I'm going to vote early tomorrow here in GA. What is everyone's voting plans?

[beachmom]

I have heard it is a 4 hour wait. Of course the GOP SoS is not going to extend hours or anything to encourage voting. So I will make the best of it with a nice book to read. I also thought this video was appropriate:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x229003

In addition to my proud vote for Barack Obama, I will be voting for Jim Martin for Senate in my attempt to oust that corrupt jerk Saxby Chambliss. That vote's for you, Max.

May this be a thread for Kerry supporter voting experiences this next week.

[karynnj]

1. I voted absentee by going to the county clerk's office

It was the first time I ever did this. I could have just filled in the application and gotten one mailed to the house, but I was just a block or so away, so this was easier. I went in filled in the application and then chatted with another women doing the same thing - another Obama voter. Then they brought me a paper ballot for my county and I carefully filled in the ovals and then took it to the room where they signed it in and accepted it.

(I also got to remotely and passively participate in my middle daughter voting - she had the NJ absentee ballot and she phoned me as she was filling it in telling me what she was doing - she then had me hang up to use her phone to take a photo of the ballot. She then called me up to tell me she and a friend were walking over to mail it - her friend taking a photo of that as well.)

[BlueIris]

2. I voted yesterday.

YAY for Oregon's paper mail-in ballots! Although I always take them to the elections office. Straight Democratic ticket, if anyone cares to know that.

[Luftmensch067]

3. I'm glad so many people are voting early!

I think it's the right thing to do. Nevertheless, I'm hoping to vote early on Tuesday. Election Day is kind of like a special holy day for me and I can't wait to vote! It's sort of appropriate that my polling place is even in a church... :-)

[cadmium]

4. voted last Friday

I am working all day Tuesday in Boston. Good luck on getting rid of Chambliss

[Island Blue]

5. I voted two weeks ago.

In North Carolina, they've extended early voting until November 1st. (Polls will be open on Saturday.) There is a polling place in the building where I work, so next Tuesday should be an interesting day!

[MBS]

6. I'll be voting on the day, as early as possible : ) n/t

[politicasista]

7. Voted last Wednesday

Didn't have to wait in a long line. Proud vote for Barack Obama/Joe Biden! :patriot: and some down ticket Dems like Bob Tuke for Senate (although Lamar Alexander is still popular here. :puke:) and Congressman Jim Cooper.

One small complaint. The ballot was only two pages with local amendments, but the font size was really small. Had to proofread it twice before touching VOTE. Luckily, Obama/Biden's names were at the top. Otherwise, no major problems.

:hi:

[karynnj]

8. That is really bad design if you had trouble reading it

It may be a problem for us older people :)

[politicasista]

9. Yes, you would have to have glasses or look directly into the screen

Sample TN ballot (the one I voted on). It looks confusing, but I was able to proofread it before touching VOTE. :)

http://www.nashville.gov/VOTE/docs/ballots/081104_countywide.pdf

[karynnj]

11. It is weirdly laid out - it strangely gives more prominence to the VP than the President

[politicasista]

19. Yep. It looks like Biden/Obama rather than Obama/Biden

Weird. :silly:

[JI7]

10. absentee, can't wait until next Tuesday

[Inuca]

12. Voted Tuesday

in rural IL, left from work early to get there before 4 when they close, and I had to deal with a line of zero people (good luck beachmom! I think I heard the other day of a 8-hour long line and I am almost sure it was in Georgia). Had the pleasure to vote for Obama/Biden and Dick Durbin. Wanted to vote early because I plan to plant myself in front of the TV on Tuesday as soon as I can get out of work and bite my nails (literally) all evening/night long.

Also I'll be in rural Missouri over the week-end helping with whatever they want me to do. I was planning to go to the St. Louis area which is much closer to where I live, signed for it, got contacted and been told they will get back to me with the details but nothing happened. I hope it just means that they have more than enough people for St. Louis, and not that they have organizational problems. On the other hand, the place I will go to where it seems they REALLY need some help is in rural MO, a good way west from St. Louis. What really impressed me about this, and the reason I am telling you guys about this (except that I am really looking forward to going and wanted to share :-)) is that it seems it is a town of about 4000 people, and the campaign HAS AN OFFICE THERE. Of course they work with several other small town in the area, but still... I think it's great.

