# Poll watching: how long are the lines at your poll? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521 "2004-11-02T12:22:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![asrivkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9d8465/32.png) [@asrivkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asrivkin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/61 "2004-11-02T17:30:51Z")
Watertown, Mass. Two precincts voting together. About 20 people were on line in front of me when I got there (about 11:15?) but some were on the line for the wrong precinct so the line moved erratically as people realized they were in the wrong line. The sample ballot offered a presidential choice between Monroe, Taylor, and Harrison (W.H.)-- Easy choice for the historically inclined, I suppose. šŸ™‚ The poll worker I spoke to said they only had 95 voters in a whole day for the primaries, but already had ā€œmore than 600ā€. And that was for a ballot with only a single contested race other than president. Although we did get to vote on the Patriot Act, after a fashionā€¦ I certainly didnā€™t wait more than 10 minutes or so. My wife had it even easier: I delivered her absentee ballot to City Hall. ---
**Author:** ![NotMrKnowItAll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6bbea6/32.png) [@NotMrKnowItAll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotMrKnowItAll)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/62 "2004-11-02T17:32:14Z")
> [@EsotericEnigma](#): > > ā€¦It also took me longer to **talk** to the door than it took to get the ballot. (AZ) ā€¦ Your username suits you. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Vevila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@Vevila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vevila)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/63 "2004-11-02T17:32:29Z")
Denver, Colorado: In line at 7am, 65th or so in line, at least 100+ folks behind me, a total of about an hour and ten minutes or so. ---
**Author:** ![Thin\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@Thin\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thin_Ice)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/64 "2004-11-02T17:35:54Z")
I was smart (for a change) and voted last Wednesday at one of the three early voting places in my area. There was a short line, maybe twenty people, and everything went smoothly, if not exceptionally fast; I was in and out in about forty-five minutes or less. ---
**Author:** ![EsotericEnigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e274bd/32.png) [@EsotericEnigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EsotericEnigma)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/65 "2004-11-02T17:43:18Z")
> [@NotMrKnowItAll](#): > > Your username suits you. > šŸ˜ƒ Well I guess the t is KINDA close to the wā€¦ will you accept that? After that excuse I have no clue as to why I typed thatā€¦ šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/66 "2004-11-02T17:50:52Z")
St. Louis County, MO ā€“ a usually Republican, suburban precinct It wasnā€™t the most crowded Iā€™ve ever seen (Iā€™ve voted at the same place for 20 years) but when I got there at 7:30, I was #275. It took me about 40 minutes to get in and out. The amazing thing was, they had the registration books split up by votersā€™ last names. When you went to sign in, youā€™d go to the A-D desk, the E-I desk, etc. All the time I was there, almost all the voters had last names beginning with J-O. Workers at the other desks were sitting around, hoping someone would come up. Nope, everyone who came in had a last name J-O. I, too, am a J-O. I didnā€™t get the memo, so I call it an amazing coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/67 "2004-11-02T18:04:45Z")
According to my father, since I canā€™t vote myself, he went at noon, and it took him 5-10 minutes with about 15 people in line. I put it to you that I could do a better job of description than this. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/68 "2004-11-02T18:10:11Z")
It would help if folks would state whether they are ina Democratic-leaning, or Republican-leaning, or roughly balanced precinct, so we could get a sense of which party might be turning out in greater numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/69 "2004-11-02T18:13:44Z")
Ward Akransas, roughly 10:35amā€¦walked right in, got my ballot, was out before 11. Totally painless. This, despite the line to the polling area being out of the building and down the street when i drove by on my way to work at 8 this morning. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/70 "2004-11-02T18:16:13Z")
Suburb of Lansing, MI= voted at 12:30. Took about 45 minutes. There was a line to get ballots when I got there, by the time I left that line was gone but there was still about 30 people deep to get one of 8 voting machines. For the first time, they checked the ballot stub number vs. the ballot application to make sure I turned in the exact ballot received. Also was asked for first time to check for hanging chads. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/71 "2004-11-02T18:23:32Z")
