# How Long Would You Wait to Vote? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170 "2008-11-04T23:28:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/1 "2008-11-04T23:28:56Z")
I’m feeling pretty lame right now, after just seeing a news story about people having to wait 7 hours to vote. (My whole experience took 15 minutes, including the round trip drive!) Bad on me, but I would have trouble sticking it out for more than an hour. Should I feel as bad as I do or just be happy that I didn’t have to test myself?! Being completely honest, what’s the longest you would wait to vote? Would you feel bad for leaving? ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/2 "2008-11-04T23:36:25Z")
I would not leave unless my house was being stolen or my baby was on fire. Of course, I vote absentee so I don’t _have_ to wait in line. But if waiting in line was the only way, I’d do it. I’d be pissed as hell, but I’d do it. ---
**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 4, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/3 "2008-11-04T23:46:02Z")
California is pretty reliably Democrat, so there would be no point in waiting a long time for the Presidential election. If there were some local issue I was extremely passionate about, where every vote counts, then any amount of time necessary. For a regular run of the mill state-wide election, I’d give it an hour tops, and even then I’d be pissed at myself for not voting absentee. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/4 "2008-11-05T00:28:30Z")
My question is, what if you have to go to the bathroom or need a drink of water? What if you’re really hungry? That would make it really hard for me to stand in line for 1 hour, much less 7 hours. I don’t think I could do it. And I am a very dedicated voter. I think it’s unforgivable that anyone would have to wait more than an hour in this country in this day and age. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/5 "2008-11-05T01:05:47Z")
Election after election I hear about people waiting hours and hours to vote. I wonder why they don’t have additional precincts the next year. On the news this morning they were saying that CA law mandate there be one precinct for every 1000 registered voters. I wonder why other states don’t do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/6 "2008-11-05T01:07:13Z")
> [@nyctea scandiaca](#): > > My question is, what if you have to go to the bathroom or need a drink of water? What if you’re really hungry? That would make it really hard for me to stand in line for 1 hour, much less 7 hours. I don’t think I could do it. And I am a very dedicated voter. I think it’s unforgivable that anyone would have to wait more than an hour in this country in this day and age. I meant to say, I agree completely with this post. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/7 "2008-11-05T03:07:04Z")
I waited two and a half hours to vote this morning and I’d do it again, albeit grumbling the whole time. I’ll tell you one thing, this lady had a fold up combination chair/stroller contraption that I scoffed at the first hour and wished I’d had one the last hour and a half. I’m gonna have to look for one online for the next election. ---
**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, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/8 "2008-11-05T03:10:35Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > California is pretty reliably Democrat, so there would be no point in waiting a long time for the Presidential election. If there were some local issue I was extremely passionate about, where every vote counts, then any amount of time necessary. For a regular run of the mill state-wide election, I’d give it an hour tops, and even then I’d be pissed at myself for not voting absentee. This would factor into my decision as well. If things were really up in the air, I’d wait however long it took. Michigan was solidly democrat this year, but the ballot proposals were/are close. I would probably have waited 3 or 4 hours. If I lived in a district were lines were often a problem, though, I probably would have voted absentee. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/9 "2008-11-05T03:23:44Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > California is pretty reliably Democrat, so there would be no point in waiting a long time for the Presidential election. If there were some local issue I was extremely passionate about, where every vote counts, then any amount of time necessary. For a regular run of the mill state-wide election, I’d give it an hour tops, and even then I’d be pissed at myself for not voting absentee. I find I am generally much more passionate about one or more of the Propositions on the ballot than any of the races. I’ve never had to wait more than 45 minutes or so (2004), but I would wait as long as necessary (at least, that’s what I tell myself now). I figure if the lines are that long, it’s a sign that the process is working the way it’s designed, and I want to make sure I’m a part of it. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/10 "2008-11-05T06:58:38Z")
Excellent answers, everyone! Thanks and keep 'em coming! ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/11 "2008-11-05T07:18:33Z")
> [@Rhiannon8404](#): > > Election after election I hear about people waiting hours and hours to vote. I wonder why they don’t have additional precincts the next year. On the news this morning they were saying that CA law mandate there be one precinct for every 1000 registered voters. I wonder why other states don’t do the same thing. The longest I’ve ever had to wait was about an hour. That was the Jimmy Carter election. Four years ago I walked in, voted, and walked out. Meanwhile a friend, who lives in the same neighborhood but votes in a different place, waited three hours. (A nearby pizza place provided free snacks.) I don’t know how long I would wait, but I think it’s moot, as I’m now signed up for mail-in and did it this year. It was a great year to do it as Colo. had a long, complicated ballot. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/12 "2008-11-05T07:49:50Z")
I’d split after 30 minutes and start some kind of campaign the next day to get whatever needs fixed, fixed for next time. I’d be doing more good for the country that way than I ever would by voting. It’s ludicrous that we put a man on the moon 40 years ago but can’t seem to organize a process as simple as voting. How hard is it to buy some more equipment and hire some more people? Why not some kind of campaign to encourage early or mail in voting? The government ran an ad for _money_ a few years back (to encourage the dollar coin) why not something similar for early voting? ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/13 "2008-11-05T07:55:41Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > It was a great year to do it as Colo. had a long, complicated ballot. That’s no joke. I spent about two hours voting from home, but I’ll admit quite a bit of that was looking up (and laughing about) the 15 or so nuts running for President who made the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/14 "2008-11-05T08:55:03Z")
I have excellent bladder control and can go several days without food. I would wait as long as it took to vote. Mind you, I might be a bit grumpy about it, but I would not leave until I had cast my vote. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/15 "2008-11-05T12:54:19Z")
As a democrat in Kentucky, I probably wouldn’t wait very long at all unless there were a state or local thing I was really het up about. Not much point, yanno? Besides, I couldn’t take hours and hours out of the workday, and our polls close at the same time as the clinic. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-would-you-wait-to-vote/471170/16 "2008-11-05T13:00:33Z")
I waited three hours on Saturday to vote, so that’s my lower bound right now. I’d like to think that I’d wait as long as I needed to; I can be on my feet without eating or going to the bathroom for 9 hours a day at my job, so I should be willing to do at least that to vote.