creekland Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 If I'm totally honest, this thread is a reminder for me to get out and vote this afternoon. :D Polls here don't open until I'm in school, then right after school I have a place I NEED to be until early evening. When I get home from there voting is not likely to be first and foremost on my mind (dinner might be)... but I do tend to check the Hive to see what's new... so I'm sort of counting on this thread to remind me - hopefully before polls close at 8pm. I guess I can let you know later today or tomorrow if it worked! Right now it's the best potential reminder I can think of. Hubby is just as likely to forget as I am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aiden Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Do you check your email regularly? When I need a reminder, I send myself an email. I check email compulsively, and I leave emails that have outstanding action items as unread, so they draw my attention in my inbox. Whenever I do whatever the email was reminding me to do, I delete it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I keep forgetting it's election day. But we all voted early, so I don't need to remember! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I've voted on Election Day and done Early Voting. You will never see me at Election Day again! ;) I'm looking forward to tonight's coverage. Does anyone know of any cool apps for results? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 They open at 6 am here. I went at about 6:45. Nobody was there. Turnout in my district is usually very low though. At least I didn't have to wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I miss voting in Oregon. It's very civilized. Ballot comes in the mail, you fill it out in the comfort of your own home and either mail it back or drop it in a locked box in safe public places. We always took ours to the library. My kids got a big kick out of putting our ballots (my husband's and mine, they didn't vote) in the box. No lines, no hassles with machines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I do mail in voting so I don't have to worry about it on the actual day. Otherwise, I would need serious reminding! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We won't be forgetting. This is ds18's first election. I'm just waiting for him to wake up. I want to get there before lunch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I couldn't forget if I wanted to- dd loves going with me to vote, and she'll nag me to the point of insanity until we get it done. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Yay--everybody go vote. Dh and I did early voting. I'm just excited that my phone will stop ringing with campaign calls! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Voted this morning - I have the morning off school, so I even got the store to get copy paper without rushing. Now, I'm sitting down for breakfast and coffee, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMamaBird Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Our polls are always very empty so I don't worry too much about dragging my horde of screaming monkeys down there. Not too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Do you check your email regularly? When I need a reminder, I send myself an email. I check email compulsively, and I leave emails that have outstanding action items as unread, so they draw my attention in my inbox. Whenever I do whatever the email was reminding me to do, I delete it. That's an idea I think I'll use too. One of the two should catch my attention in time! They open at 6 am here. I went at about 6:45. Nobody was there. Turnout in my district is usually very low though. At least I didn't have to wait. I wish ours opened at 6am as then it would be easy to vote before school. Ours open at 7 and school starts at 7:30. I have to be here no later than 7:15, but I'm usually here by 7am. There's no way the timing can work. Normally I can have a note with my things to go home and just vote on the way home (it's not on the way, but close enough). Today, however, I have to be in a totally different town for some time first. I'm not worried about lines. Our township is too small to ever have lines. Well, once or twice we had to wait for perhaps 3 people in front of us, but the line takes less than a minute or two, so hardly counts. We spend more time there chatting with the folks we meet (we tend to already know them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 You could put a reminder alert on your cell phone. Even if you don't have a smartphone, you should have a calendar function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We have been voting by mail for some years now. So much more convenient IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Up until this morning I didn't know if I could because I have no form of ID that is acceptable. Lost my DL, passport has my maiden name, and all bills are in dh's name. But my 4 year old declared "mom you have to vote for someone!" Prompting me to look up my states voter ID laws. Apparently I just need to sign an affidavit saying I'm me. So I'll go vote on my way to taking the kids to kung fu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I send myself an email and leave it "marked as unread" - that's my personal urgent messaging system! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 You could put a reminder alert on your cell phone. Even if you don't have a smartphone, you should have a calendar function. If I had a cell phone. I lost mine back in July and never got around to replacing it. (I'm not still paying for it.) Sooner or later that will be on my "to do" list - or my boys can get together to get me a nice present for Christmas! In general, I'm still old fogey enough to not care about using them though. When I need one, I snag hubby's if he isn't using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I voted at midnight last night. We have those stupid mail in ballots. Yes, I know others like doing it by mail but I loved going to the polls, talking to the neighbors, etc. It was a fun night! I will drop dh's and my ballot off at a drop box sometime today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Pouring rain here when I went to the polls this morning. I snagged a great parking place so I didn't get too drenched on the way in. I still wish every ballot had a 'none of the above' option.