Plan B Forum

How was your voting experience today?

My polling place at 8AM (Kennett Square PA) was the most crowded I've seen it in years, even the '16 election. It was over an hour of "church confessional" quiet. With so much political tumult getting to this point, I feel the voters in line didn't want to start arguing Trump vs. sanity.

The poll was mostly white people over 50, as many women as men, one black man dressed in a three piece suit, and one Hispanic man who looked much like a local farm laborer.

Everything ran smoothly, no fighting nor yelling. Surely more Dems than Repubs -- IMHO.

Exercising my franchise a few times a year helps me get rid of bottled up tensions. After I cleaned up, I was told to leave before they called the cops.

Democracy, like knowledge, is good.

It's prohibited to electioneer at the polls in most states (maybe all?) which usually means voters can't wear buttons or shirts with campaign slogans, or even talk about the candidates or referendum issues to their neighbors in line.

Here's a resource with the various laws, if you're interested: https://www.nass.org/resources/2018-ele ... boundaries

Every time I've voted, it's always been a fairly solemn process with at most some neighborly chit chat about weather or sports or local gossip of the non-political variety. I think that's the norm, at least inside the polling venue.

There were the usual "gauntlet" of folks handing out information as I approached (also PA) but fewer than in the presidential election years. Not very crowded, although 30 minutes into polling we already had 80 voters for this small town was encouraging.

My 18 year old and 23 year old daughters came with me and voted (the 18 year old for her first time). The poll workers congratulated her for coming out. One person on his way out yelled, "Exercise your right!". I just commented that I was working on it.

Good experience today at least.

Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!

Today, on the sixth of November, I cast my vote, and struck my match to light the fuse on our own revolution against King Donald the Incompetent.

-"BB"-

A quiet morning at the Two Rock Union School library; more poll workers than voters. When I was signing in, I did notice that more than half the names on the list had "vote by mail" or words to that effect. I do hope that all the people attached to those names voted.

An interesting thing happened while I was filling out my ballots. A woman came in with two kids, and the poll workers asked them if they would like ballots; apparently they have special ballots for kids (that aren't counted, obviously!). Both kids seemed excited to be participating.

RayThom wrote:How was your voting experience today?

My polling place at 8AM (Kennett Square PA) was the most crowded I've seen it in years, even the '16 election. It was over an hour of "church confessional" quiet. With so much political tumult getting to this point, I feel the voters in line didn't want to start arguing Trump vs. sanity.

The poll was mostly white people over 50, as many women as men, one black man dressed in a three piece suit, and one Hispanic man who looked much like a local farm laborer.

Everything ran smoothly, no fighting nor yelling. Surely more Dems than Repubs -- IMHO.

Exercising my franchise a few times a year helps me get rid of bottled up tensions. After I cleaned up, I was told to leave before they called the cops.

Democracy, like knowledge, is good.

By what you could see how do know there more fascist Democrats than
Republicans?

kristina wrote:A quiet morning at the Two Rock Union School library; more poll workers than voters. When I was signing in, I did notice that more than half the names on the list had "vote by mail" or words to that effect. I do hope that all the people attached to those names voted.

An interesting thing happened while I was filling out my ballots. A woman came in with two kids, and the poll workers asked them if they would like ballots; apparently they have special ballots for kids (that aren't counted, obviously!). Both kids seemed excited to be participating.

That's terrific! I wonder if that's just a local thing to where you live, or something available nationwide? If it was, I should think it would be a great thing for all states to offer to folks who bring their kids to the polls.

I dunno, BSG. It's the first time I've ever seen/heard it happen. If I have time later, I'll look it up.

The mom who was voting was actually the librarian for the school in whose library we voted. It looked like a pretty good library for the only school in a district where the students are either children from the Coast Guard training center down the road, or from local ranches. It's a K-6 school; after that, I think the kids have to go to schools in town.

Voted with the spousal unit late in the morning at the Greek Orthodox church up the street (polling places were moved out of the local schools a few years ago). Action News (Channel 6 Philadelphia) was there interviewing voters and poll workers (but not us). Poll workers said they had had a brisk turnout so far despite a torrential rain, but there was no line when I got there; in the few minutes I was there, I saw a fairly steady flow of people in ones and twos. Got my sticker, went back to work.

Exactly what I expected...

More voting stations (10) then voters (four ) ...

In and out in about 10 minutes...(Could have been less, but even with my cheat sheet it still takes a little time to wade through all the state and local propositions...)

liberty wrote:... By what you could see how do know there more fascist Democrats than Republicans?

