In Oregon all ballots are mail-in, I voted days ago...
No line here (NW CT). Plenty of cars in the parking lot, but I guess people were making their decisions quickly, not hogging the booths.
I'm learning about the varied (and occasionally weird) American voting practices for the first time. How long was your ballot? Did you have a time limit in the voting booth?
Hooray for Mail-In ballots (and actually remembering to mail them in on time!).
I had a 2 1/2 hour wait in Harlem. I heard one person in line say that the polling places in NYC could only accomodate 16% of the voters assigned to each polling site. Don't know if that's true.
waited about an hour and 15 minutes in cobble hill, but i also spotted lotta jansdotter their with her fam.
We went early and got there at 6:15 (the husband and I) and were surprised it only took an hour. We live in the DC area (I mention that just to point out the dense population not to mention the zeal for all things political) so I was surprised we were able to get in and out so quickly. I'm glad it's done. Now comes the hard part... tabitha @ http://www.fromsingletomarried.com
mc868, that can't be true. 16%?? call the elections board to hear what they have to say about that. i voted in the Lower East Side and although there was a big turnout, it all went smoothly and the site workers were rather nonplussed. but of course, that's how we New Yorkers are anyway. :-) the whole mood was upbeat and neighborly. Folks were real chatty which was nice to see.
I didn't have to wait in line at all. My husband and I took our 2 year old and were in and out in no time. I'm not sure if that's a good sign, though. We're about to call a few neighbors to see if they need a ride and my husband promised my best friend that he'd buy a pair of skinny jeans if she would get off her ass and vote. It did the trick!
There were hardly any lines in Bushwick (the only delay I experienced was an older couple forgetting to pull the lever and having to go back!) although a friend in Clinton Hill had to wait over 90 mins to vote this morning!
Did not wait at all on the near West side of Chicago.
In fact, the pollsters knew my address without even looking it up! Have they been spying on me?
racheloncegentry --
The lines were fairly short here in San Francisco - but I saw several of my neighbors in line also - when we chatted, we all agreed that we typically vote in the afternoons, but it was such a beautiful morning here and voting early seemed the right thing to do.
My Sister and Brother-in-Law in Virginia were the first two at their polling place outside Richmond this morning. They brought the kids with them (4 and 7) and showed them the ballots, how to vote, etc. The folks in the polling place were happy to see the kids and gave them "I Voted" stickers.
One of my co-workers just came by to say that Starbucks is offering folks free coffees here for folks who voted today too - I guess I'll go out and get a cuppa Joe!
I'm in the financial district in Manhattan and I was done in 15 minutes. I was cracking up imagining why the guy ahead of me was behind the curtains for so long. An unruly itch? Daydreaming? First time hearing of the candidates? Writing out a grocery list in private? Sheesh, pull the lever and move on with your life alreaddddddddddddyyyy
K T G, thanks!!! color me embarrassed.
I mailed in my ballot, but there is a poll next to my UWS apartment in Manhattan and the line was only about 20 people deep at 9 AM.
went at 7am this morning and was in and out in 15 minutes. bloomfield, nj
I went in Prospect Heights in Brooklyn at 1:15 and I was in and out. My husband and I had gone at 10 and the line was out the door and around the block and then so long we couldn't see the end. We turned around and went home to go back later, but we found out when we got home that if we knew our election district, we would have just been able to go right there. The long line was for people who needed that info. But no matter - when I went back it was easy.
And lorettalynn, I similarly was waiting for someone who was in the booth for ages and I could not imagine why. Then I figured it was because it was his first time reading the proposed change for the Veterans Administration and he needed to read it and make his decision.
In Washington you can drop off your ballot in a secure dropbox, so that's what I did. I wouldn't have voted absentee if it had to go through the mail... I just don't trust the postal system anymore.
left home at 6:30. i was done by 7:45. tremendous turnout. very exciting. in baltimore.
I live in Center City Philadelphia and went around 3:00 pm to avoid the rush. I was in and out in under 10 mins.
It was quick and painless here in SF East Bay, no waiting at all!
My husband and I went this morning before 9am. We were in and out in 10 minutes.
Our polling place was at an elementary school and there were plenty of volunteers which was a great thing to see. All very friendly and efficient.
It was quick where I live in Yonkers. Went with my mother and we took less than 10 minutes. No waiting and no lines.
Silver Spring, MD (just outside DC)...I went at 3:30 pm and it only took about 15 minutes. My boyfriend went before work, at 7am and the line was wrapped around the block and into a parking lot. He waited 3 1/2 hours and of course was late to work.
I went in at 10AM and was out at 10:15 AM.
Would rather all these companies giving away coffee, ice creme and donuts, donate proceeds from sales of those items for today to organizations that help promote human rights through out the world.
We already have the right to vote and more than enough.
Two and a half hours on Sunday for early voting. But I couldn't have made it today, so it was worth it.
It took a fews spins around the block to find parking at a church that was a San Diego poll location. Once inside, the lines were 2-5 minutes. I moved earlier this year and re-registered just before the deadline, so they bounced me from table to table and no one had me on their roster :( Even though I showed them my postcard confirming my registration, and 2 proofs of residence, they still made me fill out a provisional ballot...jerks! I wasn't a happy Stephie!
there was no one in line in my district in park slope brooklyn.