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Pouring rain here when I went to the polls this morning. I snagged a great parking place so I didn't get too drenched on the way in. I still wish every ballot had a 'none of the above' option.... Ours has a write-in line where you can put an alternative if you don't like who's running. I've never known a write in candidate to actually win, though. (I take that back - I just googled and I guess two write-ins have won congressional seats.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I went at 9:30am today and there only two other people. Dh will have to wait until after work and I expect he will have more of a crowd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Voted this morning. I have always brought the kids with me to vote. This time I did not because my two teens who are bigger then me crowding in the booth with me is not as fun as when they were little. I think they got the message that voting is important. I do miss the old voting booths where I grew up. All those levers. You felt like you voted. We have the electronic booths where we live now and it just not the same feeling of satisfaction pushing button vs. pulling that lever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I'm glad I live in an area that is not crowded, at least at certain times of the day. We voted at 11:00am and I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. I printed out a sample ballot beforehand though, so I knew what all the races were for. I hate the races that have only one party running and a section for a write-in. I just left those blank. They'll win, but not by my vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Blessed to live in Oregon--voted a couple of weeks ago (as soon as the ballot arrived in the mail) and dropped it off in a street-side ballot drop box. I enjoyed telling every election-related caller after that (even the recorded messages), "I've already voted!" before hanging up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustEm Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Its funny, if I had to mail in my ballot I couldn't almost guarantee that I wouldn't be voting so I'm glad there are polling places. Its not that voting isn't important to me its that I know I would simply forget Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Waiting for the rain to stop (since I'm going on foot), then I'll head out to vote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I'm planning on taking my boys later as part of their civics lesson. Already printed out a sample ballot for them to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Voted this morning. I have always brought the kids with me to vote. This time I did not because my two teens who are bigger then me crowding in the booth with me is not as fun as when they were little. I think they got the message that voting is important. I do miss the old voting booths where I grew up. All those levers. You felt like you voted. We have the electronic booths where we live now and it just not the same feeling of satisfaction pushing button vs. pulling that lever. We have the paper ballots where you fill in the bubbles. I like them because during our inevitable recounts, we don't have to worry about machine error or any of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Oh, geez. Thank you for reminding me to drop off our ballots in the county collection box. We are an all vote by mail state and the ballots have been clipped to the fridge since they arrived. I should probably fill it out too. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We were in and out in under 10 mins at 10 am. It was nice weather, fortunately :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We will be going to vote this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Please vote. Even if the outcome is not what you want, it is a great privilege to be able to participate in the democratic process and to voice your opinion without fear of repercussions. As somebody who grew up without this right, I very much appreciate being able to weigh in - without fearing to lose my job, have my child kicked out of school, or worse. As we prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, I am especially mindful of this privilege. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I'm going in a few minutes with only two of my four children -- this is the first time I won't be taking them all into the booth with me. The other two are still involved in the process as they are working at other polling sites. My eldest son is a precinct clerk and my second-eldest is a voting judge. Proud of them! They were on the road by 4:45 am to help get everything set up and ready for the 6 am voters, and they won't get home until 8:00 tonight. I hope everyone reading this thread will do their part and vote. We retain rights by exercising them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Please vote. Even if the outcome is not what you want, it is a great privilege to be able to participate in the democratic process and to voice your opinion without fear of repercussions. As somebody who grew up without this right, I very much appreciate being able to weigh in - without fearing to lose my job, have my child kicked out of school, or worse. As we prepare to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, I am especially mindful of this privilege. I like your post, but I've also come to the stage where I no longer tell people to "just vote." Quite honestly, too many people don't even know what the issues are. They'll literally tell me they vote because they like how a politician looks or their smile or their name/gender/race or based upon a TV commercial (often these distort the truth - either side). I WANT people to vote, but I want them to do so when they understand the issues at hand. I really don't want the most handsome (or pretty) poster child to win. I work hard to try to get kids at school to understand issues at hand - both sides. There are way, way too many who don't care. It's sad, but I prefer those not vote honestly. On this board I'm less worried about that happening - so yes - I do like your post - esp those who are working hard to teach their kids about how it all works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Voted at 7 am. I live in a very poltically Conservative area. The parking lot was packed. I have heard on the radio that some areas have had light voting. Will be interesting, A lot of politicians on both sides annoy me greatly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I like your post, but I've also come to the stage where I no longer tell people to "just vote." Quite honestly, too many people don't even know what the issues are. They'll literally tell me they vote because they like how a