Get out and vote.

[linders]

Ignore the polls that say your candidate has already won or lost.

 

Look past the antagonism of this campaign.

 

Remember the many people in 1776 and after who believed that choice is good, that having a say in your country's future is an honor and privilege, who fought to expand voting rights beyond wealthy land owners.

 

This is your PSA for the day.

 

ETA: Back from our polling place. I was there with about 100 others in the 40 degree sunshine before the polls opened.

Edited November 8, 2016 by linders

[creekland]

We're heading out to vote now.  Our polls open in half an hour, so we'll be among the first there.  Then we're hitting the road... ;)

 

Best wishes to all today!

[TravelingChris]

My main reason for voting are my state's constitutional amendments.  I particularly want to vote to support our state parks.  Most of my races have only one candidate running unopposed.  Their are only three races with choices and it is a foregone conclusion which candidates will win my state.  I will vote anyway though I am not happy about the candidates that much.  My preference didn't win the senatorial primary, my house rep is my reactionary than I like  and I would have chosen almost any of the presidential primary people instead of who we got.  Particularly for the president, it is a hold my nose kind of vote.

[Carrie12345]

I'm not sure what the lines will be like by me, so I'm waiting until I drop 2 kids off for a long event and then grabbing dh and the other two to go vote.  (Lines aren't usually bad here, but I don't want to risk it!)

 

I did have a nightmare about forgetting to vote.  It's not helping my anxiety!

[SparklyUnicorn]

I just got back.  There was nobody there.

 

 

[AnnE-girl]

I don't want to vote, for the first time ever, but I will. It's 5:45 here and I'm up and getting ready so I can to my polling place as close to when it opens as possible. I thought about voting yesterday, but the lines at the closest early voting locations wound around the buildings. I'm hoping to be back home before DH has to leave for work so I don't have to try again later with three kids.

[regentrude]

I  grew up in a country where we did not have the civil liberties we enjoy in the US: no freedom of speech, no freedom of the press, no right to elections.

This is the first time I get to vote in a presidential election, and this right means a lot to me. I wish the weeks and months leading up to this would have been more pleasant and more in the spirit of rational discourse of ideas - but anyway: I get to vote, and that matters.

[Amira]

I voted by email a couple of weeks ago. I've often not been able to vote absentee overseas because of unreliable local mail so I was delighted to have the chance to vote this time.

[The Girls' Mom]

My local polling place isn't opening until 9AM!  I'm sure there will be lines, so I'm glad I voted early.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

My local polling place isn't opening until 9AM!  I'm sure there will be lines, so I'm glad I voted early.  

 

Yuck!  Ours opens at 6.  I go first thing to get it over with. 

[JustEm]

I'll be voting in about an hour depending on the lines. This is the first time voting that I'm still not sure who I'm voting for. I know for all my local elections but simply can't decide for the presidential election. I will decide when I'm in the booth I guess.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Oh and the weirdest thing.  I walked my paper ballot over to be scanned.  There was this huge machine with two sides.  I wasn't sure which side because there were on signs.  So I just went to the closest side.  They came running over no no...and hit cancel.  So it was the other side.  So I inserted it, and I asked what is the other side for.  Oh that is for our handicapped voters because the slot is lower (I'm like 5 ft tall so to me it was a good height..LOL), but given that, was this really a big deal that I inserted it into the handicapped slot?!  I think not. 

 

[Tenaj]

My DH decided to be in line when the polls opened at 6:30. There was a longer line than he expected but then he found out the machines were down. It took them about thirty minutes to get them running. He felt sorry for the poll workers!

 

I'll be heading out later in the morning with my 19yods who is voting in his first presidential election.

[SamanthaCarter]

If you're unhappy, please cast a protest vote. 

[StephanieZ]

If you don't vote, you can't complain!

 

Who wants to go 4 years w/o griping about politics!? 

[SemiSweet]

Our polls open at 7 and we were in line by 6:40. I think we were around the 20th people to vote. I'm excited and nervous and glad I have a few things to do today to keep my mind off it a little bit.

