Have you voted (I don't want to know who/what you voted for!)?

[Mrs Mungo]

Just what it says-have you already voted in the midterm elections?

[Rosie_0801]

I always vote early at our pre-poll stations, so I'm sure I would have voted by now if I was a US citizen. :lol:

 

(You put the option there, so someone had to click it :D)

[Mrs Mungo]

I always vote early at our pre-poll stations, so I'm sure I would have voted by now if I was a US citizen. :lol:

 

(You put the option there, so someone had to click it :D)

 

I expected no less. ;) :p

[JudoMom]

I know you said you don't want to know who I voted for, but I want to assure you that I voted correctly ;):D.

[TN Mama]

I checked "other" because today is the last day for early voting and I am going! I love voting early and generally I would have gone before now, but it's just been hectic the past few weeks.

 

Now I wish someone would invent a box for the TV that once you've cast your ballot the election ads would STOP.

[Mama Geek]

 

Now I wish someone would invent a box for the TV that once you've cast your ballot the election ads would STOP.

 

:iagree:

[TravelingChris]

We are military and vote absentee. For many, many years, we were CA voters and except when we voted in person, we never knew if our votes were counted. In fact, they probably weren't even in 2000. WHat I love about voting in FL is that when we send in the ballots, they will tell me if they have been received. I also believe that they have a law obligating them to count our ballots.

[Dana]

I'd love to vote early, but here you don't have that option without certain conditions. We also still use the touch-screen voting that doesn't have any paper trail. :glare:

 

But I'll be voting on Tuesday.

[Gwenhwyfar]

i'm not in the US ~ but i do like to answer polls and i did vote in our municipal election the other week. :w00t:

 

 

We also still use the touch-screen voting that doesn't have any paper trail. :glare:

 

 

that actually sounds pretty cool! :D i would think there'd be less room for errors that way - people not filling in the little circle right (making an X instead of colouring the circle all in dark, circling the candidates name, using a checkmark, etc etc) or stuff like that.

[radiobrain]

I always vote at the polls, take my kids and glean all sorts of info from the poll workers... as I am chatty and personable, and they are usually bored. I have always gotten the dem:rep ratio, during primaries and how many people have come in etc, etc. Nosy little me.;)

[cathmom]

I plan to vote on Tuesday because I would have to go really out of my way to vote early, and I doubt there will be lines.

 

Now I need to figure out WHO to vote for. I seriously want a None of the Above option, and if NotA wins, then those candidates are barred from running again and we need new ones. I'd also like the ballot to say who the incumbent is. I think my 80 yo Congressman who has been in Congress for decades needs to retire!

[Gooblink]

I said "other" because I voted early at the polls.

[chiguirre]

I'm going to vote tomorrow morning. There are early polling stations available for 2 weeks before election day so it's very easy to do.

[DarcyB]

We take our boys with us, too, and the little old ladies love chatting with them. Our oldest is always disappointed when they won't give him a card to go vote with LOL

[nukeswife]

We're another military family that votes Absentee. We mailed in our FL ballots almost a month ago.

[kokotg]

I voted other because I might go vote today or tomorrow, if I can find time. Otherwise I'll vote on Tuesday.

[Cinder]

I voted other. Here in GA there are special polling places set up for early voting. Anyone can vote early. You don't have to apply for an absentee ballot. This is really helpful for those like dh whose work schedules preclude voting at the polls on Tues. It's really convenient. Dh has already voted; I'm planning to go today. So I haven't voted *yet* but neither am I waiting to go to the polls on Election Day.

 

Cinder

[K-FL]

We vote absentee and I hand deliver them to the Supervisor's Office (too cheap to pay the $1/ea to mail it across town.)

 

If some of you are looking for voter's guides, there are many on-line. Probably for any political persuasion.

 

As to the ballots themselves: Our county's ballots are the same for absentee or walk in. The good thing is it is basically like a bubble test so most people are very familiar with the format. They then enter it into the counting machine (looks like a big shredder or fax) and you're done. Seems the higher tech options (touch screens included) have more glitches and potential for fraud from what I read.

[ScoutTN]

We have early voting here for two weeks before election day. So I marked "other" because I voted at the polls on a computer, not mailing in a paper ballot. Perhaps I should have chosen the "yes" above?

 

We love early voting - easy, fast and convenient.

[Veritaserum]

I will vote on Tuesday. Voting early feels like peeking into your Christmas presents before Christmas morning. :-P I voted early in the 2008 election because of the massive voter turn-out and long lines, but I prefer voting on the first Tuesday of November. :)

[Luckymama]

Early voting isn't available in our state, but dh and I will be voting on Tuesday. We never miss any election, even primaries for local-only years. Dd10 will be going with us.

