I voted on a PAPER BALLOT today (PA)

[dchill]

...and it felt real good. The poll workers didn't seem to think much of it, though. It must seem to be too much work. No sympathy from me, though - it's at most a two-day work-year for them, and it's important to get it right, not fast.

I'm in Mercer County, PA, one of the locations that de-certified the Unilect Patriot machines - twice. I guess we're supposed to think of it as "punishment" to have to vote on paper, but I've been around computers long enough to know that those who program them would be more likely to decide an election than those who vote with them.

My ballot was given to me in a hard plastic sleeve for privacy. I took it to a 3-sided screen/booth, and read the instructions on the ballot (also posted on doors and walls in the polling place), filled in the ovals of my choices, slid the ballot back into the sleeve and returned it to a poll worker. She tore of my receipt, which handily stuck out the end of the sleeve, then I slid the ballot from the sleeve into a slot on the ballot box, all completely private (not really a concern to me, but that is the law.)

I've been voting for 25 years, and have never used anything but some kind of a machine. It feels to me like the first time I ever really voted. Maybe that's just me, but I like it. AND I got a receipt.

[Lancer]

1. Paper ballots here in Orange Co., NC, too.

My first election in this area and my first paper ballot in 25 years of voting. On these ballots, you fill in an incomplete arrow rather than an oval.

You insert your completed slip in an electronic ballot box, and it counts your ballot with an LED readout -- but, uh oh -- didn't give me a receipt!

I've lived most of my life in Guilford Co., NC. We were one of the first localities nationwide to get the touchscreen voting machines. There have never been any problems with them, and they've been in use for close to 20 years.

But yeah, I know what you mean about paper ballots.

[lildreamer316]

2. Hey fellow (ex)Guilfordian!!

I'm in Jamestown! Just wanted to say hi......