[JustEm]

If you don't vote, you can't complain!

 

Who wants to go 4 years w/o griping about politics!?

I don't agree with this statement. I think someone who educates themselves on all the candidates and makes a thoughtful decision to not vote for any of their options because they find them all unacceptable has every right to complain.

[StephanieZ]

I don't agree with this statement. I think someone who educates themselves on all the candidates and makes a thoughtful decision to not vote for any of their options because they find them all unacceptable has every right to complain.

 

You can write someone in. 

 

I stand by my statement. 

[Spryte]

I voted on Friday.

[JustEm]

You can write someone in.

 

I stand by my statement.

A write in vote does not always count. 7 states don't even allow write in votes. Most of the rest require that a write in candidate file to be an eligible write in candidate. If your write in isn't an eligible write in candidate then your vote isn't counted towards them so you essentially didn't vote. Edited November 8, 2016 by hjffkj

[marbel]

There is a choice on our ballot stating something like "I am not casting a vote."  I can't remember the exact wording.  But, that's actually casting a vote:  for no one and nothing.  It's a no on any propositions.   I've never skipped an election but I can see why people would not bother if there are no candidates they can support.  Aren't write-ins generally a waste of time anyway?  (Not the voter's time, the people who have to count and record everything.)   And so many people write in joke candidates.  I bet seeing "Mickey Mouse" on a ballot is amusing exactly once. 

 

My polling place was crowded but very quiet. Everyone was subdued.  Of course it was 7:00 AM so maybe everyone was just tired and hadn't had enough coffee yet. But other than some people quietly greeting neighbors there was no conversation.  No one seemed  happy or excited.  

 

 

 

 

[SparklyUnicorn]

There is a choice on our ballot stating something like "I am not casting a vote."  I can't remember the exact wording.  But, that's actually casting a vote:  for no one and nothing.  It's a no on any propositions.   I've never skipped an election but I can see why people would not bother if there are no candidates they can support.  Aren't write-ins generally a waste of time anyway?  (Not the voter's time, the people who have to count and record everything.)   And so many people write in joke candidates.  I bet seeing "Mickey Mouse" on a ballot is amusing exactly once. 

 

My polling place was crowded but very quiet. Everyone was subdued.  Of course it was 7:00 AM so maybe everyone was just tired and hadn't had enough coffee yet. But other than some people quietly greeting neighbors there was no conversation.  No one seemed  happy or excited.  

 

That should be an option IMO.  It's not here though.  I  mean you can just not pick someone in a category, but I'm not sure how the machine would react to an entirely blank ballot.

[PinkTulip]

I'm going in about an hour, after I drop my son off at Jr. High. My state decided to move to primarily mail-in ballots this year and there are only 37 polling places open today in my county of just over a million people, so I anticipate a very long line. I didn't do the mail-in because 1) I like the ceremony of standing in the voting booth to cast my vote and 2) I have been firmly undecided about what to do in the Presidential election.

 

This morning I know what I'm going to do, and will gladly stand in line for the right and privilege to cast my vote.

[regentrude]

If you're unhappy, please cast a protest vote. 

 

I do not see how this does any good. The voting booth is not the time and place to make my protest heard.

The election is not about my ideal candidate whom I would love to see because the person embodies my values - this ideal person is not on the ballot. (And I think this is true for many of us).

 

The reality is: one of two possible people WILL end up leading the country. The vote is about choosing which of these two people I believe to be the best option for our country.

The vote is not about me. It is about choosing among the possible options the one I deem most capable of doing the job of president for the country.

The time to make a statement "I don't like any of the options" has passed. Making a protest vote now will mean endorsing whoever ends up winning by throwing away the only way to make a difference.

Edited November 8, 2016 by regentrude

[wendyroo]

My local polling place isn't opening until 9AM!  I'm sure there will be lines, so I'm glad I voted early.  

 

Our state does not offer any early voting and when my husband got there shortly after the polls opened there was only one person registering voters.  DH ended up standing in line for about an hour.

