I Voted

Clodfobble • Oct 21, 2008 4:11 pm
I know I said I wasn't going to bother, but early voting began yesterday, and Mr. Clod just happened to stay home sick from work today. So while the kids were sleeping, I was able to skip over to the community center a few blocks away and get it done.

Does that make me the very first Dwellar to do my civic duty?
Shawnee123 • Oct 21, 2008 4:12 pm
Merc voted some time ago...1998, I think.

:)
Sheldonrs • Oct 21, 2008 4:20 pm
I mailed in my ballot a week ago. :-)
classicman • Oct 21, 2008 4:21 pm
I mailed mine yesterday.
glatt • Oct 21, 2008 4:23 pm
I voted a week and a half ago on a machine in the registration office. (Which means mine gets counted with the rest of them, not just if there is a tie.)
glatt • Oct 21, 2008 4:27 pm
If enough of us have already voted, can we stop talking about election year politics?
classicman • Oct 21, 2008 4:29 pm
Don't you watch tv glatt? The elections been over for weeks.
lookout123 • Oct 21, 2008 4:48 pm
what, you all only voted once? complete slackers, i tell you. ACORN would be appalled.
footfootfoot • Oct 21, 2008 8:44 pm
vote early and often.
Aliantha • Oct 21, 2008 8:46 pm
footfootfoot;496057 wrote:
vote early and often.


My husband says that every election day when we're on our way to vote.

He thinks it's funny.
DanaC • Oct 21, 2008 8:50 pm
I voted a week and a half ago on a machine in the registration office. (Which means mine gets counted with the rest of them, not just if there is a tie.)


I am probably being a bit thick here. I don't understand the mechanisms of American elections, but what votes are only counted in the event of a tie? Surely, either you've cast the vote or you havent?
footfootfoot • Oct 21, 2008 8:58 pm
Aliantha;496059 wrote:
My husband says that every election day when we're on our way to vote.

He thinks it's funny.

You mean it's not?:eek:
footfootfoot • Oct 21, 2008 8:59 pm
DanaC;496062 wrote:
I am probably being a bit thick here. I don't understand the mechanisms of American elections, but what votes are only counted in the event of a tie? Surely, either you've cast the vote or you havent?

That's why you are so adorable!
Griff • Oct 21, 2008 9:00 pm
You guys have reached a post count climax.
Aliantha • Oct 21, 2008 9:00 pm
footfootfoot;496070 wrote:
You mean it's not?:eek:


Well, it was funny the first time he said it..and the second time I smiled...but then it just became part of the routine. :)
Griff • Oct 21, 2008 9:01 pm
Friggin foot so selfish.
footfootfoot • Oct 21, 2008 9:29 pm
Griff;496074 wrote:
Friggin foot so selfish.

huh? waht's a post count climax?
Cloud • Oct 21, 2008 11:09 pm
I need to look at the local races before I can vote.
Maui Nick • Oct 21, 2008 11:10 pm
I voted this afternoon at the library. :)
Juniper • Oct 21, 2008 11:45 pm
I just put the postage on our ballots and hubby will stick 'em in the mail tomorrow. Yay, me. :D
Clodfobble • Oct 22, 2008 12:13 am
DanaC wrote:
I am probably being a bit thick here. I don't understand the mechanisms of American elections, but what votes are only counted in the event of a tie? Surely, either you've cast the vote or you havent?


Some votes (like mailed-in absentee votes) are more of a pain in the ass to count than others, because you have to open envelopes, run them through a machine by hand, etc. So if on election night, a candidate is ahead by, say, 10,000 votes, and there are only 2,000 absentee ballots, then they don't bother counting them because mathematically it won't matter even if every single one of them is for the underdog.
Undertoad • Oct 22, 2008 12:25 am
Every vote is counted 'round here, and I imagine round where you are too Clod. A precinct doesn't know what the outcome is.
Clodfobble • Oct 22, 2008 12:36 am
Oh yes, I just did early voting, not absentee voting, and it was on the same electronic machines that will be used in my precinct on election day. But the mail-in ones go straight to the state office, don't they?
Radar • Oct 22, 2008 12:39 am
classicman;495979 wrote:
Don't you watch tv glatt? The elections been over for weeks.


