Low bar, but I VOTED

[Glenstache]

Voting is the simplest thing I can do to push the needle towards the world being the way I would like it to be for me and those around me. Local elections are really, really, really important in every cycle.

In Washington we do all vote by mail. It is fabulous. IMHO, vote by mail should be the norm as it makes it much easier for the public to vote with all of the information at their fingertips instead of in a booth.

Now to wade through the remaining 2 weeks of the election cycle!

[Telecaster]

Vote by mail is a joy.   I sit down with a beer, the voter pamphlet, the Internet, and fill out my ballot in an informed way on my own schedule.   Vastly more civilized than going to the polling place.

[evme]

I just wish that states allowed the votes by mail to be opened and tabulated before election day so we wouldn't be stuck waiting for hours or days to know who won. Is there some valid reason NOT to allow votes to be opened and counted beforehand? I understand Florida allows VBM to be counted early but the blue wall states like Wisconin, Michigan and Pennsylvania do not.

[Log]

Yep, I got my ballot in the mail a little over a week ago, put off voting for a few days, and then got it done the other night. I voted for all the most YIMBY and pro-bike candidates I could for the local races. And too many ballot propositions, both state and local...

[Glenstache]

I just wish that states allowed the votes by mail to be opened and tabulated before election day so we wouldn't be stuck waiting for hours or days to know who won. Is there some valid reason NOT to allow votes to be opened and counted beforehand? I understand Florida allows VBM to be counted early but the blue wall states like Wisconin, Michigan and Pennsylvania do not.

Yeah, that varies a lot by state. Arizona allows early counting of VBM votes, but is in the minority. Link below has a compendium of the ballot processing and tallying restrictions. At a quick glance, I didn't see a systematic between red vs blue states. I'm less concerned with having results instantly than having it done right and without the fuckery that happened in either 2000 or after counts were tallied in 2020. Our system is generally pretty good as long as political processes don't try to invalidate the actual techncial process of counting and certifying votes.

https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-16-when-absentee-mail-ballot-processing-and-counting-can-begin

[charis]

I love voting in person and on election day.  Maybe I'm totally alone in that.  I feel nostalgic remembering voting as a kids with my parents and as an adult in prior elections.  I like my polling place being so close to my home that I can walk there and the sense of community seeing my neighbors there on election day.  I like having dinner with my kids and talking about who is going to be on the ballot before we head over.  I have voted by mail and by early voting and neither was nearly as fun. 

[Telecaster]

I love voting in person and on election day.  Maybe I'm totally alone in that.  I feel nostalgic remembering voting as a kids with my parents and as an adult in prior elections.  I like my polling place being so close to my home that I can walk there and the sense of community seeing my neighbors there on election day.  I like having dinner with my kids and talking about who is going to be on the ballot before we head over.  I have voted by mail and by early voting and neither was nearly as fun. 

Totally agree!  I loved the ritual of it.

[nessness]

I voted too! I dropped it in the drop box at my local library on Saturday, and got text and email confirmation today that my vote had been counted. I love how easy California makes the voting process.

[LaineyAZ]

I love voting in person and on election day.  Maybe I'm totally alone in that.  I feel nostalgic remembering voting as a kids with my parents and as an adult in prior elections.  I like my polling place being so close to my home that I can walk there and the sense of community seeing my neighbors there on election day.  I like having dinner with my kids and talking about who is going to be on the ballot before we head over.  I have voted by mail and by early voting and neither was nearly as fun.

I remember my parents getting dressed up to go vote (!) in the '60s and '70s.   In the late '80s into the '90s, I'd take my own son to vote in the voting booth and then we'd go out for breakfast afterwards talk about it a bit - I wanted to impress upon him voting is important and our duty as citizens.
It paid off because he's a regular voter now, and even though we both vote by mail, it's a natural expectation of his adult life.

[dandarc]

Voted in-person for the first time since 2018 because absentee is the way and the truth and Florida still has no-reason-required absentee requesting while South Carolina does not. Was fine, although I kind of got lucky that a lot of folks apparently didn't know about the location I went to - mile long backup on the road where the "main" early voting location is. Would have rather filled out ballot and put it in the drop box like I have done last 2 elections when we still lived in Florida, but pretty smooth process that took about 20 minutes for me yesterday.

All of the local offices were unopposed though - may have to run for county treasurer or something like that next time because that's ridiculous.

[jinga nation]

Voted by mail prior to a work trip. Ballot was picked up Monday. Received an email Thursday that my vote had been counted.
Thank you county commissioner of elections and USPS.
And Fuck You, Ron DeSantis and Louis DeJoy and GOP!

[Sailor Sam]

I voted, too! I vote in Washington state, and it’s super awesome that my ballot gets counted with everyone else’s ballot, instead of last. Even awesome-er that I can vote by email. Whooptie!