If I do not get a chance to pop in again, happy nail biting everybody, and (hopefully!!!!!!) lots of cheering on Wednesday.

[WildEyedLiberal]

20. Voted early in IL too

I live closer to Indiana, though, so I am going to spend Election Day doing GOTV in Indianapolis. Well, if the Obama campaign people ever call me back and tell me where to go, anyway. They said they'd "be in touch."

I think it's good that you are going to a more rural area; I'd rather go to a more rural town in Western Indiana (so I don't have to drive as far as Indy, haha) but I guess they need the most help in Indianapolis. So assuming they get back to me, that's where I'll be going. Good luck!

[Inuca]

21. The same "we'll be in touch"

I got from the St. Louis people, not good :-(. Do you live around Urbana? If the Indianapolis people do not get back to you, maybe you will consider joining me? The lady I first heard from sounded almost desperate for bodies, she said that she tried to reach out for volunteers as far as NJ! I live roughly an hour and a half from Urbana, you could come to my place and then continue together. They have housing arrangements for overnight stay.

Just read your message again, and saw that you are talking about GOTV on Tuesday. I may consider taking a day off on Monday, but by Tuesday I must be back to work. Anyway... give it a thought, and if not get that vote out in IN! I oscillated between trying to go west (MO) or east (IN), but MO seems to have a bit of a better chance than Indiana. You never know though...

[WildEyedLiberal]

26. Actually I am back at my folks' house so I'm further south than Urbana now

So I'm quite a bit closer to where you are at, actually. I am unfortunately pretty busy this weekend, though. I'd be willing to go on Monday, but it sounds like you haven't really planned for going on Monday. Tuesday is when my cousin and I were going to go, so hopefully we will hear more from the Indiana for Obama people by then. Missouri is really not that much farther than Indiana; I'm about an hour or so from the Indiana border and an hour and a half from the Missouri border. I think you sent me the JK birthday card one year so I remember what town you're from, and it's about an hour's drive from my house, which isn't bad at all. But if you're heading over on Saturday I wouldn't be able to join you. Damn :(

[beachmom]

24. I wouldn't hinge your involvement on a call back. It looks like

you can just show up:

http://gotv.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/getoutthevoteevent/gprh95

Times: Saturday, November 1 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Sunday, November 2 at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Monday, November 3 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Tuesday, November 4 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM
Host: Indiana For Obama
Location:
R8 SHimes L5 Reid Neathers Learning Cen (Indianapolis, IN)
2434 Keystone Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46218


Of course, I hope you have a friend you can go with.

Here is another one:

http://gotv.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/gprh2y

Times: Monday, October 27 from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday, October 28 from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday, October 29 from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday, October 30 from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday, October 31 from 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday, November 1 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Sunday, November 2 at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM
Monday, November 3 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM
Tuesday, November 4 at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM
Host: Indiana For Obama
Location:
R8 NVan Putten B5 Downtown Office (Indianapolis, IN)
850 N Meridian
Indianapolis, IN 46204

You just go here and plug in a zip code:

http://www.barackobama.com/splash/volunteer.html

I guess my main point is that these folks are swamped and may not get to call you back, and really, the internet is quite helpful in putting out the information you need. But again, I hope you are not going alone.

[WildEyedLiberal]

25. No, I was planning on going w/ a cousin

Thanks for the info. I certainly don't want to sit at home doing nothing on Election Day; however, it would be helpful to know where, exactly, they'd like me to come - I don't want to just show up and have them be like "who the f are you?" The first guy who called me told me to email him with my info and he'd be in touch, but I never heard from him again; then last week a completely different lady called me and got my info, and then said she'd be in touch. So.... we shall see. If I don't hear from them by Sunday I will call the guy again (his is the only number I have) and see what's up, where they'd like me to report.

