Election/Polling question: 'voting district'

The US has "precincts," which, according to Wikipedia, average around 1100 or so voters each -- urban precincts being, in general, larger and rural precincts being, in general, smaller. The equivalent of a "polling clerk" in the US would be an "election judge."

As for the waiting times, remember that US elections typically are consolidated, so that there are many races being voted upon at the same time. Unlike European elections, where a voter usually casts one or two votes at most, in the US it wouldn't be uncommon to vote in 20 or 30 different contests. See this 2004 post for a more complete explanation.

No, we vote by precinct, so the "voting districts" to which you refer are not large. The problem of long lines arises from the use of voting machines, rather than simple paper and pencil. In a room with a dozen voting machines, which need to be reset after each use, you could set up tables at which dozens and dozens of people could sit down to fill in a ballot by hand. It is also worth noting that Americans vote every year--each time you vote, you vote in municipal matters, county matters and state matters, in addition to the national elections each two years. There are many matters which are determined in other countries by public officials which are ballot issue in the United States, such as tax levies for public works or for the schools. Additionally, ballot initiatives, which is a form of legislation by the electorate through a petition process (to get the initiative on the ballot) are common. We also elect police officials (usually just the county sheriff), judges and the members of school boards.

An American citizen who faithfully votes each year will have dozens of decisions to make on every ballot, every year.

"Sundays" may have something to do with it, too. I voted at about 2:00 PM yesterday, a Tuesday -- there were no lines, and it was easy as pie. I don't work a 9-5 office job, though. Polls were set to close at 7:30 PM here; that meant that while polls opened early (6:30 AM), there were actually two small windows available for most working people to squeeze in their votes (before work, and after work).

Election 'day' is actually election 'weeks'. Since it's become available, I never vote on election 'day'.

Thanks, all.

I was actually referring to one poster who seemed to have waited yesterday quite some time.

It's true, you just make your one (sometimes two) cross (crosses) on one ballot paper, sometimes you have to do it on one or even more (usually at local elections: town, county/regional district, mayor, head of administration for county/regional district).

On Sundays, in the good old times, you got mini queues before and after masses, before and after coffee-and-cake-time ... Those times have changed.
(Nowadays, you get rush hours the last 15 mins before we close :wink: )

"democracy to me is liberty
plus economic security"----Maury Maverick


"Democracy means government by the uneducated,
wile aristocracy means government by the badly educated."...G K Chesterton