Stacia Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Based on responses in the 'Where do you vote?' thread, it seems as if voting in neighborhood garages is somewhat common in CA? I've never heard of doing that before & find it fascinating. Do other states do it too? For those in CA, is this common all over or just in certain areas? How many people would vote in a particular location (are you talking a few, hundreds, or thousands)? I'm just super curious about this & would love any additional info or description that Californians want to provide. Thanks! :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I wonder if it has to do with walking distance in large population centers? We live rurally and everyone votes at one location. Maybe in more urban areas there are more polling places in random places like that so people can walk and not contribute to traffic/parking problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I've lived in CA for 14 out of the last 17 years in 4 different towns (3 in NorCal and 1 in SoCal), and I've never voted in a garage. I've voted in a school cafeteria, a church, a rec room of apartment complex, and an assisted living place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Common here in my neighborhood. The weather is nice this time of year (today was actually hot). I'd guess a couple hundred people. No lines off "prime time." When we've voted in garages (not this time) it has been at a very nice house with a nice big clean garage with nothing but voting equipment in it. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 How do garage voting places become voting places? Do they volunteer? Does the community ask for x number of garages to volunteer as voting locations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I never heard of garage voting until today... I learn so much on the WTM (seriously, not sarcastic). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 How do garage voting places become voting places? Do they volunteer? Does the community ask for x number of garages to volunteer as voting locations? It think homeowners just volunteer their places. This time we we voted on a covered restaurant patio. I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celticmom Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I never heard of garage voting until today... I learn so much on the WTM (seriously, not sarcastic). :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. You obviously don't live in the Bible Belt. ;) (There are many, many churches, so I'm guessing that's why so much of the voting takes place at churches. In our area, many of the churches are big churches, even mega-churches, so they can accommodate a decent number of people. Plus, many, many of these churches are very politically active, so I'm thinking that's another reason they volunteer as voting locations.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 It think homeowners just volunteer their places. This time we we voted on a covered restaurant patio. I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. Bill My voting location is a church. There are just SO many churches in this area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petrichor Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I've also never heard of garage voting(but I'm in the midwest). We vote in schools, churches, or masjids around here. The public(and many private) schools had the day off today for voting. I remember growing up that we would go to school on election day, but miss out on gym class if we had it scheduled that day (voting was in the gym). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 I remember growing up that we would go to school on election day, but miss out on gym class if we had it scheduled that day (voting was in the gym). I remember my middle school being that way too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in SWVA Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 (edited) The first time I voted (in 1970) it was actually in someone's house! That was in California. Since then I have voted in all the above mentioned places around the country. Always interesting. Susie in SWVA Edited November 7, 2012 by clerkofkirk More information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 You obviously don't live in the Bible Belt. ;) (There are many, many churches, so I'm guessing that's why so much of the voting takes place at churches. In our area, many of the churches are big churches, even mega-churches, so they can accommodate a decent number of people. Plus, many, many of these churches are very politically active, so I'm thinking that's another reason they volunteer as voting locations.) It doesn't have to be the Bible Belt though. We vote in a church. If they want a space that's empty in the middle of the city, then that's going to be a church. Even the space in the schools is at a premium. It's very convenient as it's on the corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I'm in CA and we voted at a church until a few years ago. Now our local polling place is an elementary school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 It think homeowners just volunteer their places. This time we we voted on a covered restaurant patio. I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. Bill New to me too - today I had to go to the Church of Scientology to vote! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 New to me too - today I had to go to the Church of Scientology to vote! Personally, I'd prefer a garage :D Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Community center here, but I would have preferred a restaurant patio. Boy was I hungry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
