... ::scratches head::

 

[JustOneWay]

Just voted. optical scan method. I voted all the bad ones out, and replaced them with new bad ones!

 

[whatbogsends]

I got denied the right to vote. I had moved at the beginning of the year, and submitted my voter registration application 3 weeks before the deadline. I didn't get a response back, and when i went to my polling location, was told i wasn't on the registrars list, and that there was no way my vote could count in this election. I have registered my complaint with the State Board of Elections, but they essentially said that there's nothing you could do, that regardless of the resolution of my issue that my vote couldn't be counted in this election, and then didn't even take information about me to verify or discount my claim of being legitimately registered.

Outside the polling station were two groups pushing (advocating is too weak of a word) their position.

The first was a man working for the Republican party who offered me a "sample ballot". It was not a "sample ballot", rather it was a list of who and what to vote for for the republican party line. The other candidates weren't on this "sample ballot", only republicans.

The other was a group, with a several adults and young girls (age 10-13 or so), with the young girls saying "Vote yes on the marriage amendment". Odd that it was only the children who were voicing this opinion - i guess they thought that people would be less likely to challenge little girls promoting the position than they would if it were adults simply shouting at you.

The amendment in question is an amendment to the Virginia Constitution, which has 3 clauses to prevent the recognition of gay marriage. I had actually gone to a debate about this amendment last month. Oddly, the "for" speaker couldn't voice his motivation behind wanting the amendment passed - when asked to explain his position, he said that we couldn't understand his reasons; odd, considering he didn't offer them. The "against" speaker was actually also against gay marriage; he just didn't think it should be an amendment to the Virginia Constitution.

Overall, a rather frusterating "voting" (if i can even call it that) experience.

 

[Chajara]

Yes, AirPo, this was my first election.

 

[burrow_owl]

Yall don't have provisional ballots?

 

[AirPo]

Yes, AirPo, this was my first election.

Congratulations!

 

[Jadis40]

I'll be punching my straight ticket later on today.

Same here. Voted straight Republican.

Although in some county-related races, some Republicans were running unopposed like they normally do. Either that's a statement that the Reps are doing a good job, or the Dems just don't have anyone interested in running for certain county offices.

 

[Chajara]

Thanks! Plan to excercise my right from now on.

I'm really glad there were no problems. I've already heard about problems with the machines in other places. :/

 

[The Lone Gunmen]

I haven't missed an election since I turned 18.

 

[MoonlessNight]

I voted.

I hope that as many people that can vote do; regardless of what side they're on. It's sad the amount voter apathy there is in this country. Too much is at stake for people not to vote.

I didn't vote, intentionally, but not from any sort of apathy. Or perhaps only from the apathy that makes decisions towards inaction easier.

The truth is that I am very uncomfortable with social contract theory and thus have a hard time seeing the justification of a democracy. There are many things that are part of the status quo, like taxation, that I can't see any justification for whatsoever. Are these things on the ballot? Of course not. So what am I doing by voting? I think that I am endorsing the status quo and the system that backs it.

You might say that I should make a "lesser of evils" vote, that is, that even though I can't change the system and disagree with a large part of it, at least I can make the future a bit more pleasant to live in, but I have real trouble doing that. I make positive decisions not negative ones. As I have said on other threads I will always try to the right thing; even if it leads to negative consequences. Conversly I try not to do the wrong thing, even if it leads to a "better state of affairs." I see endorsing a corrupt candidate backed by a corrupt system as something that is certainly not a good action, and perhaps is a wrong one.

I've voted in all previous elections that I've been able, but even when the candidate has been good I have to admit that I've experienced a bit of guilt in doing it. And I have to say that I don't feel a whole lot better in not doing it.

It does help that the candidates were very poor this election.

I don't say this to prop myself up as a hero. I'm not. I'm a coward and I know it. If I really wanted to help out the world, I'd do something to change things. Not voting isn't going to make things any better, all it does is make it so that I'm not directly involved. And while perhaps it is better to sit by idly when some evil occurs rather than take part of it, it certainly isn't heroic. We all know that.

I don't take any kind of a stand that could put my at risk. I don't think the government has any right to my money, but I pay my taxes because I'm too afraid of the punishment. If they jailed everyone who didn't vote I would probably vote because there isn't any real good behind my actions.

So I'm not a very good or noble person. But I'm also not apathetic. I care. I'm just too scared to take the proper stand.

 

[Glaz]

Voted this afternoon, mixed ticket.

 

[jamesrwright3]

I voted straight green party

 

[JustJack!]

I voted, too. I was kind of surprised that we didn't have an option to vote straight party any more in my state. I wonder who took that away and when ... ::scratches head::

We have it in Texas. Though anyone who uses it, IMO, is a straight fool.

Yes, AirPo, this was my first election.

You and me both.

Fortunately, being out in redneck land, most don't even know how to use a voting machine, so we just had the good ol fashioned paper ballots with a pen. Not even the chad ballots.

That's how it should be done everywhere. This e-voting is just asking for fraud. Hell, I didn't even like the machine that I had to put my ballot into. They should just have human counters. And if their dirty and miscount for someone else, shoot em right then and there for treason, and we wouldn't have to worry much about that.