Easy. The few conversations that were going on around me were quite civil, and made sense. No shouting and screaming.

kristina wrote:... An interesting thing happened while I was filling out my ballots. A woman came in with two kids, and the poll workers asked them if they would like ballots; apparently they have special ballots for kids (that aren't counted, obviously!). Both kids seemed excited to be participating.

On its surface that sounds like a great civics lesson for the kids. Get the children while they're young and you got them for life.

However, the flaw I see in this is that -- early on -- children seem to mimic their parent's choices in many things. So, after the kids vote and place their ballots in the box the poll workers would easily have a "snapshot" of how mom or dad has no doubt voted. Certainly a more honest 'exit poll' than any thinking adult would give once outside the polling place.

If those ballot are asking kids whether they like ice cream over pie, or Sesame Street over Dora the Explorer, well, that's fine. But I'm betting they have plenty of room for voting for grown-up candidates, too.

kristina, next time check -- I'd like to know what's going on here.

Arrived at my polling place (Catholic church, just on the other side of the fence from my apartment complex, about 15 minutes after scheduled time to open. Parking lot nearly full. But in and out quickly, less than 10 minutes. Poll workers all excited because early turnout was more than expected, which could mean less crowded at the last minute so they don't have to work so late.

I announced here that I was voting for the Republican for sheriff. I did not. Couldn't! The GOP did not even have a name for that slot. So I voted for the Libertarian for that job. Hope there are not long lines waiting outside anywhere around here. It will be rainy on and off here all day.

snailgate.

RayThom wrote:

kristina wrote:... An interesting thing happened while I was filling out my ballots. A woman came in with two kids, and the poll workers asked them if they would like ballots; apparently they have special ballots for kids (that aren't counted, obviously!). Both kids seemed excited to be participating.

On its surface that sounds like a great civics lesson for the kids. Get the children while they're young and you got them for life.

However, the flaw I see in this is that -- early on -- children seem to mimic their parent's choices in many things. So, after the kids vote and place their ballots in the box the poll workers would easily have a "snapshot" of how mom or dad has no doubt voted. Certainly a more honest 'exit poll' than any thinking adult would give once outside the polling place.

If those ballot are asking kids whether they like ice cream over pie, or Sesame Street over Dora the Explorer, well, that's fine. But I'm betting they have plenty of room for voting for grown-up candidates, too.

kristina, next time check -- I'd like to know what's going on here.

A great many schools around the country allow students to hold mock elections on the actual candidates and issues; do you object to that as well?

RayThom wrote:

liberty wrote:... By what you could see how do know there more fascist Democrats than Republicans?

Easy. The few conversations that were going on around me were quite civil, and made sense. No shouting and screaming.

Plus no one's knuckles were bleeding from dragging along the ground.

BoSoxGal wrote:... A great many schools around the country allow students to hold mock elections on the actual candidates and issues; do you object to that as well?

Geez, that's a silly way to look at it.

No, that would be a mock election held at a school -- outside a polling place. Plus these kids would be much older, and in the process of formulating their own thoughts and ideals. No poll workers are there with ability to make any kind of correlation or connection between the student and adult voter.

kristina wrote:A quiet morning at the Two Rock Union School library; more poll workers than voters. When I was signing in, I did notice that more than half the names on the list had "vote by mail" or words to that effect. I do hope that all the people attached to those names voted.

An interesting thing happened while I was filling out my ballots. A woman came in with two kids, and the poll workers asked them if they would like ballots; apparently they have special ballots for kids (that aren't counted, obviously!). Both kids seemed excited to be participating.

Back in the early 1960s, when we still voted with those huge clunky machines (throw a lever to pull the curtain shut behind you, physically pull down a little toggle for the candidate of your choice, do the same for the various referenda that would occasionally pop up on the ballot, then pull the big lever again to record the vote, reset all the toggles, and re-open the curtain) they would occasionally have a kid-sized 'dummy' machine set up.  While Mommy and Daddy were casting their own votes, the kidlets could make believe they were 'voting' like Mommy or Daddy too.

-"BB"-

Back when I was a kid they had mock voting stations for kids. Was a real voting booth, they used voided cards. Was the pushpin type known layer for their "hanging chads". We did the mock elections in school, too. I was in 1st grade for the 1980 election. Of course, today there are no voting machines, no lines, no polling places. 100% vote by mail (or dropbox).

Boy google earth is really smart! I just typed: "Two rock school library, california" into the search bar and it found it!


yrs,
rubato