Oooh...but I did get my free tall coffee at Fourbucks and free doughnut at Krispy Kreme!
0 minutes in line in Towson, MD. at 4:45pm! was all prepared with banana, water, crackers and a book to read, even tho it was dark. a very pleasant surprise.
A friend of mine was just saying that she voted while baking brownies. Yay for Oregon's mail-in ballots!
1 hour and 15 minutes in Santa Monica at someone's garage. It was a beautiful morning though so it was nice to be outside instead of my office. California and Santa Monica had so many extra things on the ballot that I "studied" beforehand and brought my pre filled out sample ballot with me so the actual voting took less than 2 minutes.
Some people were in there forever! I wish they'd make up their mind before voting.
out in sf, I dropped off my absentee in the mail several weeks back. my boyfriend dropped off his absentee this afternoon. so it was quick and painless for the two of us, though as we were heading into work this morning the traffic was a zoo. we assumed it had to do w/ daylight savings and probly everyone trying to get to their polling stations. this is a tough one people. a nail biter!
I always vote with an absentee ballot, but I drop it off at my polling place so I feel more involved - and to get a sticker! I usually walk past a long line of people, but this morning in Oakland, CA there was no line at my polling place at 7:45am.
we always vote at a bar (oregon here!)-- we have a few beers, end up talking to some other opinionated people about the ballot measures-- it's nice to talk to, say, a teacher who happens to be there when you're voting on education matters and don't have teacher friends or kids. Extra input. I love our system.
My husband and I mailed in our absentee ballot a few weeks ago. I'm ready to scream victory!!
Nevada- voted early the 1st day-easy-no line at all. Yea! Waiting for all the results now....
Voted early because I was a first-time election judge on the North side in Chicago (something I will NEVER do again, but that's another story).
We had 3 precints voting in one building, so the lines had the potential to be quite long. Voters told me they waited over an hour to get into the building during the peak time (6-10am) but after that, traffic maintained a steady, but slower pace.
The abuse I took from voters today who were either not registered; in the wrong precint or failed to update their voter registration after moving was appalling.
Obama, bitches.
I got in at 6:50am and left at 8:10am in Boston.
I would have waited all damn day.
In and out at 7 am in Baltimore MD. BOO YA.
7:15 until 8:45 at the Brooklyn Museum. But we ran into all our neighbors and there was such excitement in the air, time seemed to fly by!
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Comments (42)
In Oregon all ballots are mail-in, I voted days ago...
No line here (NW CT). Plenty of cars in the parking lot, but I guess people were making their decisions quickly, not hogging the booths.
I'm learning about the varied (and occasionally weird) American voting practices for the first time. How long was your ballot? Did you have a time limit in the voting booth?
Hooray for Mail-In ballots (and actually remembering to mail them in on time!).
I had a 2 1/2 hour wait in Harlem. I heard one person in line say that the polling places in NYC could only accomodate 16% of the voters assigned to each polling site. Don't know if that's true.
waited about an hour and 15 minutes in cobble hill, but i also spotted lotta jansdotter their with her fam.
We went early and got there at 6:15 (the husband and I) and were surprised it only took an hour. We live in the DC area (I mention that just to point out the dense population not to mention the zeal for all things political) so I was surprised we were able to get in and out so quickly. I'm glad it's done. Now comes the hard part...
tabitha @ http://www.fromsingletomarried.com
mc868, that can't be true. 16%?? call the elections board to hear what they have to say about that. i voted in the Lower East Side and although there was a big turnout, it all went smoothly and the site workers were rather nonplussed. but of course, that's how we New Yorkers are anyway. :-)
the whole mood was upbeat and neighborly. Folks were real chatty which was nice to see.
I didn't have to wait in line at all. My husband and I took our 2 year old and were in and out in no time. I'm not sure if that's a good sign, though. We're about to call a few neighbors to see if they need a ride and my husband promised my best friend that he'd buy a pair of skinny jeans if she would get off her ass and vote. It did the trick!
There were hardly any lines in Bushwick (the only delay I experienced was an older couple forgetting to pull the lever and having to go back!) although a friend in Clinton Hill had to wait over 90 mins to vote this morning!
Did not wait at all on the near West side of Chicago.
In fact, the pollsters knew my address without even looking it up! Have they been spying on me?
racheloncegentry --
The lines were fairly short here in San Francisco - but I saw several of my neighbors in line also - when we chatted, we all agreed that we typically vote in the afternoons, but it was such a beautiful morning here and voting early seemed the right thing to do.
My Sister and Brother-in-Law in Virginia were the first two at their polling place outside Richmond this morning. They brought the kids with them (4 and 7) and showed them the ballots, how to vote, etc. The folks in the polling place were happy to see the kids and gave them "I Voted" stickers.
One of my co-workers just came by to say that Starbucks is offering folks free coffees here for folks who voted today too - I guess I'll go out and get a cuppa Joe!