courtney.byrum Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Personally, I'd prefer a garage :D Bill Me too by far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I remember my parents voting in garages in Orange County when I was younger. I voted at the water district today.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth in MN Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I lived in California from 1994-2003. When I was in San Francisco proper it was all garages all the time. One time it was a garage two doors down from where I loved. I decided one year to vote in my bathrobe, which was kinda fun. When I lived in an unincorporated town it was at the community center. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 It think homeowners just volunteer their places. This time we we voted on a covered restaurant patio. I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. Bill I voted in a church today, Bill! Although, my political picks may have been considered blasphemous to some of the church goers therein. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Personally, I'd prefer a garage :D Bill Barring that option, I'd then look for the precinct loo. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I have never voted in a church. I have voted in a Catholic school cafeteria, a church basement, and a synagogue's multi-purpose room. All East Coast "blue " States. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 It think homeowners just volunteer their places. This time we we voted on a covered restaurant patio. I'm surprised people vote in churches. That seems strange to me. Bill Where we live there isn't anything else within 7-8 miles (not even a school.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I've only ever voted in churches, or once a community center. Never in a garage. Around here, they're all full of boats and snowmobiles in November. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Actually, when we lived in the Sacramento area, SpyCar, we also voted in a church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer3141 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I've only ever voted in churches, or once a community center. Never in a garage. Around here, they're all full of boats and snowmobiles in November. ;) :iagree: That made me laugh too, Mergath. And I've peeked in my neighbors' garages. If it isn't snowmobiles and snow plow/blower equipment, then it's HAY because of the shortage. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 WEll, actually as NoNo said, I vote on Church property. In CA, it was a fellowship hall. Over here, it is a very large classroom for the Sunday school part of the property. I have never voted in a sanctuary of any kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 I've never heard of it until yesterday, and I lived in California for 5 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 WEll, actually as NoNo said, I vote on Church property. In CA, it was a fellowship hall. Over here, it is a very large classroom for the Sunday school part of the property. I have never voted in a sanctuary of any kind. Yes, when I meant earlier by voting at a church was not in the sanctuary but rather one of the meeting rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 When I lived in Los Angeles, my polling places were in local stores. It was always a short walk from home, and I never waited very long at all. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamakelly Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 When I was a kid, my parents voted in a neighboors garage. They ask for volunteers to host polling places, so why not, LOL! They showed on the news last night, that one precinct was voting in a mortuary chapel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest APS221 Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 I came across this thread because I was searching for information about polling places inside the garage of a private home. I first saw this on the "Election Day" episode of "Modern Family" back in April. In the episode, the characters go to a polling place in somebody's garage. I've voted in a public school, and a parochial school attached to a church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alphabetika Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 (edited) My parents voted in garages for as long as I remember. DH and I voted in the garage of two wonderful ladies who lived down the street from us. One year they gave us one of the cardboard voting booths when they were done with it and our two daughters made it into a time machine that they played with for years. The two ladies must have moved away, because now we vote in local schools. Edited November 10, 2012 by Alphabetika Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 Never heard of the garage voting until these threads. :D Where I used to live, I voted at City Hall. Then we moved to the county, and we voted at the local fire department. Now, we go down the road a bit to a Baptist church. I'm not real comfortable with it (for different reasons - my church doesn't use their building for non-preaching/teaching purposes, and thus I'm uncomfortable using a church for such things), but it is what it is. Around here, there aren't very many large meeting rooms that aren't churches. I think we moved to the church from the fire department because they wanted more space. If there is a line, you're not out the door at the church (and in November in north Alabama, you never know if it will be 70 degrees, 30 degrees, or a tornado blowing through :tongue_smilie:). We have the same problem finding meeting places for various groups, like LLL, babywearing groups, and other mom groups that meet during the day. They need a large room. Some libraries will let you meet, but some won't. Most groups have ended up having to use church meeting rooms, because that is what is available, especially if the group is a small volunteer organization that can't afford to pay for library meeting room space. A group of moms getting together to talk about breastfeeding can't pay $50+ per meeting to use the space. ETA: They used to use schools for voting here, but that stopped after all the 9/11, Columbine, and other such tragedies that made people worry about other people entering schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 When I turned 18 and voted for the first time, I lived in California. I voted in a garage in my neighborhood. It was completely empty except for the voting booths and a table where the poll workers sat. Here in Utah I've only ever voted at elementary schools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted November 10, 2012 Share Posted November 10, 2012 When I turned 18 and voted for the first time, I lived in California. I voted in a garage in my neighborhood. It was completely empty except for the voting booths and a table where the poll workers sat. Here in Utah I've only ever voted at elementary schools. :iagree: The "set decoration" in the Modern Family photo is not realistic in my experience. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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