It wasn’t all rainbows, though. For some reason WA kicked me off the voter rolls. I had to call the Secretary of State’s office to get it all sorted, because enrollment requires a driver’s license number and mine wouldn’t authenticate. When I asked why it happened I was told that my out of state mailing address for my license renewal automatically disenrolled me. What the fuck, Washington?

[UnleashHell]

Voted by mail prior to a work trip. Ballot was picked up Monday. Received an email Thursday that my vote had been counted.
Thank you county commissioner of elections and USPS.
And Fuck You, Ron DeSantis and Louis DeJoy and GOP!

Early voted here a few days ago.
There were queues out of the door at noon on a tuesday!!

and yeah - dear Ron didn't get my vote. I know (via management) a couple of the people he appointed and they are racist anti science douches. Florida used to work when it was a swing state. the current version is bullcrap.

[dandarc]

Voted by mail prior to a work trip. Ballot was picked up Monday. Received an email Thursday that my vote had been counted.
Thank you county commissioner of elections and USPS.
And Fuck You, Ron DeSantis and Louis DeJoy and GOP!

Early voted here a few days ago.
There were queues out of the door at noon on a tuesday!!

and yeah - dear Ron didn't get my vote. I know (via management) a couple of the people he appointed and they are racist anti science douches. Florida used to work when it was a swing state. the current version is bullcrap.

This feels like a chance to meet someone I was potentially local to until our move in July. Albeit, you can run into a ton of political appointees, particularly 2nd or 3rd hand, without being in Tallahassee.

[PMG]

We're in a new state and I was delighted to learn that early voting was available and at a location we frequently visit and is convenient. I went, took my kid in a stroller and gave her a snack to keep her busy. I was delighted to find it was pretty busy and since saw some headlines that early voting has been much busier than expected. Hoping that means good turn out. My vote won't sway the state, but I did it.

[41_swish]

Congratulations on voting! It is your civic duty to vote! Staying civically engaged is very important.

[JupiterGreen]

We're in a new state and I was delighted to learn that early voting was available and at a location we frequently visit and is convenient. I went, took my kid in a stroller and gave her a snack to keep her busy. I was delighted to find it was pretty busy and since saw some headlines that early voting has been much busier than expected. Hoping that means good turn out. My vote won't sway the state, but I did it.

We are also in a new state so I checked it out and we could vote early too. Just voted today and am very happy to have that in the rearview! An interesting observation I made is how easy and transparent our new state made voting compared to the opaque voting in our former state. In our old state we had to bring in a list of candidates and ballot questions just to be sure we were voting for the right people/ballot initiatives. There was a lot of deception and lies about who could vote and where (like college students and shutting down polling places), lots of obstacles and you really had to be on top of things to get it right. The kind of ballot transparency in our new state (clear language of initiatives "a yes vote does this...." and required party affiliation) should be made national.   

Hopefully I'll be successful in plugging my eyes and ears for the next week as we await the upcoming chaos that seems inevitable regardless of outcome. We do live in interesting times.

[Turtle]

My area just started having early voting available this election. Multiple locations in the county and an estimated wait time for each listed online.  It’s cool to see a steady stream in all the locations.  I’ve been keeping an eye out to see if there’s a good time for me to duck away from work.

[spartana]

I'm lazy so vote by mail.  I think it's the best way but I get that people enjoy the actual experience of voting in person. Plus you get a sticker!

[Monocle Money Mouth]

I'm going to give you this one. I know plenty of alleged adults that bitch and moan about the government, but also don't vote.

I'm voting on election day. I plan to be there when the polls open at 6:30.

[LaineyAZ]

I'm going to give you this one. I know plenty of alleged adults that bitch and moan about the government, but also don't vote.

I'm voting on election day. I plan to be there when the polls open at 6:30.

I've always said that if you don't vote you forfeit your right to complain.

[classicrando]

I too appreciate voting by mail and did so myself.  Though, the one thing voting at the polls has going for it is that it facilitates a woman more easily being able to vote differently from her spouse, and without the spouse knowing. 

This was just something I thought about during that whole recent campaign reminding women that their vote was secret.  Like, yeah it is, unless the two of them go over the mail-in ballots together at the dinner table.

[jeninco]

I too appreciate voting by mail and did so myself.  Though, the one thing voting at the polls has going for it is that it facilitates a woman more easily being able to vote differently from her spouse, and without the spouse knowing. 

This was just something I thought about during that whole recent campaign reminding women that their vote was secret.  Like, yeah it is, unless the two of them go over the mail-in ballots together at the dinner table.

I was just thinking about this the other day. What happens when your spouse forces you to show him your ballot?

[spartana]

I too appreciate voting by mail and did so myself.  Though, the one thing voting at the polls has going for it is that it facilitates a woman more easily being able to vote differently from her spouse, and without the spouse knowing. 

