Yeah this one is just a slap in the face. It wasn’t enough that they pushed through the amendment a few years ago that increased the threshold from 50% to 60% approval in order for an amendment to be approved (which hilariously did not itself receive 60% approval). But now they want us to approve it twice before it goes through? Fuck you.
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I haven’t voted. Haven’t got my mail-in ballot. What I did get was an emailed pic of said ballot so I’d know it was supposed to show up in my mailbox two days ago. I am slightly perturbed.
Got an email saying they received my ballot today. Still, it took 6 days. Mail your ballot ASAP.
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I voted today. Franklin County, Ohio (Columbus area). Trip report:
Headed downtown (about 20 minutes away) expecting to get there shortly after polls open at 8am. Approaching the building, traffic is backed up - first indication that turnout is likely going to be high.
Parking is a MESS, so after driving around a bit I park on some random parking lot a block or two away. Mask on, earbuds in to listen to podcasts. Letusgogogo.
I got to the building, close to the beginning of the line, at 8:16. It took more than 5 minutes just to walk to the end of the line. The line was at least a quarter mile long. Waiting in line, there were volunteers handing out sample Democrat-endorsed ballots. All told, there were probably 8-12 of them with large baskets of these ballots between the end of the line and the beginning. I had already printed out my sample ballot, but these were really helpful because some positions (mainly judges) did not have political party affiliations listed. There were ZERO Republican volunteers handing out sample ballots.
At one point, I texted pictures to my wife. The line behind me:
The line in front of me at the same point:
I think I walked in the building right at 9:15, so a total wait of 50-55 minutes in line. Once inside, it was super smooth - the county is very well set up to process things. They scanned my drivers license, printed out a receipt with a bar code that was used to activate the electronic voting machine, and gave me a stylus to use with the machine. I was suprised to find out that the voting machine wasn’t literally the voting recorder. Instead, it was basically a printer - I select my vote for each position/proposition and it prints out a paper ballot. I then take that paper ballot to a different machine that scans and retains it. I like that system for record-keeping, but I hope it isn’t confusing to anyone. (I’m concerned that people will think that they’re done when the ballot is printed, but the election worker was pretty good in detailing this in her instructions.)
Out the door maybe 10 minutes later.
Final thoughts:
- I can’t express how good it felt to press that button for the presidential candidate.
- I’m super happy that I did this in person. Partially because I’m a little skeptical about absentee ballots being counted (LOL at my signature ever matching), but partially because filling out a mail-in ballot wouldn’t have been nearly as satisfying.
- Franklin County enthusiasm is super high. Early voting has been open a week (I think), and I believe it’s been like this every day.
- Very impressed with this small aspect of the Democrats’ ground game. Like I said, tons of volunteers handing out sample ballots (and, again, NONE for Republicans). We talk about how Republicans dominate the local elections - this is how you start winning back those elections, making sure that people don’t just vote for the top of the ticket.
I feel like a million bucks and I’m cautiously optimistic for Ohio. Do not @ me.
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Just dropping in to let y’all know how much I appreciate those who are going to stand in line for their vote to be counted. As a Goatafornian, our process is ridiculously easy compared to the roadblocks that these red managed states are throwing at anyone who is trying to vote, and your dedication is inspiring and appreciated.
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I voted in North Atlanta suburb. Red county so of course I had zero wait. Walked up, filled out clipboard, then went and scanned license and got card then went up to machine (they had 16 of them and about 4 were being used at the time) and voted. It printed out a ballot and I scanned that into a scanner then got my sticker.
I wish it were that easy for people in Cobb/Gwinnett/Fulton/Dekalb to vote. The difference in experience and wait just one county over is so stark just because we are a red county.
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Vote by mail, vote by mail, vote by mail.
Probably 5-10% of people who plan to vote on election day will have some emergency come up or will be dissuaded by lines.
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I picked up an absentee ballot and voted at the town hall. This isn’t normally allowed in NH without a disability, but it is for this election due to COVID.
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Did Democrats ever try to pass one saying tax cuts needed a 67% majority? Fuck the GOP but also fuck the Dems for playing checkers instead of chess.
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Still 15-45 minute wait times at lunch time on day 4 of early voting in Williamson County, TX. Worth noting that this area was probably pretty red 5 years ago, so that’s 15-45 minutes with lots of polling locations and good infrastructure.
Yes I’m going to stop procrastinating and go vote. Leave me alone.
I don’t care if I’m gushing blood from a head wound. I’m voting first. If I have a pulse, I’m voting.
Texas is going blue, don’t fuck it up. Vote.
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Seriously we have 19 polling locations for a population of ~500k and the only ones that don’t have a significant wait are the really rural ones where I guarantee you <1% of the population of the county lives. There’s some turnout going on.
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I think my ballot comes today or tomorrow. Going to use progressivevotersguide.com to help fill out ballot. Has anyone used it before? It seems pretty nice, gives good summary for all the ballot items.
This is an example of what it looks like for a single ballot item.
I had planned to do some research once I got my ballot, but it turned out every race was a “choose one” with the exception of one race which was a “choose 3”. There happened to be 3 Dems available for that one, so no research was needed. No chance in hell I’m voting for any Rep or Lib until and unless lots of things change.
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It feels like there’s a movement underway. My sister’s two kids, 18 and 20, who in normal times would be too apathetic to even think about voting, both proudly posted stories of shipping off their early-voting Ohio ballots.
Hopefully this is a trend throughout Ohio and the other places we most need the votes.
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Will never get sick of Stephen Stills and Neil Young.
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I think so too. It’s just so much more obvious to them now that this shit matters.
When I was that age you could make a legitimate case that both candidates were Kang and Kodos. Nothing was that terrible or that great. There just wasn’t much incentive to get politically active. I went to the Democratic convention in 1988 at age 19 as a volunteer - mostly because my friend wanted to go - who’s now a Trumpfan lol. But I still didn’t vote until I was in my 30s.
The first Iraq war was actually my wake up call that shit can get real and the president matters. But I still took 8 years to vote I guess. Lol me.
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You aren’t alone.
https://www.sfgate.com/offbeat/article/I-voted-like-it-was-life-or-death-and-you-will-15650806.php
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