# How are the voting lines in your area? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 4, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151 "2008-11-04T21:48:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/1 "2008-11-04T21:48:25Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/2 "2008-11-04T21:55:58Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Dreamy\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dreamy\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dreamy_B)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/3 "2008-11-04T21:55:59Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![ProudlyDefiant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@ProudlyDefiant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProudlyDefiant)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/4 "2008-11-04T21:58:44Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Tamex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Tamex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamex)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/5 "2008-11-04T23:43:49Z")
I didn’t stand in line at all. I got off work at 4, drove straight to the polling place, walked right up, signed the register, and got a ballot. Sounds like the big lines were in the morning. My husband had to vote then–he had a dentist appt in the afternoon and class in the evening. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/6 "2008-11-04T23:46:37Z")
I posted this in the other thread, butthere was one person ahead of me to get a slip, and maybe 2 min for a booth to open. (total time 8 minutes) Voter 1042 (city population ~5000) Brian ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/7 "2008-11-05T00:19:45Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/8 "2008-11-05T00:34:19Z")
I’ve lived here since 02 and they were longer than ever. I’ve not seen a turnout this big since I started voting in 80 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/9 "2008-11-05T00:40:19Z")
I got in and out in about 15 minutes. No touch screen this year, and I like touch screen. I had to fill in bubbles. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/10 "2008-11-05T00:45:37Z")
We had six booths- one for each district, and the longest line had about 15 people. I was number 401 for my district. Each table was keeping their own count, so I don’t know how many people there were all together. ---
**Author:** ![Rack-a-Bones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rack-a-Bones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rack-a-Bones)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/11 "2008-11-05T01:19:36Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/12 "2008-11-05T01:20:04Z")
No real line. I had to wait for one person to leave the voting machine before I could enter. My polling place is two districts; there were a few more people in the other district – maybe a half dozen. However, I was voter 497; usually I’m in the 200-300 range. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/13 "2008-11-05T01:54:09Z")
They were fine here in the suburbs, but there were some pretty massive ones in the city. I only waited 30-45 min or so. ---
**Author:** ![Hirundo82](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/919ad9/32.png) [@Hirundo82](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirundo82)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/14 "2008-11-05T02:44:50Z")
I voted shortly after 9 AM. I didn’t ask how many people had been by so far, but only ~1/3rd of the booths were occupied. This is in a heavily Democratic (majority African-American) urban precinct, so I was surprised there wasn’t a line. ---
**Author:** ![brendon\_small](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brendon_small/32/17101_2.png) [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/15 "2008-11-05T03:39:38Z")
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. Brendon ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/16 "2008-11-05T08:59:33Z")
> [@Rack-a-Bones](#): > > 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? 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. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/17 "2008-11-05T09:45:46Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/18 "2008-11-05T12:52:57Z")
I just went by my polling place, and there are no lines at all now. Maybe everyone is done voting? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/19 "2008-11-05T13:08:39Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151/20 "2008-11-05T13:27:57Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-are-the-voting-lines-in-your-area/471151.md?page=2)