 

The schools my kids attend/ed hold in-school elections, presidential only for the grade school and mid-term/presidential years for the high schools. In fact, dd15 voted yesterday in her school's election and she was interviewed about the process by the city paper :D She was disgusted by the fellow students' lack of knowledge. I told her that not everyone lives in a politically-aware household :tongue_smilie:

[stripe]

I don't like early voting -- who knows what could happen ! -- but anyhow it's not an option for me. I'll be at the polls.

[Crissy]

Yes. I mailed my ballot last week. My husband mailed his yesterday.

[fhjmom]

I'm kind of weird, I like to vote *on Election Day*. I did print out a sample ballot yesterday, then sat down with DS and a voters' guide and we went through all the issues and talked about which candidates most closely matched how I felt about the issues. DS marked the sample ballot as we decided on the candidates I would vote for. I already knew most of who I wanted to vote for, but I wanted to share with him about the process and how to make a decision on whom to vote for.

[HRAAB]

Normally, I like to vote at the polls. It seems like such a community type activity. This year I voted early because I am going to be working at the polls on election day in a precinct other than my own. I used to be the Senior Judge for my precinct until my twins were born; I decided it was time to get back into it. I really enjoy working on the polls and being part of the whole process.

[sheryl]

Yes, I voted earlier this week AT the library...in person. I didn't send in the ballot.

[Tammyla]

We have an election office in one of our malls with early voting. We shopped, snacked and voted in one stop;).

[Miss Marple]

I know you said you don't want to know who I voted for, but I want to assure you that I voted correctly ;):D.

 

LOL:D

[babysparkler]

I always vote at the polls, take my kids and glean all sorts of info from the poll workers... as I am chatty and personable, and they are usually bored. I have always gotten the dem:rep ratio, during primaries and how many people have come in etc, etc. Nosy little me.;)

 

Me too. I took the kids yesterday to early-voting and used it as a civics lesson... there was a lady in the booth next to me that finished voting about halfway through my "lesson" on the importance and process of voting... she turned to me and said, "Excuse me, but I just have to say, you would make an incredible teacher!" :D That always feels so good to hear!

[KrissiK]

I started voting absentee when my kids were babies because I just couldn't get to the polls. But, now that they're getting bigger I want to go back to voting at the polls. I like that better and I want my kids to see what that is all about! But, I did vote absentee this year. I'm on permanent absentee status..... both voting and otherwise.:D

[wapiti]

DH and I both voted early, at the polls, on the electronic voting machine (not a touch screen but similar, and with a paper trail, akin to a cash register receipt tape that stays inside the machine). There was no line, plus it was at the main, large libary, so I scooped up some books on my way out :D

 

I don't trust mail-in ballots. I have no idea why I feel that way, just an instinct.

[radiobrain]

I already voted (in this poll, not the election), but I just wanted to vent a bit here....forgive me.

 

I HATE the idea of early voting. Absentee voting, makes a certain amount of sense... as you wouldn't be in state, presumably, but this is a pet peeve of mine.

 

Like TiVo and dvrs. Everything is becoming too personalized. If you can't make time on election day, all day, near your house.... arg.

 

I also don't trust that those ballots are counted correctly. There is so much more time, chain of custody, whatever, that should be involved to keep the vote secret and honest. I don't believe that it is possible to do this. It is hard enough on one day.

 

Consider this, what if something happens between when you vote early and election day that would have changed your vote? You can't change your mind if you already voted. I also think it expands the over the top political advertising window, as they must saturate the market from right before early voting to the day of election.

 

Don't even get me started about computerized voting machines. I despise touch screen anything. Hand sanitizer, please? Our district (statewide?) uses ball point pen and fill in the box, then scans and holds original. I think this is a pretty good compromise.

 

Holey moley! :rant:

Edited October 28, 2010 by radiobrain

[catalinakel]

Yes, we have early voting here in Nevada, but I did not send in a ballot, so voted other.

[babysparkler]

 

I HATE the idea of early voting. Absentee voting, makes a certain amount of sense... as you wouldn't be in state, presumably, but this is a pet peeve of mine.

 

I LOVE the idea of early voting:D. I did it on election day once b/c I forgot to get out to early voting. I don't want to stand in a mile long line at the polling place ever again with little kids in tow on voting day (well, it only went down the block and around the corner, but it seemed like a mile or more)... and THAT was mid-day after two weeks of early voting before it. The lines here are just insane, so early voting is the only way to get in and out without spending an hour doing it.

