My polling place never has any waiting, but today, 2 hours after the polls opened, there was a long line out the door even though we had more poll workers than usual.
And I was voter number 679 in my town of a total population of 2700, women and children included, and some of those can’t vote. At that rate, we will exhaust all possible voters by 3PM and have to call in the backups or go around again.
And we estimated about 200 voted by absentee ballot. Me…I wanted to be able to change my vote until the last minute, so I didn’t do that.
How are the polls in your area? Any possibility some won’t get in to vote before they close?
I went into my polling place a little before 8 AM, and there was no line at all. I don’t actually live in Chicago, but rather in one of the most generic suburbs ever.
I voted in Maryland outside of Washington D.C.
I was second in line @ 1 pm . The pollster said it was a little more crowded earlier. My polling place is in a pretty rural area and it’s never been too crowded when I’ve voted.
I’m very disappointed. I was told there would be poll dancers this year.
I wanted to vote in my first presidential election in person ( if I’d have been born about two weeks sooner, I could have voted in the last one), so I waited until today instead of doing the absentee thing (I wanted the “I Voted” sticker has a souvenir ).
I was worried about the lines, but it took me longer to walk to my polling place than it did to vote. There was no line and I was able to walk write to a machine after showing ID.
I have no idea if that’s typical or not; not only is this my first time voting in person, I just moved to this town about three months ago.
For the first time ever, there was one.
It wasn’t long – only about eight people, and it disappeared quickly. But in every previous election there was no line at all.
I don’t see why people wait in line at all. WA State voter here and I get an absentee ballot sent to me a few weeks before every election. Throw it in the envelope, then the mail, done. No lines, no waiting in the cold. Is this option not offered other places or do people like to flick the lever, touch the screen, etc?
I voted in my tiny little town around 9 am. I waited a whole 2 minutes to get my ballot, then a minute or two for an open spot and a free pen. All in all, less than ten minutes from house to polling place and back. Not a bad trip. Of course, then I had to leave the house and go to work. Sort of ruined the day.
AFAIK, an absentee ballot is available everywhere. But that means you have to fill out more forms, make up your mind early and cannot change it. I like the option of being wishy-washy.
Besides, in a small town, going to vote is a social event. All we need is a cracker barrel and a potbellied stove to complete the picture.
I went around 6pm, the rush hour for my polling place. There was only one booth but I only had to wait behind two people, one of whom I went there with. My friend who was working the venue said they had about 50% turnout by that time and 70% by the end.
We went abour 10:30 am, and it took almost an hour. The lines were very long but the place was set up with three lines (by alphabet) so it took less time than it could have.
I got out of my car at the church at 6:38 p.m., went in, voted, and was back in my car at 6:41. Except for the volunteers, I was the only person in the place.