[sandnsea]

27. I had some of that too

I actually didn't get any real involvement until somebody local donated office space and I went down there. The people who called on the phone were sporadic and never followed through with anything. Choose the town you prefer to volunteer in, and call the Dem Party and see what's going on. That's what I'd recommend.

[Inuca]

28. My feeling is that

in the big cities they are swamped with people that want to help. I may be wrong of course, but that's the reason that I did not push more to go to St. Louis. I also think that beyond a certain point more is not always better, it may get confusing, difficult to manage and assign tasks, etc. People stepping on each other toes literally, that kind of thing. This may be different for election day though, so I add my encouragement to just go to Indianapolis even if you do not hear from them. You may also consider Terre Haute where I spent some time for the primaries, nice people in the office, and being a smaller place maybe they need people more, I don't know...

[beachmom]

29. I know that is not true where I am volunteering:

I also think that beyond a certain point more is not always better

We have thousands of calls that need to be made, and if we don't make them, they don't get done. I am limited in how much I can help because of my kids, but I am locked in every Sunday afternoon -- it ends up that this was the most productive day of the week last week. So it really matters to show up.

I may have gotten lucky, but the office I volunteer out of is small but great and a lot of fun. I am on the group e-mail list, so I learn what is up, and although I can't contribute as much time as others, I feel like I am part of the team. I wonder if there isn't an Obama field office that is closer but is phonebanking into places like Indianapolis. Canvassing is more effective but volunteer phone calls are not far behind in really helping out.

Don't let anyone lead you to believe there are "too many volunteers"; only misallocated resources. This is one of the reasons Obama encouraged us to vote early -- that takes our names OFF the list, so that we have less calls and contacts to make running up to Election Day.

Oh, and although there is a local Dem party, Democrats are just not all that strong in Forsyth and North Fulton. The Obama campaign itself has breathed new life into Democratic activism here.

[Inuca]

31. Interesting...

OK, I was wrong, not the first time :-). In terms of phone banking, it is something I don't feel comfortable with (I did it a little bit, only to verify my initial reaction). I am slightly "phono-phobe" in general, even when talking with people I know well, but more important I have this idea that I may put people off because of my accent (I do have a immediately noticeable, though usually very easy to understand, or so I am told, accent). I think that that is less of an issue in person than on the phone. Really looking forward to going to MO tomorrow. The fact that it seems it is a nice place and that it's most likely going to be a gorgeous day does not hurt either :-).

[beachmom]

33. Oh, I understand, Inuca. That can be unnerving. Another thing

you can do which is what I am doing Election Day (kids in tow) is bringing food in for the volunteers. Anything you can do will make you feel like you are contributing.

[WildEyedLiberal]

42. Finally heard back from them tonight

Looks like I will be heading to Indianapolis. I found a canvassing opportunity in Clinton, IN on the Obama website, and Clinton is actually quite a bit closer to me (it's just across the border), but since they called me back with details for Indianapolis, I suppose I'll go there. If Obama will win Indiana, it'll be due to GOTV in Indianapolis and the Chicago suburbs anyway, so I figure I'll be more helpful there.

[YvonneCa]

43. Good for you!. Drive for Change...

...to a swing state. :) We'll all celebrate tomorrow when Indiana and Nevada go BLUE! :7

[MonteLukast]

13. Already did, last week.

[fedupinBushcountry]

14. Voted last week

absentee ballot, I will be in Boston on election day. :-)

I did hear today that they are allowing early voting at the DMV's offices in Virginia Beach but not in Norfolk. Some day we really need one way and only one way to vote for President in every state, until then it is just to confusing for to many.

[fedupinBushcountry]

17. I mistated it is not early voting

it is absentee voting is allowed at DMV in Virginia Beach, but not in Norfolk, so those wishing an absentee ballot in Norfolk have to go to City Hall where the Registrar's office is located.

[Inuca]

22. Could not agree more about the confusion

I also think that election day should be a national holiday, it's ridiculous to expect people to work and then stand in line for hours! I also think that the electoral college should go the way of the dinosaurs, but that's a whole different story.