 

I find this COMPLETELY unacceptable and akin to voter suppression.  People at or below the poverty line (and our state has plenty of them) have much more to gain and lose in this election than I do, and yet many will not be able to spend an hour in a poll line today between 7am and 8pm.

 

In this day and age, when early voting is a very viable option, I feel that if a state decides to only let people vote on one work day, then it is obligated to keep voting lines short by whatever means necessary.  If they cannot drum up the necessary volunteers, then they need to pull government employees from non-essential jobs and have them man the polls.

 

In any case, the kids and I will be heading over mid-morning.  I want them to experience the process, because come what may, this will end up being a historic election.

 

Wendy

[SKL]

We all got up early to go vote before school / work.  (We are NOT morning people, so this is a big deal.  :P)  Got there around 7:00 and there was no line, but all the booths (maybe 20 of them?) were full.  Usually I vote in the evening, but I didn't want to take chances this time.

[Pawz4me]

I voted a couple of weeks ago along with oldest DS. We waited about an hour and twenty minutes. DH had a similar wait last week (at a different polling location). From what we've seen with our own eyes and heard in the media those wait times have been fairly normal throughout our early voting period. It will be interesting to see how things go today. It may be so many people voted early that the lines today will be much shorter and quicker. Or it may be that we're going to have an exceptionally large turnout and the lines today may still be long.

[bibiche]

I'll be voting in about an hour depending on the lines. This is the first time voting that I'm still not sure who I'm voting for. I know for all my local elections but simply can't decide for the presidential election. I will decide when I'm in the booth I guess.

Vote with love.

[AnnE-girl]

It took me longer to drive to my polling place than it did to vote. On the upside, I did get to vote for our local representative, who is actually a really nice guy DH knows from work.

[SKL]

We had long lines at our early voting place, but then, there was only one place for everyone in our county to vote early.  Today voters are spread over many polling places, and also, I think they were able to plan better based on how high the early turnout was.  We had more booths than usual, so I hope that means the lines will not get out of hand.

[Lady Florida.]

 

 

 

The vote is not about me. It is about choosing among the possible options the one I deem most capable of doing the job of president for the country.

The time to make a statement "I don't like any of the options" has passed. Making a protest vote now will mean endorsing whoever ends up winning by throwing away the only way to make a difference.

 

This needed to be repeated rather than just liked. 

 

My family voted by mail several weeks ago. 

[SKL]

We also have a rule that as long as you are in line by the cutoff time, you get to vote, no matter how long the line is.  So a person who comes after work will be able to vote.  He may want to grab a sandwich first though.  :P

[Frances]

We vote by mail here, so both my husband and I voted two weeks ago as soon as we received our ballots. Last Friday night my husband decided to drive to the nearest battleground state and volunteer for one of the campaigns, and this would not have been possible without vote by mail or another early voting method that could be done last minute, unless he was willing to give up his own vote. I'm currently visiting my mom in another state and didn't have to arrange for an absentee ballot due to vote by mail. I love the system in my state!

[bibiche]

My polling place was crowded but very quiet. Everyone was subdued. ... No one seemed happy or excited.

Totally different mood here when I voted. Everyone was smiling and I daresay I have never seen so many little old ladies doing the happy dance! :)

[creekland]

Our polls open at 7 and we were in line by 6:40. I think we were around the 20th people to vote. I'm excited and nervous and glad I have a few things to do today to keep my mind off it a little bit.

 

Almost the exact same here.  We were there at 6:38 and were #17, 18, & 19 to vote.  Technically we'd have all been one spot earlier, but we all chose to let a lady with impaired mobility go to the front of the line so she didn't have to stand as long.  We had a good time chatting while we waited and were out in our van on the road by 7:12am.  

 

We don't usually go that early, but the guy in front of us does and told us this was the longest line he'd seen in 42 years of voting.  It seems some of us in swing states are interested in having our voices heard.  I'm curious to see what our final numbers are for our township - how many more did get out to vote.

[J-rap]

I know for some people it's much more convenient (or even necessary) to vote early, but I love to vote on election day when I can.  I love the whole experience.  I tend to get kind of emotional about it! 