politician looks or their smile or their name/gender/race or based upon a TV commercial (often these distort the truth - either side). I WANT people to vote, but I want them to do so when they understand the issues at hand. I really don't want the most handsome (or pretty) poster child to win. I work hard to try to get kids at school to understand issues at hand - both sides. There are way, way too many who don't care. It's sad, but I prefer those not vote honestly. On this board I'm less worried about that happening - so yes - I do like your post - esp those who are working hard to teach their kids about how it all works! I understand what you are saying in terms of not wanting certain people to vote but they should still vote. My initial voting experiences were uneducated just voting the way my parents did deals. But somewhere along the line I woke up and started paying more attention. I don't know that I would have if I had never gone out and voted in the first place. I have always told my apathetic friends to start small. Pick an issue that is important to them and find out which candidate supports their position. As for the popularity contest that has been ongoing since the first elections. Historically, Americans vote for tall presidents over short. Doesn't make it right but it has always been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I like your post, but I've also come to the stage where I no longer tell people to "just vote." Quite honestly, too many people don't even know what the issues are. They'll literally tell me they vote because they like how a politician looks or their smile or their name/gender/race or based upon a TV commercial (often these distort the truth - either side). I WANT people to vote, but I want them to do so when they understand the issues at hand. I really don't want the most handsome (or pretty) poster child to win. I work hard to try to get kids at school to understand issues at hand - both sides. There are way, way too many who don't care. It's sad, but I prefer those not vote honestly. On this board I'm less worried about that happening - so yes - I do like your post - esp those who are working hard to teach their kids about how it all works! Oh, absolutely - FIRST you need to form an informed opinion on the issues. It's not the act of casting the ballot alone that constitutes voting, it also encompasses thinking about the issues and making up one's mind. In our state, a stupid constitutional amendment is on the ballot to limit teacher tenure and tie teacher tenure and salary solely to students academic performance measured by standardized tests. I gave my DS an essay assignment to argue his opinion on that measure. His response easily identified several things that are wrong with it. It angers me that the people who suggest such nonsense can not see what is obvious to a 15 y/o. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I voted a week and a half ago :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawyer&Mom Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 We are an all mail voting state. Mine was mailed two weeks ago. DH put his off until today... I love the convenience of voting by mail, but I loved going into the booth with my mom when I was a kid. She would let me punch the ballot card, which was very exciting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 On my way to vote now. I am so glad this day is finally here, I am SICK TO DEATH of all the horrible campaign ads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted November 4, 2014 Author Share Posted November 4, 2014 Off to town now (ok, in 15 minutes, but close). Then MUST remember to vote! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 So, I have voted. I made my son read my ballot and "help" me decide. There was really not much in play on my ballot besides 2 gun control initiatives. There's a congressional race here where one of the canidate's yard signs and buttons said VOTE FOR PEDRO. :P Unfortunately, his cool signs couldn't merit him my vote because I'm a Democrat and voted for the incumbent Democrat. Whose signs just weren't as cool. Now if he showed up at my door and did THE dance, I just might have changed my mind. Take notes for 2016, Mr. Hopeful Congressman. I'm easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeLovePassion Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I voted. There is never a line where I go. I was voter #489 of the day there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I voted via absentee ballot a couple of weeks ago. Taking dd to vote in a little bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Done here. Not many people, but I went at an odd time of day and it is pouring rain here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 Argh--I still got two campaign phone calls today. Only an hour to go here . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I pulled my allergy-suffering butt (and the butts of 4 kids) out to vote finally. I was worried there might be an after work/after school rush, but there wasn't. Unfortunately, our polling place's parking lot is absolutely awful, so that was still a pain even with just 3 or 4 other voters in the building. @@ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I took all three kids with me this afternoon. The lady jokingly asked DS6 if he was voting today. He looked at her like she was nuts and said, "I'm not 18 yet! I'm only 6!" Then DS5 read aloud my ballot while I was filling it in. "Mommy, why did you vote no? Just tell me why!" DS1 got heavy so I put him down for a second. He took off, but I managed to catch him before he knocked over a row of booth things. And as we were leaving, they were all offered I Voted stickers. Dude, the kids get stickers at the doctor, the dentist, gym class, the grocery store, and Target. It's the one occasion that I get a sticker for me, and they start handing them out like candy. Fraud, I tell you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted November 4, 2014 Share Posted November 4, 2014 I voted. It took me almost 2 hours! It was a pretty massive complaint-fest, of course. I actually thought it was kind of fun. I saw tons of people neighbors - the ones who are neighbors but not right near me, so I don't see them a lot but was happy to chat and catch up. I always vote on the actual election day, because I sort of just like the whole process of voting in the community on the "big day" then going home and watching the results come in. But I have never ever had a wait even close to 2 hours before, even for presidential elections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.