[beachmom]

15. Well, I am back and I voted for Obama and Martin! It took 2 1/2 hours. Not bad.

The early voting place opened at 8:30 AM and was located at a library. I got there at 8:15 and there was already a very long line. The atmosphere was of neighborliness, joking around, and calmness, even though it was obvious that it was a very mixed crowd, nevertheless tilted toward McCain voters (I do live in a red area, after all). I will add that Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown used to live in a gated community not far at all from this polling place, if that gives you an idea of some of the income levels here.

I was pretty cold for a while (yeah, yeah, Northerners -- I know it's not that bad but standing for an hour in 30 degree weather does make your feet go numb), but finally after about an hour we got to the door and entered the library. The place was very well run (apparently earlier in the week they only had 7 machines; today they had 20), almost like an airport, where you were given clipboards to fill out your info outside, showed your ID to a different person once inside, and then turned in your form when you finally arrived at the voting machines.

Here is the amazing thing: it ends up that the library had an exhibit up commemorating Anne Frank and those lost in the Holocaust. It was not so unlike a museum exhibit with pictures and the story of Anne Frank. So as we snaked our way toward the voting machines (it took about an hour once we were inside the building), we read of the Descent into Hell that befell the Jews and specifically the Frank family. This is what got to me: there was a piece of artwork first in line with a Star of David with the following words: "No race is superior" and "No religion is inferior". The exhibit intermingled the history of the rise of the Nazis in Germany and how it affected the Frank family. Of interest, was how as the Germans' economic situation became more dire, the message of the Nazis gained more support, as Hitler repeatedly blamed their woes on the Jews, who only represented 1% of the German population. As we turned the corner with the voting machine room nearly there, we saw photos of the concentration camps and stories of how most of the Frank family, including Anne, died. Only Otto Frank survived. Another exhibit was being put up about the Jim Crow laws in the South to my right.

I couldn't help being moved by this exhibit (which for sure was not put up for voters, but for the library, so it really was a coincidence) and, yes, its relevance to America being on the cusp of electing the first African American President. It served as a reminder of what we believe, especially as the exhibit ended with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I realize many voted for McCain in that line, but I hope it was based on his policies and not his race. This exhibit demanded it be nothing less than that.

[Inuca]

23. Great story, beachmom n/t

[TayTay]

16. Voted absentee this morning

Cuz, it is possible, I might be busy on election day itself. We don't have early voting per se in Mass. We have absentee ballots. The overwhelming number of people will vote on Election Day here in the Bay State.

Yes, I got to vote for John Kerry, for the 2nd time this year. Yeah, I thought of all of you as I did so.

[karynnj]

30. Thanks for thinking of us as you did

Does that put you up to 14 votes for the Senator? (lt Gov, 5 Senate, President) times 2?

[TayTay]

35. Good Lord, I never thought of it that way before

But, yeah, it does.

Wow!

As someone once said, "What a long strange trip it's been."

For all of us.

And, hey, Still Here, still going strong, but also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA4coDbHLPo">Moving on to fit what ever happens.

[beachmom]

37. Thanks for the song, Tay. I have to say I have been on an emotional

roller coaster this last week. I don't know how I feel about the 2008 election vs. the 2004 election. I am still processing everything. I am really glad that JK is going to be on MTP tomorrow. I miss him, at the same time that I have been enjoying watching Obama on the campaign trail. Therein lies the mixed emotions I have in the final days and hours of this campaign.

[ProSense]

18. Voted absentee a couple of weeks ago.

Felt great.

[ginnyinWI]

32. I will be voting on Tuesday.

Last time I voted absentee so I could work for the local campaign on the day. This time I'll go in personally--it feels more real to me. If there were some kind of early voting, I'd be going today, but it's absentee. I want to put that paper ballot in the optical scanner myself this year.