I'm in the financial district in Manhattan and I was done in 15 minutes. I was cracking up imagining why the guy ahead of me was behind the curtains for so long. An unruly itch? Daydreaming? First time hearing of the candidates? Writing out a grocery list in private? Sheesh, pull the lever and move on with your life alreaddddddddddddyyyy
K T G, thanks!!! color me embarrassed.
I mailed in my ballot, but there is a poll next to my UWS apartment in Manhattan and the line was only about 20 people deep at 9 AM.
went at 7am this morning and was in and out in 15 minutes. bloomfield, nj
I went in Prospect Heights in Brooklyn at 1:15 and I was in and out. My husband and I had gone at 10 and the line was out the door and around the block and then so long we couldn't see the end. We turned around and went home to go back later, but we found out when we got home that if we knew our election district, we would have just been able to go right there. The long line was for people who needed that info. But no matter - when I went back it was easy.
And lorettalynn, I similarly was waiting for someone who was in the booth for ages and I could not imagine why. Then I figured it was because it was his first time reading the proposed change for the Veterans Administration and he needed to read it and make his decision.
In Washington you can drop off your ballot in a secure dropbox, so that's what I did. I wouldn't have voted absentee if it had to go through the mail... I just don't trust the postal system anymore.
left home at 6:30. i was done by 7:45. tremendous turnout. very exciting. in baltimore.
I live in Center City Philadelphia and went around 3:00 pm to avoid the rush. I was in and out in under 10 mins.
It was quick and painless here in SF East Bay, no waiting at all!
My husband and I went this morning before 9am. We were in and out in 10 minutes.
Our polling place was at an elementary school and there were plenty of volunteers which was a great thing to see. All very friendly and efficient.
It was quick where I live in Yonkers. Went with my mother and we took less than 10 minutes. No waiting and no lines.
Silver Spring, MD (just outside DC)...I went at 3:30 pm and it only took about 15 minutes. My boyfriend went before work, at 7am and the line was wrapped around the block and into a parking lot. He waited 3 1/2 hours and of course was late to work.
I went in at 10AM and was out at 10:15 AM.
Would rather all these companies giving away coffee, ice creme and donuts, donate proceeds from sales of those items for today to organizations that help promote human rights through out the world.
We already have the right to vote and more than enough.
Two and a half hours on Sunday for early voting. But I couldn't have made it today, so it was worth it.
It took a fews spins around the block to find parking at a church that was a San Diego poll location. Once inside, the lines were 2-5 minutes. I moved earlier this year and re-registered just before the deadline, so they bounced me from table to table and no one had me on their roster :( Even though I showed them my postcard confirming my registration, and 2 proofs of residence, they still made me fill out a provisional ballot...jerks! I wasn't a happy Stephie!
there was no one in line in my district in park slope brooklyn.
Oooh...but I did get my free tall coffee at Fourbucks and free doughnut at Krispy Kreme!
0 minutes in line in Towson, MD. at 4:45pm!
was all prepared with banana, water, crackers and a book to read, even tho it was dark. a very pleasant surprise.
A friend of mine was just saying that she voted while baking brownies. Yay for Oregon's mail-in ballots!
1 hour and 15 minutes in Santa Monica at someone's garage. It was a beautiful morning though so it was nice to be outside instead of my office. California and Santa Monica had so many extra things on the ballot that I "studied" beforehand and brought my pre filled out sample ballot with me so the actual voting took less than 2 minutes.
Some people were in there forever! I wish they'd make up their mind before voting.
out in sf, I dropped off my absentee in the mail several weeks back. my boyfriend dropped off his absentee this afternoon. so it was quick and painless for the two of us, though as we were heading into work this morning the traffic was a zoo. we assumed it had to do w/ daylight savings and probly everyone trying to get to their polling stations. this is a tough one people. a nail biter!
I always vote with an absentee ballot, but I drop it off at my polling place so I feel more involved - and to get a sticker! I usually walk past a long line of people, but this morning in Oakland, CA there was no line at my polling place at 7:45am.
we always vote at a bar (oregon here!)-- we have a few beers, end up talking to some other opinionated people about the ballot measures-- it's nice to talk to, say, a teacher who happens to be there when you're voting on education matters and don't have teacher friends or kids. Extra input. I love our system.
My husband and I mailed in our absentee ballot a few weeks ago. I'm ready to scream victory!!
Nevada- voted early the 1st day-easy-no line at all. Yea!
Waiting for all the results now....
Voted early because I was a first-time election judge on the North side in Chicago (something I will NEVER do again, but that's another story).
We had 3 precints voting in one building, so the lines had the potential to be quite long. Voters told me they waited over an hour to get into the building during the peak time (6-10am) but after that, traffic maintained a steady, but slower pace.
The abuse I took from voters today who were either not registered; in the wrong precint or failed to update their voter registration after moving was appalling.
Obama, bitches.
I got in at 6:50am and left at 8:10am in Boston.
I would have waited all damn day.
In and out at 7 am in Baltimore MD. BOO YA.
7:15 until 8:45 at the Brooklyn Museum. But we ran into all our neighbors and there was such excitement in the air, time seemed to fly by!