# Did you vote in the US national election? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 7, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125 "2000-11-07T15:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/1 "2000-11-07T15:49:59Z")
I did. Did you? Please don’t elaborate on your candidate or issue. I’m curious to see how many folks do go out and vote. Granted this is not a scientific poll, but I betcha that the percentage of voters who actual cast their vote in the national election will be higher than 65%. Show me right or wrong. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/2 "2000-11-07T15:51:51Z")
I must wait til my son gets out of school. He wants to see me do it. Its hard to wait, actually. I love voting. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/3 "2000-11-07T15:52:16Z")
Nope. Won’t happen. 65% is WAY too optimistic. It will be below 50%, unfortunately. I’m going after work, regardless of the weather or lines. ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/4 "2000-11-07T16:09:02Z")
I had to wait about 20 minutes because the line was so long. This was at 9.30 this morning. There are two precints where I vote; both were very busy. 65% is probably optimistic but I also think that below 55% is extremely pessimistic. I’ll stick with 65%. Any other takers? ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/5 "2000-11-07T16:15:21Z")
I got to the polls at 7:15 am, all excited because there were only 2 cars there. Great, thought I, I can get to work by 8 no problem! Till I got inside and found out they didn’t open till 8. Went and got coffee, talked to an old man standing outside leafletting for some unknown independent for State Senate, and then went to vote. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/6 "2000-11-07T16:26:58Z")
yes, went first before they opened at 7;00, line too long (had to get son to school by 7:30), went to work for about an hour, left again around 9 (round trip = 30 miles from work to polling place), a bit of a line, not bad, but they’ve been doing steady business since 7 am. I expect that the after work crowd will be long, too. Re: “percentages” of registered voters. I don’t think we have an accurate view of how many ‘available’ voters there are. people may have moved w/o notifying old place to delete their registration, people who are in prison cannot vote (mostly), and typically, you don’t notify the county clerk that ol’ uncle Vern died and won’t be voting this year… ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/7 "2000-11-07T16:27:26Z")
Yup, voted this morning at 9:20. Loooong line. First time I’ve used those voting machines - the previous two times I’ve voted for U.S. elections were by absantee ballot. ---
**Author:** ![GolfWidow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GolfWidow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GolfWidow)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/8 "2000-11-07T16:32:44Z")
Yes, I voted. I waited until 10:00 a.m. and there was no line at all; Mr. Golf voted this morning at 7:30 and he said there was a very long line. ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/9 "2000-11-07T16:53:29Z")
Just did. I’m sure, starting tomorrow, everything will be just perfect. No long lines at the polling place, but steadily busy, with all the machines in constant use. ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/10 "2000-11-07T16:57:41Z")
Damn straight. Got there at 8:40; line even to PARK was long, so went around sneaky back way. Glared at person trying to press a voting guide into my hand after I told her that I had decided against her candidate already. Got in line. Had to wait around 1/2 hour to get ballot. Voted. Called husband to advice him to take a book when he went. He went later, had no problem. He also votes in a different precint, though, since he keeps forgetting to file a change of address thingamabob. All told, I think it took me 50 minutes. The place was packed, but that was sort of exciting. I’m worried too many of the people who wait until after work/school will give up when they see the lines then. I live in a “swing state” (MI) so that may contribute to the turnout gig… ---
**Author:** ![jesuslynch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e99b99/32.png) [@jesuslynch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jesuslynch)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/11 "2000-11-07T16:57:54Z")
Voted two weeks ago. Early voting is such a wonderful thing. If everyone would vote early, we could get rid of the damn campaign commercials sooner. ---
**Author:** ![kiffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/d78d45/32.png) [@kiffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiffa)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/12 "2000-11-07T17:21:47Z")
Yes, there are some questions about the accuracy of registered voters but I would assume that these same slippery issues may have been in effect during the last national election when less than 50% of registered voters put pen/lever/hole punch to ballot. I haven’t seen much about voter turn out predictions altho everyone says it will be high. Massachusetts’ gov’nor is predicting 80%. First Coast News [Jacksonville, Florida] has predictions ranging from 65% to 80%. How is your area doing? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/13 "2000-11-07T17:25:33Z")
In at 7:00 AM. Loooong line of folks. This is my 3rd Presidential election at this location and it was by far the biggest turnout. [Slight rant] We have been getting bombarded with campaign coverage for damn near a year, and still people get to the booth and look at the ballot as if they have _never heard_ of the people on the list! They’re looking around as if Regis was going to appear and give them a 50/50! Early voting for me from here on. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/14 "2000-11-07T17:26:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jesuslynch \* > \*\*Voted two weeks ago. Early voting is such a wonderful thing. If everyone would vote early, we could get rid of the damn campaign commercials sooner. \*\* Same here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/15 "2000-11-07T17:31:19Z")
Voted this morning on the way to work, about 7:30 or so. No lines, but almost every voting booth was occupied. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/16 "2000-11-07T17:35:36Z")
I voted this morning at 7:32. My polling place has 1 booth, and there was 1 person in front of me. Not surprising, I live on the outskirts of a small city. (pop 30,000) Jman ---
**Author:** ![Philbuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e9a140/32.png) [@Philbuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philbuck)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/17 "2000-11-07T17:44:20Z")
Mailed my absentee ballot a week and a half ago. Not that there’s any question who’ll win Texas… ---
**Author:** ![mblackwell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@mblackwell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mblackwell)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/18 "2000-11-07T17:45:56Z")
I walked across the road to my polling place with one machine; I was the 43rd voter at 12:00. I didnt see any other voters. I think the voter turnout is high because they usually dont even get 43 people there all day. ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/19 "2000-11-07T17:52:30Z")
We voted this morning at around 7:00. Well, we **got** there at 7:00. We voted at about 7:45. Some thoughts: –I can’t believe that in the year 2000, we still vote in elementary school gymnasia and church basements. So much for the information age. –I also can’t believe that there were only 3 voting booths there. –Staffing the voting places with housewives and retirees is a surefire way to get excellent service. –The school I voted in was a “Math & Science Focus School.” I’m glad they left off “grammar,” since the sign announcing the 4th grade bake sale read, “Proceeds goes toward the class trip to Jamestown.” –And speaking of grammar, the official-looking sign hanging up near the polling place informed us, "Voters Must ‘Show I.D.’ . . . " I assume they meant that voters really did need to show I.D. Damn, I hate inappropriate quote marks. –Some loser left a Styrofoam coffee cup wedged between the wall and the railing after they waited in line. When there were trash cans everywhere. Ain’t that America? –Those people out front handing out “sample ballots” for the parties (which are clearly for the mentally challenged, as there were only 3 offices and 2 questions on the ballot) were a **lot** closer than the 40 feet required by law. Oh, and FTR, I threw my vote away big-time. Worse than many, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2000, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125/20 "2000-11-07T18:00:26Z")
Yes, I voted about 8:30 this morning. There were 7 booths and all were occupied, so I had the option of waiting for an open booth, or sitting in the lobby of the elementary school and marking my votes. I sat in the lobby. I’m also proudly wearing my “I Voted” sticker for all the plants here at work to admire! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-you-vote-in-the-us-national-election/40125.md?page=2)