The Presidential election was won weeks ago, but the ballot issues, judges, local politicians, and congressional candidates are still up for a vote.
Juniper • Oct 22, 2008 12:40 am
BTW my hubby just informed me of something mildly interesting. He's a mail carrier. He just found out today that if you mail in an absentee ballot without putting any postage on it, they will deliver it anyway. Rationale is that the USPS doesn't want to be accused of interfering with the election. Sheesh.
ZenGum • Oct 22, 2008 5:02 am
Meanwhile, from AFP via the ABC:

Californians have been able to cast election ballots from the comfort of their cars at a one-off drive-through voting booth.

The innovative voting system was opened in Santa Ana, south-east of Los Angeles, as part of a push to encourage eligible voters to register and vote ahead of the November 4 presidential polls.

"We want to do everything we can to take the stress off at the voting precincts on election day," Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said.

The booth was set up at the registrar's offices in Santa Ana, with voters directed into lanes before casting their ballots at eight voting machines.

The machines used were designed to meet disability requirements, making them a good fit for vehicles, Mr Kelley said.

California election officials are forecasting a record turnout across the state for this year's polls.

Mr Kelley said the number of people registering to vote by mailed ballots had soared from some 330,000 in 2004 to 600,000 this year.

- AFP


:lol: Y'awl Americans are funny!
DanaC • Oct 22, 2008 5:26 am
I heard that they'd run into some technical problems with some of the new machines? Something on the radio news yesterday (I think) Can't remember where this was though. I caught the last little bit of an interview with some electiony official type, before it went back to the anchor.

Thanks for the explanation btw, though I now realise I did know but had forgotten *grins* 'cause i've had this same conversation in another thread. Thinking about it, we do have an equivalent that may not be counted initially, but I'd have to check. We have something called 'proxy votes' which are a very small number of the ballots. Most postal votes are just that, postal votes, and they are opened separately and checked as they come in each day under very similar conditions to the main count. They only count the total votes cast at that stage. They get added to the ordinary ballot papers on the day of the count. Basically,we (candidates and agents) stand about in a big hall with tables, two tellers per table, and the officials bring over box at a time of ballots. The final box that gets poured (literally) onto the table is the postal votes box.
Griff • Oct 22, 2008 7:14 am
footfootfoot;496100 wrote:
huh? waht's a post count climax?


You and Dana came to double zeros together. 4700 and 7500.
DanaC • Oct 22, 2008 7:27 am
Y'know, given that half the time I've been a dwellar, I've been studying for a degree, that's a ludicrous postcount to have built up...
Griff • Oct 22, 2008 7:29 am
We're edubacaitin you.
freshnesschronic • Oct 22, 2008 9:29 am
I sent in my absentee ballot Monday!
TheMercenary • Oct 22, 2008 12:13 pm
ZenGum;496156 wrote:
Meanwhile, from AFP via the ABC:



:lol: Y'awl Americans are funny!


Hey, we got stuff to do man. Got to get that latte from Starbuck. Voting, pffffffftttt, childs play. :D
xoxoxoBruce • Oct 22, 2008 12:17 pm
We even got us some drive through, or should that be thru, wedding chapels and funeral parlors. ;)
TheMercenary • Oct 22, 2008 12:47 pm
We also have drive threw's.
jinx • Oct 22, 2008 12:50 pm
I like the drive thru beer distributors... although I'd prefer to get beer at the grocery store like every other friggin' state... stupid PA...
HungLikeJesus • Oct 22, 2008 1:09 pm
I voted this weekend.

We should have a poll to see who won.
Maui Nick • Oct 22, 2008 10:25 pm
Clodfobble;496139 wrote:
Oh yes, I just did early voting, not absentee voting, and it was on the same electronic machines that will be used in my precinct on election day. But the mail-in ones go straight to the state office, don't they?


County office here in Florida, and I imagine where you are as well.

And every one of 'em gets counted.