Sr. Weasel and I dropped off the ballots today. We had 26 races to decide on, including a few local Republicans unopposed. Only one Republican got our vote, and that’s the guy who voted to fire our police chief.
Said police chief went on a Twitter tirade about the BLM protests that should have gotten him fired. One tweet featured a call to “unleash real cops and let them take care of these barbarians.” Another read, “Wild savages. I wish to God I would have been there. Body bags for these vicious subhumans.”
He got a 30 day suspension but that lone Republican who called for his termination got our vote.
Maricopa County Recorder’s website show that my ballot was received yesterday (10/18). Four days from Delaware to Arizona (including a Saturday and Sunday), not too bad. Signature verification next.
I haven’t voted yet; am trying to figure out the time with the least people in line and indoors. Unfortunately, here in Texas you can’t vote by mail unless you have a compelling reason; merely being afraid of Covid doesn’t suffice. For those of you who did vote early, what were the indoor crowds like?
I’m not even sure where my assigned voting station is, having voted early in every 2-year election since 2006. My current one is only 2 miles away from my house so I plan on walking there on Friday in order to preserve parking spots and since it’s my day off unlike others I will clear up the line for those with only the weekend off.
My experience with early voting in Texas was positive. Everyone wearing masks, social distances maintained, hand sanitizer everywhere and “finger condoms” for using the touch-screen devices. I’m sure this varies by location, though.
Where I voted they only allowed a queue of 5 inside with two more at the 2 check in desks running, everyone else was outside. Probably about 6 poll workers inside in addition.
Finger condoms used for the dial a select machine. My BiL over in Fort bend county had disposable stylus handed out for the touch screen.
I voted early in-person this afternoon. This was actually my third try at it–I went by a polling place (a public library) on the first day early in-person voting was available here (October 12) and the line was literally out the door and around the block. Swung by again yesterday, same deal–the line was maybe not quite so long, but was still well out the door. Finally today I got a line on a different early polling place that wasn’t so crowded (a local recreation center); while it was by no means deserted, I was able to get in and vote pretty quickly and smoothly.
Since I live in a massively Democratic-leaning (and populous) county of a generally “red” state that just may be in play this year, I am (very cautiously) taking all that as a good sign. Fingers crossed!
I already sent in my absentee ballot and it was accepted.
Saw in our local paper today that New York State changed the law (and through the courts) that if a person’s signature on the security envelope doesn’t match, they will contact the voter so they can fix it (or explain why it’s different) so the ballot counts.
I was worried about that because my signature now is messier since the stroke two years ago. But I haven’t been contacted saying it didn’t match.
From the article, out of the 30,000 ballots received so far in my county, around 395 had problems with the signatures not matching, not signed at all, or not placed in the security envelope. They were all notified and 182 so far have been fixed.
I took my ballot and my husband’s to the drop box in front of the Elections Office today. There was a steady flow of other people bringing their ballots as well, and a couple of nice ladies standing by to make sure everyone had signed and sealed their envelopes.
Don’t feel bad about that, apparently it’s a common mistake. I read a news story this morning about some jurisdiction that rejected a large number of ballot applications because the voter had already requested the ballot for the general when they requested their primary ballot in the spring. Which should’ve been a non-issue except trolls were promoting the story like it was some sort of election fraud, and they claimed the ballots themselves were being rejected.
I voted yesterday at a community center located on the grounds of a city park. I waited until yesterday (early voting started in NC on Thursday ) and went in mid-afternoon.
It took about 20-25 minutes, I think - I didn’t check the time on my way in or out. There were two “greeters” standing just outside the 150 mark. They had been trained by the Democratic Party but were very clear that they were acting as non-partisan greeters. They were handing out sample ballots - I didn’t take one so I’m not sure if Democratic candidates were highlighted, letting people know the approximate wait times and coordinating curbside voting for the handicapped with the election officials.
The guys did seem to be honestly acting in a non-partisan manner, the most partisan thing I heard any of them say was “The Republicans had the option to send greeters too. I guess they didn’t want to”.
I checked the ballot a few days ago in case there were “issue votes” that I needed to research - there weren’t. Otherwise I had decided to vote a straight party ticket because fuck Republicans, I refuse to vote for anyone craven enough to let an “R” be put next to their name. I even declined to vote for the one office that had an unopposed Republican.
I cured the problem yesterday and put my ballot off in the drop box right there at the Board of Elections. So I’m in! Trump is toast!
Because of local Covid policies, the BOE personnel (our early voting doesn’t start until next Tuesday) had to come out to my car, wait while I completed an application, go back inside to prepare the ballot and finally return with a ballot ready for me to complete. As I was thanking her, she admonished me “don’t tell your friends, we don’t have time to do this for everybody right now.” That may have seemed a little ungracious but I understood.
I dropped off my ballot (and my spouse’s) today in an official drop box. That’s what I normally do, rather than mailing, so I know it’s a real drop box and all. It’s outside a library, and while it isn’t exactly “attended” it’s close to it. The library is not open for browsing, but they’re doing pickup of holds placed online or by phone, so there’s a table about 6 feet away with a library employee sitting there.
Plus, elections shenanigans seem unlikely in this safely blue state.
There were “I voted” stickers taped on the railing near the drop box. I had my kids drop the ballots in the box, so they are each sporting an I voted sticker now.
Remember, there are a lot of races besides the president. Even if your vote doesn’t really matter in the presidential race, it probably matters in a few of those state or local races.
(You voted anyway so you already know this, but some people out there still need to hear it. Vote!)
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