Voting Experience

I got up at the Butt Crack of Dawn to get to the polls early. I got there at 6:15, our polls open at 6:30 and there was a line about 30 people long. They opened the doors right at 6:30 and by 6:45 I was at the registration table. I'm in a new area this year so was a little worried my name wouldn't be on the list, but it was. They still had trouble finding it, because my name is spelled so oddly.

By 6:50 I was at the voting booth. We had new touch screen machines. It gave you a chance to verify your page and then you hit the print button. It printed your ballot on a register type receipt and you could verify it printed what you had cast through a viewing window. Very cool. I had been a little worried there wouldn't be a paper trail. I was out the door and to my car just before 7:00.

Got a text from my 21 year old son saying he was in line and close to the door.

In the primaries, I got to cast my vote for a woman president. I never thought I'd live to see that day. Today, I got to cast my vote for a black man. I never thought I'd live to see that day either. I am so proud and happy. What a wonderful experience.

Thats awesome! This is my first presidential election that I get to vote in and I am so excited!

I drove past my polling place this morning at 5:45 (polls opened at 6), thinking I'd be able to get in and vote early and still be on time for work.  At 5:45, there was a line of about 40 people.  So I continued on to work.  I passed another town's polling place at about 6:15, and the parking lot was jam packed.  I passed yet ANOTHER polling place in ANOTHER town at about 6:45, and there was a group of young adults standing outside holding up OBAMA - DURBIN - SEALS signs.  I honked at them and clapped. 

I leave work at 3:30, so I'll be able to get to my polling place by about 4:30.  Polls are open until 7, so I might wait in line but I shouldn't have any trouble getting in to vote.  My town only has about 25,000 people and has several different precincts for voting.

I have a picture of my ballot from the primary, marked for Obama.  I will take a picture of my ballot this afternoon, marked for Obama.  It truly is an historic day. 

This morning I figured I had time before work to either vote, or go to the gym. I decided to vote. Our polling places opened at 7, so I left my house slightly before that. I passed one polling place on the way and the parking lot was full, people were parked on both sides of the street for almost a half mile, and the parking lot next to the school was full and the line was at least 200 long wrapped around the parking lot. I continued on to my polling place which was the same way :( Unfortunately I didn't have time to stand in line before work this morning and my puppy starts obedience school tonight so I can't go after work. Maybe my job will let me leave early and I can see if I can beat the after work rush... but I work an hour from home so I'd have to leave pretty early to do that. Sadly I may not end up voting today, but luckily I don't live in a swing state, Maryland is pretty predictable. The ironic thing I was telling my husband is that if I don't vote I won't be able to get to vote for the question allowing early voting in Maryland!

I voted after standing in line for only about 30 minutes.

I felt victorious and strong. (voting makes me feel that way  )

And when I got back to my car, I cried a couple of happy tears.

I don't know what today's outcome will be. But however it turns out, I feel grateful that so many more people are paying attention and participating.

Original Post by eerominn:

This morning I figured I had time before work to either vote, or go to the gym. I decided to vote. Our polling places opened at 7, so I left my house slightly before that. I passed one polling place on the way and the parking lot was full, people were parked on both sides of the street for almost a half mile, and the parking lot next to the school was full and the line was at least 200 long wrapped around the parking lot. I continued on to my polling place which was the same way :( Unfortunately I didn't have time to stand in line before work this morning and my puppy starts obedience school tonight so I can't go after work. Maybe my job will let me leave early and I can see if I can beat the after work rush... but I work an hour from home so I'd have to leave pretty early to do that. Sadly I may not end up voting today, but luckily I don't live in a swing state, Maryland is pretty predictable. The ironic thing I was telling my husband is that if I don't vote I won't be able to get to vote for the question allowing early voting in Maryland!

 Your work is required to give you time off, without penalty, to vote.

Just sayin' ...

Original Post by yachtracer1977:

Original Post by eerominn:

This morning I figured I had time before work to either vote, or go to the gym. I decided to vote. Our polling places opened at 7, so I left my house slightly before that. I passed one polling place on the way and the parking lot was full, people were parked on both sides of the street for almost a half mile, and the parking lot next to the school was full and the line was at least 200 long wrapped around the parking lot. I continued on to my polling place which was the same way :( Unfortunately I didn't have time to stand in line before work this morning and my puppy starts obedience school tonight so I can't go after work. Maybe my job will let me leave early and I can see if I can beat the after work rush... but I work an hour from home so I'd have to leave pretty early to do that. Sadly I may not end up voting today, but luckily I don't live in a swing state, Maryland is pretty predictable. The ironic thing I was telling my husband is that if I don't vote I won't be able to get to vote for the question allowing early voting in Maryland!

 Your work is required to give you time off, without penalty, to vote.