 

[theelfqueen]

We voted by mail a while ago... please friends even if you skip the presidential section... there's a lot more on a ballot than just that!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[IfIOnly]

Voted yesterday. Dropped my ballot off at a drive through collection stand.

[Beaniemom]

Ours was a quick trip this morning. The line was surprisingly short and all seemed in good moods.

[Valley Girl]

A write in vote does not always count. 7 states don't even allow write in votes. Most of the rest require that a write in candidate file to be an eligible write in candidate. If your write in isn't an eligible write in candidate then your vote isn't counted towards them so you essentially didn't vote.

 

There are other races on the ballot. If you vote for those offices but leave the top one blank, wouldn't that still count as a protest vote in that you're rejecting all the candidates for the office? I would think political people who track such things will take notice if people are coming out to vote but completely opting out of the choices for that one office. I'm suggesting that only as an alternative because I personally think it's important to go to the polls regardless. I think you (general you) can do it and still send a message that the choices stink.

[scholastica]

There is a choice on our ballot stating something like "I am not casting a vote." I can't remember the exact wording. But, that's actually casting a vote: for no one and nothing. It's a no on any propositions. I've never skipped an election but I can see why people would not bother if there are no candidates they can support. Aren't write-ins generally a waste of time anyway? (Not the voter's time, the people who have to count and record everything.) And so many people write in joke candidates. I bet seeing "Mickey Mouse" on a ballot is amusing exactly once.

 

My polling place was crowded but very quiet. Everyone was subdued. Of course it was 7:00 AM so maybe everyone was just tired and hadn't had enough coffee yet. But other than some people quietly greeting neighbors there was no conversation. No one seemed happy or excited.

How could it ever be a waste of time to count someone's vote? Talk about disenfranchisement. The vote is the one thing each of us has and it is precious and should be treated with respect no matter how long it takes to count. We should each be able to vote our conscience and know that it "counts". Just because a person doesn't go with one of the few parties on the ballot doesn't make their opinion a waste of time to count.

[Guest]

There are around 180 registered voters in my precinct. When I went to vote, none of them were there. But one of the election workers goes to church with me, so I was able to chat for a few minutes. :D

[Guest]

I know for some people it's much more convenient (or even necessary) to vote early, but I love to vote on election day when I can. I love the whole experience. I tend to get kind of emotional about it!

Ditto!

[East Coast Sue]

Voted!

Not sure I can say that I like the choices but it is a privilege and responsibility to vote. No complaining about that part.

[JustEm]

There are other races on the ballot. If you vote for those offices but leave the top one blank, wouldn't that still count as a protest vote in that you're rejecting all the candidates for the office? I would think political people who track such things will take notice if people are coming out to vote but completely opting out of the choices for that one office. I'm suggesting that only as an alternative because I personally think it's important to go to the polls regardless. I think you (general you) can do it and still send a message that the choices stink.

I was commenting to a poster who said if you don't vote you can't complain for the next 4 years. So I'm assuming not voting for president even if you voted for others on the ballot would mean you can't complain about the president for 4 years. I was disagreeing and she said you can always write in. But it isn't as simple as just saying you can write in.

 

I am all for people choosing to make the conscious decision not to vote because they don't like their options.

[happi duck]

We can't get over there until 2ish. Can't wait!!

[mom2scouts]

I voted and then printed out some of those "brutally honest voting stickers" to wear today. Some people may think it's disrespectful or something, but I have a weird sense of humor and I think they're pretty funny. I take my responsibility to vote very seriously, but enjoy lightening the mood after this rough election season.

[JustEm]

Voting done! My stomach hurts thinking about it.

[TravelingChris]

Our line was a happy line.  I think just about everyone in my polling site knew who was winning our state for the presidential and who our next and current senator is and who our next and current representative is.  I was pretty cheerful too even though I don't really like who I voted for. 

[SKL]

I noticed the check-in lady had a pile of tickets saying "front of line" or something like that.  I assume that was for folks who can't wait in line for long.