Edited October 28, 2010 by babysparkler

[Dana]

that actually sounds pretty cool! :D i would think there'd be less room for errors that way - people not filling in the little circle right (making an X instead of colouring the circle all in dark, circling the candidates name, using a checkmark, etc etc) or stuff like that.

 

One of the serious problems is that there are questions with the software being hack-able. And with no paper trail, there's no way to verify fraud. I don't trust it at all.

[radiobrain]

I LOVE the idea of early voting:D. I did it on election day once b/c I forgot to get out to early voting. I don't want to stand in a mile long line at the polling place ever again with little kids in tow on voting day (well, it only went down the block and around the corner, but it seemed like a mile or more)... and THAT was mid-day after two weeks of early voting before it. The lines here are just insane, so early voting is the only way to get in and out without spending an hour doing it.

 

Ok, I hadn't thought of that. It is good that you have such an active area. I would contend that if that is the typical scenario, your voting area should be further divided.

[sonsmama]

I have dropped my ballot at the library. We only have mail-in voting. I sometimes miss going to the polls on election day, some days, I am glad I have it all done.

[Audrey]

Just what it says-have you already voted in the midterm elections?

 

 

I just like to answer polls. :D

 

Seriously, though... our municipal elections were yesterday and I voted in them. Does that kind-of-sort-of count?

[Crissy]

I will vote on Tuesday. Voting early feels like peeking into your Christmas presents before Christmas morning. :-P I voted early in the 2008 election because of the massive voter turn-out and long lines, but I prefer voting on the first Tuesday of November. :)

 

I always enjoyed going to the polls, but that is no longer an option in our county. Our elections are now conducted entirely by mail.

[Dandelion]

I'll be voting on Tuesday... Can't wait! ;)

 

Don't even get me started about computerized voting machines. I despise touch screen anything. Hand sanitizer, please? Our district (statewide?) uses ball point pen and fill in the box, then scans and holds original. I think this is a pretty good compromise.

 

Holey moley! :rant:

 

On the topic of computerized voting machines, I plan to use the pen/paper version this time because of all the issues (incorrect vote processing, "auto-fill" of certain candidates, etc.) noted with the machines in various states during early voting. I'm not a "techno-phobe" (and the touch screen/germ issue doesn't bother me), but I really want my vote to count this election, so I'm not taking any chances!

[MyLittleWonders]

I'm not sure if we have early voting other than mail-in; I've never paid attention because I like to vote on election day. So, we wait until dh gets home from work, walk up the block with the boys, and vote. The boys always get a ton of "I voted" stickers. Sometimes they get to do the "practice" voting if it isn't busy, and dh and I see it as a lesson in citizenship. :) I like the analogy about Christmas presents before Christmas (I think that was it on page 1 ... I was interrupted a few times while reading the thread ;) ).

[Jenny in Atl]

Already voted... but did not send in ballot. In my area/county, we get to go to a local polling place and vote just like one would next Tues.

[Mejane]

No, but I can't wait for it to be over. We have a very contentious Senate race going on, and I'm sick to death of the negative campaigning. I'm also ready for all the d*mn signs to be gone. :glare:

[Mrs Mungo]

/ag

I HATE the idea of early voting. Absentee voting, makes a certain amount of sense... as you wouldn't be in state, presumably, but this is a pet peeve of mine.

 

I haven't voted in person since I was 21. I got married and moved out of state. I vote absentee for my home state. It's interesting because I don't see ANY political ads for the people and issues I vote for or against (except in Presidential elections).

 

Consider this, what if something happens between when you vote early and election day that would have changed your vote?

I think this is usually pretty unlikely. It would have to be something pretty dire and in that case they would probably be eliminated and a special election held.

 

Sorry about leaving off early voting at the polls. I didn't think about it since it's never been an option for me.

[Tammy]

and I did vote today! I have my sticker to prove it, LOL!

 

.

[Laurie4b]

I prefer to vote at the polls in case there is any late-breaking information that comes out that might influence my vote.

[AHASRADA]

I am currently living outside the US, and just don't feel our state elections are close enough for me to bother requesting an absentee ballot. I did do so for the presidential election, but since I'm due in 4 weeks, I've got a bit more to worry about than voting ;). However, if I felt particularly strongly about a certain candidate, and the race was close, I definitely would vote.

[twoxcell]

We live in Oregon, and all voting is by mail. I have mine filled out,but will probably just take it to the drop box.

[pqr]

yes

Edited October 29, 2010 by pqr

[Tressa]

Washington is only mail in voting. Makes me crazy. I miss going to the polls. Even though I drop my ballot off, I feel like I really have to trust that it is being counted. One time I forgot to tear off the top. I wonder if that one was even counted.