I don't expect a big long line. It's a red county. :)

[Firespirit]

34. Voted early (absentee) Friday with a sister

I had picked her up from college -- she doesn't have a car -- and we just made it into the county courthouse 5 minutes before closing time. What passes for early voting in MS is a type of absentee voting. We didn't have to provide ID or even our voter cards; our names were matched against their database. I hope this doesn't cause problems for voters in the form of typos and other concerns that have been highlighted. The 3 court employees were all African American, and the 4 or 5 other early voters were also black. (The county is about 60% black.) It felt good to fill in the bubble for Obama and I filled in the bubble, as I assume my sister did as well, for Ronnie Musgrove although I'm ill pleased with his positions on some social issues. I doubt anything will ever feel quite as good as it did to stand in line in 2004 on Election Day and vote for JK, though. Sigh. (I'm fully supportive of the Sec. of State idea, of course.)

In my county, voting preference is unfortunately VERY strongly correlated with race, with the white vote breaking for Rs as strongly as the black vote breaks for Ds, and I did not want all these people to make assumptions about us. I know, I made assumptions about them with that very concern, but let's face it, when people talk about 95% of the black vote breaking for Obama, it's probably an accurate assumption that these specific people, who are voting early to top it off, support him. It's bound to be illegal, or at least very questionable, to make comments in the courthouse about who we supported, but something occurred to me. After we submitted our ballots and left the private area, I raised my fist to my sister and we did the fist bump thing, then when she gave me a confused look, I said, "Oh you know, it means accomplishment, and they did it." This one African American woman who was waiting on a family member to finish voting looked sideways at us and grinned. It made me feel good that somebody had gotten the code message, and that a black woman in a very racist county saw two white women who were not at all sucked in by the GOP and the fundie idol Palin. My state is probably not going blue, but damn it, I want to do what little I can toward ending the filthy racial politics of the South where you can just about guess a given person's party ID based on their skin color.

I am hoping to do phone GOTV on Election Day. I have another sister to drive to the polls, but that can be done early, and afterwards I hope to spend the day calling supporters in FL, NC, or VA to remind them to go to the polls. I haven't had the stomach for persuasive/undecided phonebanking, I've always suspected I'd do more harm than good because of being an Aspie, but I can do this. :)

[ladym55]

36. My husband and I voted back on October 20

After the great screw-up of 2004, Ohio now permits absentee balloting for anyone who wants it and early voting. For big elections with long ballots, I now vote absentee. I call it "kitchen table voting." My husband and I got our our three-page ballots, made tea, filled in our circles very carefully, and then put all forms and etc. carefully into the BOE envelope. The ballots were hand delivered to the BOE the next day.

I did this in 2006 ... no lines, time to think about the many issues on the ballot (some of which don't get any publicity), and peace of mind.

It feels so good to have my PAPER ballot in the hands of the BOE. In 2004, I waited almost 2 hours in cold, hard rain, was late to work, and went into a polling place where two very well-dressed women wearing very large BUSH/CHENEY buttons were striding around and watching the proceedings. It was really creepy.

[WildEyedLiberal]

39. Isn't that illegal?

In Illinois electioneering is illegal within 100 feet of a polling place. No one is allowed to wear campaign paraphernalia or advocate for a candidate within those boundaries. I mean, I guess every state is different, but that seems like something that'd be a law everywhere.

[beachmom]

38. Oh, how wonderful: Saxby Chambliss -- "The Other Folks Are Voting"

God he is evil.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7703814

[Vektor]

40. Voted absentee in CA...

Wish I were in MA, so I could vote John Kerry for Senate! :-)

[YvonneCa]

41. I will be voting Tuesday...

...the polls are a couple of blocks away, and they open at 7:00 a.m. I plan to get there at 7 and wait however long it takes.

I feel a little guilty not voting early. I spent two weekends canvassing in Nevada reminding people there to go to early voting. In Nevada there were several very convenient places people could go (between Oct. 18 - 29th).

I know I should have voted early here. There IS early voting in my county...Riverside...but it's about 35 miles away through L.A. traffic.

So It's traditional Tuesday for me, this time anyway. :7