Just sayin' ...

 Voting is also far more important than dog obedience class.

Just sayin'

Original Post by yachtracer1977:

 Your work is required to give you time off, without penalty, to vote.

Just sayin' ...

In Maryland they are only required to do that "if the employee does not have two hours of continuous off-duty during the time that the polls are open." Polls are open 7am-8pm and I work 8:30am-5pm so technically I don't qualify for that.

Regarding the obedience class... unfortunately we've been signed up for a while, paid already, and are required to go to the first class. I assumed I'd be able to vote in the morning and didn't think it would be a problem...

Voting is still more important than dog obedience class, but to each their own.

I was planning on going this evening but I'm newly in the stage of my pregnancy where I am getting kicked from the inside and I'm not used to it enough to sleep through it. Baby woke me up dancing on my bladder at 5:45 so I headed out the door around 6. Our polls opened at 7, I was standing outside in a line of about 100 people by 6:40, inside and in line for my area of my city at 6:45, and done with the whole thing by 7:20. Obama didn't technically need my vote here in Massachusetts but he got it anyway... I was more interested in being able to vote for local issues, namely banning greyhound racing and changing marijuana laws.

I am really nervous about the outcome of this election... this is only the 3rd presidental election I've ever been able to vote in and I was shocked to say the least at the outcome of 2000 and 2004.

Original Post by moonikins:

Voting is still more important than dog obedience class, but to each their own.

And if I lived in a swing state I may be more concerned to rearrange my life to vote, but since I don't, and my vote would be for Obama, who will win Maryland anyways, I just don't have the time to spend hours in line.

Original Post by eerominn:

Original Post by moonikins:

Voting is still more important than dog obedience class, but to each their own.

And if I lived in a swing state I may be more concerned to rearrange my life to vote, but since I don't, and my vote would be for Obama, who will win Maryland anyways, I just don't have the time to spend hours in line.

Hey, to each her own. 

I live in Illinois, and I'm rearranging things in my life to vote for Obama, even though there's no way he'll lose this state.

I'm really not a morning person at all, so getting up so early practically killed me and standing outside for 15 minutes just waiting for the doors to open wasn't my idea of a good time. I am in a swing state, but even if I weren't there are some serious local and state issues on my ballot that are very important.

I actually voted against the school levy. It is the first time in my life that I have voted down a levy. They do need the money, but they have been extremely unresponsive to the needs of parents and in managing the money they've been given. They need a strong message sent that we are tired of them.

Voting is the single most important thing we can do today. Please do not allow ANYTHING to keep you away from the polls. Every single vote counts. Appointments can be rescheduled. Skip the gym. Offer to give your neighbors, co-workers or family and friends a ride to the polls. Short of extreme illness (temperature of 109) or death, there is no reason not to vote. If you have a broken bone---duct tape works wonders...the hospital will be open after you vote. If your car breaks down---borrow a kid's bike (yes, you can stand up while riding a Hannah Montana bicycle.)

No matter what is going on in your life today, please vote.

I'm Alleyway and I approved this message.

I live in MA as well, so I know which way my state is going, but I got up early to vote anyway. I didn't even have to wait in line. It was quick and painless, which is the nice thing about living in a really small town.

I was happy about getting to vote for some of the more serious local issues.

I'm glad I got up to do that as I couldn't tonight.

I got up early to vote in MA as well! i know Obama already has our state, but i really wanted to be able to vote on the ballot questions. i only hope people have the sense to pass question 2!

my polling place was a two block walk from my apartment. i got there at about 7:10, and was strolling out the door with a coffee from the bake-sale in hand by 7:25. i even ended up getting to work early today, who woulda thought?! guess i got lucky!

My voting experience wasn't exciting. I printed of a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (my regular absentee ballot never came), filled it out and walked to the post office to mail it. I was oddly happy when I handed it over to the Korean woman working there. I felt like doing a little dance. haha

My experience was the same as it is every election day.  I left the house around 7:30, swung into the polling place about 7:35, signed in, cast my ballot, and was on my way by 7:45.

I'm am looking forward to tonight and I hope we'll know the outcome by bedtime.  I'd hate to have to wait a month or so for the Supreme Court to decide the outcome.

Ain't no line too long. Not even if you're voting McCain, ain't no line too long. Democracy only works if you participate.

My polling place opened at 7am i got there around 7:15-7:30 and i was out about an hour later. I used touch screen but it doesn't print any receipt. I wish it did because this is Florida! I hope my vote counts! I too voted for Obama and if he doesn't win I'm moving out of the country!

I live a mile outside of Detroit, MI. There's never a line to vote, and today, I waltzed right in and voted as usual at about 8:30am. No troubles here. Can't wait to get pizza later and watch the results come in - national and local.