This was just something I thought about during that whole recent campaign reminding women that their vote was secret.  Like, yeah it is, unless the two of them go over the mail-in ballots together at the dinner table.

I was just thinking about this the other day. What happens when your spouse forces you to show him your ballot?

How could he force you - short of beating you - and then you have way more problems then your vote secrecy.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

I'm lazy so vote by mail.  I think it's the best way but I get that people enjoy the actual experience of voting in person. Plus you get a sticker!

My mail in ballot comes with an "I voted" sticker. (I'm in California). I also voted!

[spartana]

I'm lazy so vote by mail.  I think it's the best way but I get that people enjoy the actual experience of voting in person. Plus you get a sticker!

My mail in ballot comes with an "I voted" sticker. (I'm in California). I also voted!

I'm in Calif too and mine didn't come with a sticker - and neither did SOs or my sister's. Although if you drop your mail-in ballot at a manned drop off place they usually give you a sticker.

[MaybeBabyMustache]

@spartana - weird, must be by county. So, thanks Santa Clara County, I guess!

[Sibley]

I voted last weekend. Didn't get my act together to request an absentee ballot in time, so went to early voting. Waited in line 1 hour 45 minutes, outside, and while not cold it was also not warm. So I was cold. But I voted.

[jeninco]

We have electronic tracking (CO is a primarily mail-in-ballot state), and when I got the confirmation email that my vote had been counted (I'd already gotten one that my ballot had been received) it came with an e-sticker!

[Loretta]

I voted at my local library this afternoon.  The wait was only about 20 minutes and I did in fact receive a sticker.  I intend to wear my sticker on Tuesday.  I felt like I was holding my breath the entire time and had to remind myself to breathe. 

[LaineyAZ]

We have electronic tracking (CO is a primarily mail-in-ballot state), and when I got the confirmation email that my vote had been counted (I'd already gotten one that my ballot had been received) it came with an e-sticker!

I had mailed in my ballot and when I checked my online status that it had been received and counted I surprised myself by getting teary-eyed. 

A strange reaction but I realized that there's so many ways to stumble in this process - missing a deadline, making accidental stray marks on your ballot, not signing your name exactly as it appears on your voter registration, whatever other weird reason to disallow your ballot, etc. - that I felt like I'd successfully run a mini-marathon. 

[geekette]

I voted on Thursday when the lines locally were down to a 45 minute wait...  Our "I Voted Early" flying unicorn sticker was the student contest winner.

[fuzzy math]

I voted but I have yet to drop my ballot in a drop box. So have I really voted yet? 

I keep thinking I'm screwing it up every time I go out and I don't have it with me to drop off. Today it is I promise!

[crocheted_stache]

I am still pondering on the last couple very local elections. I thought for a minute the candidates' websites and ballot statements are about all I have to go on, but there seems to have been a candidate forum, so I guess I'll go check that out. I will definitely make up my mind and drop it off by Tuesday.

[crocheted_stache]

Update: filled in, all the way down the ballot—and a couple of the local things were pretty far down, especially as far as local coverage or useful information is concerned. I'll bike or walk it to the local polling place tomorrow.

[crocheted_stache]

Dropped off the ballot at a drop-box this morning, followed by a few extra bike miles in no particular direction, for exercise.

[jeninco]

Dropped off the ballot at a drop-box this morning, followed by a few extra bike miles in no particular direction, for exercise.

Go you! Thanks for voting!

[SlowlyButSurely]

I dropped my ballot in the box on Saturday morning and got the text that my signature had been verified this morning! Not counted yet, though.

[BECABECA]

We left town the week before the mail in ballots got delivered and get back in town next week. But we made sure to have one night back at the house to fill in our ballots and put them in the mail a couple of weeks ago. And we confirmed that both our ballots have been received and counted. Let’s go!!!!

[crocheted_stache]

Dropped off the ballot at a drop-box this morning, followed by a few extra bike miles in no particular direction, for exercise.

Go you! Thanks for voting!

Right about 24 hours after I dropped it off, I got the email confirmation that it was received and counted. Now we just need all the others.

[Raenia]

Waited in line for an hour this morning, but got it done!

DH had a mess when he went this afternoon, apparently the DMV "unregistered" him when he updated his address last year. He didn't catch it then, because I was in the hospital having a baby on election day last year. He wound up having to go to our previous address and file some sort of affidavit to be allowed to cast his ballot, and he could only vote on statewide/federal races, but he figured it out. What a rollercoaster. He was fuming. It should not be that easy to get removed from the voter rolls.

[dcheesi]

My wife voted early since she was going to be out of town today.

I prefer voting on the day, in part because I can take a lovely walk through the woods to get to our polling place. It was absolutely gorgeous today!

[HPstache]

I have never voted in person in my life... what an annoyance that must be!

[charis]

I have never voted in person in my life... what an annoyance that must be!

A strange observation considering the responses in this very thread.