# 2018 Election Day Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2018, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079 "2018-11-06T15:43:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/42 "2018-11-06T17:45:40Z")
I voted early a couple of weeks ago, straight Democratic but going through each race individually rather than selecting the straight Democratic option :). Today I’m making my list of which races to keep an eye on as the polls close tonight, and tonight will be the election watch party at home. There will probably be a lot of pacing at my house tonight. ---
**Author:** ![markdash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@markdash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markdash)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/43 "2018-11-06T17:48:49Z")
Voted at ~8:30 am, was #60 at my polling place, which had opened at 7 am. Not sure if that is indicative of anything, but all the voting desks were full so people were overflowing onto chairs/couches/benches. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/44 "2018-11-06T17:57:53Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > I unfortunately know many folks who would be delighted to be a porcupine in a balloon factory. See, I don’t understand how that one is supposed to work. I prefer “As nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.” ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/45 "2018-11-06T18:18:08Z")
Voted at 8:00 this morning at the local elementary school cafeteria. Longer line than usual, in the sense that there actually was a line. Usually in any non-presidential election I just stroll up to the check-in counter but this time I had to wait behind 2 people, one of whom had to be given a provisional ballot as the system showed they had already requested a mail-in ballot. By the time I left the line had gotten much longer as lots of parents were getting in line after dropping off their kids. (Classes start at 8:45). And I got to continue my 34 year streak of never showing ID. I just show them my sample ballot booklet and they do the lookup. Don’t know if that’s because I’m in California or because I’m white or both. Fun campaign experience over the weekend. Ted Lieu, my House Rep, came to my door, not as part of his own campaign, but to campaign for his wife’s run for School Board. The local school board is where he started his political career as well. He didn’t even mention his own reelection. Not that it matters - I don’t even know the name of his opponent. I told him I enjoyed his Twitter feed. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/46 "2018-11-06T18:26:43Z")
I showed up about ten minutes before my polling place opened, and there was already a line. It does not seem to me to be significantly different than previous, midterm election days, and I was in and out in about twenty minutes. My city tends slightly Democratic. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/47 "2018-11-06T18:31:28Z")
[Report: Voters turned away at Detroit polling site due to missing voting machines](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/415135-voters-turned-away-at-polling-site-in-detroit-due-to-missing-voting) > [@](#): > > According to the news station, the polling site was temporarily closed off to voters because election workers were unable to locate the voting machines. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/48 "2018-11-06T18:34:19Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > But did you get a sticker??? Voting without getting a sticker? Not in this man’s America. ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/49 "2018-11-06T18:58:23Z")
I voted by mail about 2 weeks ago. I’ll admit - I did give pause before dropping it in the mail. I live in Georgia where one candidate for governor (Kemp) is also the current secretary of state who refused to step down over his obvious conflict of interest. I wish I had more faith that my vote will be counted. But living in an extremely conservative part of the state, I figured the secretary of state (Republican candidate for governor) wouldn’t be throwing out too many ballots from my area. I’ll also note that my polling precinct changed again this year - 3rd time in 6 years, each further from my home then the last. The only way I knew was a very nondescript postcard that came in the mail about a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/50 "2018-11-06T18:59:02Z")
My GF working the polls today in NC and they are very busy even with the large early voting turnout. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/51 "2018-11-06T19:01:22Z")
I voted early a couple of weeks ago. They had no stickers, damn it! We have all-electronic voting machines. I voted straight-Dem, and made sure to triple-check my summary screen to be sure that there was no ‘glitch’ changing my vote for Beto to Cruz. I know Beto is a long shot, but at least it’s a shot! I was glad to hear that incumbent Republican congressman Pete Sessions is trailing Democratic challenger Colin Allred by a few points in the latest polls. It’s not my district, but I’d love to see Sessions lose. ---
**Author:** ![Lance\_Turbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lance_turbo/32/6156_2.png) [@Lance\_Turbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lance_Turbo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/52 "2018-11-06T19:02:24Z")
> [@Kiber](#): > > I voted by mail about 2 weeks ago. I’ll admit - I did give pause before dropping it in the mail. I live in Georgia where one candidate for governor (Kemp) is also the current secretary of state who refused to step down over his obvious conflict of interest. I wish I had more faith that my vote will be counted. But living in an extremely conservative part of the state, I figured the secretary of state (Republican candidate for governor) wouldn’t be throwing out too many ballots from my area. > > I’ll also note that my polling precinct changed again this year - 3rd time in 6 years, each further from my home then the last. The only way I knew was a very nondescript postcard that came in the mail about a month ago. I believe you can check the status of your mail in ballot in Georgia at this Secretary of State run website: [Elections Portal](https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do) If you find that your mail in ballot was rejected you can still vote in person. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/53 "2018-11-06T19:04:18Z")
Voted by mail two weeks ago. I work in the futures markets so I’ll be at work tonight and keeping an eye on the markets as the results come in. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/54 "2018-11-06T19:16:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Voted by mail two weeks ago. I work in the futures markets so I’ll be at work tonight and keeping an eye on the markets as the results come in. If you’re working in the futures market, don’t you know the result of today’s voting already?? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/55 "2018-11-06T19:18:20Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > I believe you can check the status of your mail in ballot in Georgia at this Secretary of State run website: [Elections Portal](https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/MVP/mvp.do) > > If you find that your mail in ballot was rejected you can still vote in person. Woah - thanks so much for that. I did just check, and indeed, my ballot was accepted. Woot woot. Still no sticker though. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/56 "2018-11-06T19:30:45Z")
> [@Lance\_Turbo](#): > > [Report: Voters turned away at Detroit polling site due to missing voting machines](https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/415135-voters-turned-away-at-polling-site-in-detroit-due-to-missing-voting) Planning ahead. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/57 "2018-11-06T19:32:19Z")
How long will it be before definite trends can be called? ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/58 "2018-11-06T19:33:27Z")
Voted by mail two weeks ago. Almost straight Democrat – one candidate for state assembly is a guy my office has dealt with personally, and he’s a schnook. :rolleyes: Frankly, I’m hoping for overwhelming turnout that leads to both houses of Congress going to the Dems in spite of the polls saying the Senate stays Repub. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/59 "2018-11-06T19:33:41Z")
> [@EscAlaMike](#): > > Amusing, yes. I call it the “mark of shame”. I throw mine out the minute I exit the building (I don’t want to be rude to the poor schlub handing them out). I would never wear a sticker, not because I’m ashamed I voted, but because I’d be ashamed to be the kind of person who would proudly boast about it. It’s not an achievement, people! It’s just something you do because you want to. Of course I avoided the issue entirely by voting by mail. I just checked online; the ballot was noted as having been received yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/60 "2018-11-06T19:39:50Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > … It’s just something you do because you want to… I would rephrase that as “because you have an obligation to.” ---
**Author:** ![Clawdio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d07c76/32.png) [@Clawdio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clawdio)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079/61 "2018-11-06T19:40:04Z")
I showed up 5 or 10 minutes after the polls opened at 7:00AM and there was probably about 100 people in line to get into the room where the voting happens. Line was about the same after I got done voting. This is typical for voting in Minneapolis. MN is always proud of it’s high voter turnout. It is a cold, rainy day, hopefully people don’t let that deter them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2018-election-day-thread/824079.md?page=4)