US Voters: Tell us, how was it?

squinney went to the store and bought all grades of party food and wine, I canceled Tuesday night gig, and we're going to watch Palin warm up the dog sled.... NC will probably fall to McCain but that's okay as long as that bitch Elizabeth Dole gets **** canned

Assuming Obama carries PA as expected; either Florida or Ohio is a backbreaker for McCain. It'll be all academic after that. Swiping even a couple of the “swing states” would have the same effect. She may as well start warming up NOW!

Cancelled a gig to watch history being made? Good on you.

Only YOU can prevent forest fires (and deliver NC). I think you've done it.

Free food and drinks for the Ticofamily!

Went early this morning (like 6:30) and found the line wrapped around the building twice. Came back at 8, voted at 10:30. Lots of nice people, no glitches, just too many people for 8 voting machines.

I'm in Atlanta, btw.

I went after work and got to the place about 5:30 central time. There was absolutely no line. I went in, signed up, voted straight party and left. I had a paper ballot that I filled in a little bubble and then fed into a scanner machine. I did ask about the straight party vote, I was told to just fill in the one bubble and thats it. No one mentioned having to select the president as well, I better not have had to or I will be very upset. I am in TX and I don't believe that I had too.

This is my second time voting in a presidential election. There was a bond about hospital money management well.

Ok, a little more info:

We have electronic machines with no paper receipt. Makes me uneasy, but Obama isn't supposed to win GA anyway. (But oh, what if!) Most of the elections were for local judges who ran unopposed. I voted for Library bonds, against an amendment to allow school boards to use school taxes for community development (like the developers need the money), against Shitsby Shameless (that one was oh so satisfying) and for every Libertarian on the ballot that I could find. The only other candidate for pres was Bob Barr, which is curious since these are McKinney's stomping grounds.

I live in the boonies about two hours north of Joe Nation. My voting took all of ten minutes including catching up with Dave and Irene (the poll workers) about the weather and news of a new diner opening up in town. They let me have a couple of their Dunkin' Munchins while I waited for the one person in front of me to finish voting. We only have one machine and it's the same flip style I've used all my voting life. Irene told me that next year we will have a computer screen and she is worried that some of the older people will be clueless. On the way home I noticed someone wrote a big R.I.P on a McCain/Palin sign.

49th Ward on the far north side of Chicago.

Walked past Jordan Community School, my polling place, early this morning on the way to work. Noticed two things: (1) no lines -- which isn't really surprising, I've never seen lines at this polling place; and (2) very few signs -- usually there are lots of candidates' signs bunched up around the 100-foot limit from the front door of the school. Might be because there are very few contested local races and because there are, quite frankly, no Republicans around here.

Since there was no line in the morning, I figured it was safe to wait until the afternoon to vote. I left work at around 3:30. Downtown office buildings were urged to close at 3:00 this afternoon because of the huge crowds expected to descend upon the area for the Obama rally tonight (yay! half-day of school!).

Arrived at the polling place at around 4:30. No line at all -- went right to the table where, after some slight confusion, I got my ballot. We have paper ballots -- voters have to connect the arrows with a special pen to cast their votes. Unfortunately, voters sometimes walk off with the pens, which has caused problems in other precincts. It took me about 10 minutes to finish the ballot -- there are about 50 judges that we vote on for retention. I take these rather more seriously than the average voter.

In total, the experience lasted about 15 minutes from beginning to end. Very efficient, no problems, no baked goods or candy.

Fox will be out there shortly to report on this malicious vandalism and how it could subvert the American electoral system. I hope you'll make yourself available for an interview, GW.

It doesn't take ten minutes here. I just hope that someday, before I die, I actually get to vote FOR someone for president instead of casting a ballot against the greater of the evils. I marked most of my ballot, but the only votes I cast that were really for the candidate I marked were Jim Risch for the senate, our local magistrate judge, and myself. God, the twenty-first century political scene is pathetic. I do believe the American public has finally figured out that they can vote themselves a share of the treasury without having to earn a living. That, in the long run, will probably culminate the current economic troubles in complete collapse. Can't speak for the rest of y'all, but the next four years don't look good from here regardless of who gets elected tonight.

Too true.

Even sadder, the urban/rural divide is just as obvious in the state maps showing county results as it was in the last two elections.

I live one county north of Seattle(King County). King county residents had to go to the polls and vote electronically. My county got mail in ballots. We could either mail them or hand deliver them to certain designated drop offs. I went to a QFC grocery, absolutely no line. Walked right up and dropped it in the ballot box. Then Starbucks was offering free coffee and I grabbed a cup and went back to work.
Pretty stress free!

Could you two elaborate on that on another new thread?

Tell us, was your precinct crowded, uncrowded, were there goof-ups or did things go smoothly? Not crowded. I took a half day off work, had a lovely quiet workout at the gym, and got to my polling place about 3 pm.
What was your experience like? My check-in was uneventful, but I didn't like that the guy read my address, including apartment number, so loudly - to verify that I still live there, as my assent proved anything.
Did you have new voting machines, paper ballots or was it all digital? Digital
Did you talk to anyone in line? Nope
Were the helpers helpful? They were chatty. I didn't need any actual help.
Did you see anyone having difficulty? Maybe they couldn't find their name? Maybe their place had already been signed? There were two guys ahead of me in the A-D line. One had recently registered, but wasn't on the list. They moved him aside and promised him that he would get to vote. The next guy had never registered, and we don't have same day registration, so he was out of luck.
Did you drive someplace to vote or was it within walking distance of your home? I drove. That school is about three miles away.
How long did it take from the moment you arrived until you actually voted? 5 minutes
What else was being voted on? Bond issues? For what? Schools?, water or other services? There were about 80 other races on the ballot in Houston. Mostly judges, plus state representatives, district attorney, etc. I highlighted a sample ballot ahead of time to make it go faster.
What parties, other than the Democrats and the GOP, were on the ballot? Some Libertarians.
How many other Presidential elections have you participated in and how did this one compare? This was my 8th presidential election. I don't think I've ever been this excited before. I've been smiling all day.

No I-voted stickers, no candy. And no hassles on the sidewalk outside, which is typical.

No, the American public has finally figured out that we can elect an intelligent man who is not the puppet of the religious right and greedy CEO's.

Thank you all.
Thank you all for voting.

I believe this has been a great day for this nation.

Joe(may you all be well. )Nation

Went to United Methodist Trinity Church (or something like that), my polling place in my old neighborhood. Didn't have proof of address (recently changed), so voted under old registration. It's a move of about 2 miles; I hope nobody minds too much.

The poll workers were motivated but not especially helpful in managing the line. Still, short ballot, didn't take very long, line was about 70 people deep when I joined it at about 7:15 am and I was out by 7:30 and at work a lot earlier than usual.

Paper ballot. Complete the arrow next to the candidate or yes/no of your choice. Feed paper ballot into reader.

No difficulties that I saw, but so far my experience with voting in Wisconsin is that it's a pretty straightforward affair. (Assuming, of course, that the machine that reads the paper ballots actually works properly.)