ARGH! My post was eaten! All right, Iā€™m in the north hills area of Pittsburgh, PA. I went down to the polls at 11-11:30, and I didnā€™t have to wait AT ALL. There were maybe ten people in line at the other end (I believe we have two districts here), and they asked for my name and ID, gave me my number (#200!) and I went in, pulled the lever and left. No one gave me a hard time, or asked who I was voting for-the only thing that happened was a woman leaving as I was entering complimented my Kerry/Edwards button. No fuss, no muss. My father went in at around 12:30 and was #275, and according to him, he didnā€™t have to wait, either. I couldnā€™t tell you what the rest of Pittsburgh is like, though. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/72 "2004-11-02T18:25:19Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Suburb of Lansing, MI= voted at 12:30. Took about 45 minutes. There was a line to get ballots when I got there, by the time I left that line was gone but there was still about 30 people deep to get one of 8 voting machines. For the first time, they checked the ballot stub number vs. the ballot application to make sure I turned in the exact ballot received. Also was asked for first time to check for hanging chads. Ahhā€¦my neck of the woods. While my postal address is East Lansing, I live in Meridian Township. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@The\_Wrong\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Wrong_Girl)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/73 "2004-11-02T18:27:33Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I couldnā€™t tell you what the rest of Pittsburgh is like, though. Not too bad, actually. I just got back from the JCC in Squirrel Hill, and honestly, I spent more time finding my correct table than waiting in line. I went to my district table, and an old woman who worked there told me I was in the wrong place. I went to the gym (where she told me to go), and was told to go back to the original table. Once I went back, I didnā€™t wait in line at all, and went right to my booth. Crazy old ladies trying to disenfranchise me! šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/74 "2004-11-02T18:29:46Z")
Suburban Atlanta (Gwinnett County), more or less evenly divided precinct, perhaps leaning slightly Democratic, in an otherwise overwhelmingly Republican county. I drove by my polling place, a local church, at about 6:50, ten minutes before the opening time. The line was out the door by about 70 or 80 people. From past experience, I expect that there were probably 4 times that many inside in line. The entire parking lot of the church was full, and cars were parking alongside the driveway from street to the lot. I donā€™t think Iā€™d have been able to park if Iā€™d tried to stop. Went back by at about 11:45. Parking lot was down to maybe two dozen cars, most of which must have belonged to poll workers, because when I got inside, there were voters at each of the eight or so voting machines, three people waiting for a machine, and perhaps three people at various stages of the preliminaries. By the time I established my identity and picked up my access card for the touch-screen system, there was only one person waiting ahead of me for a machine. When I left, there was no one waiting and two empty machines. While chatting with one of the poll workers as I picked up my access card, she said that theyā€™d arrived at 6 am to a full parking lot and several hundred people waiting. They let them inside the building to queue up at about 6:30, and that it had taken until just before I arrived for the line to diminish completely. Again based on past experience, Iā€™d guess that some of those who arrived in the last few minutes before 7 am may have waited as much as two and a half hours. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Erika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/47e85d/32.png) [@Erika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erika)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/75 "2004-11-02T18:31:35Z")
I voted a little after 10 am (Lawrence, KS). One guy ahead of me, and a few people in the booths. No appriciable wait. It took me longer to work out where, precisely, in the building I was supposed to vot e than to actually vote. ---
**Author:** ![fervour](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@fervour](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fervour)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/76 "2004-11-02T18:44:37Z")
location: Millbrook, Alabama time of vote: 11:45AM length of wait: 30 minutes normal length of wait: 10 minutes The poll worker I spoke with said the turnout was high and voting continuous since the polls opened. ---
**Author:** ![tsarina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@tsarina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsarina)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/77 "2004-11-02T18:52:24Z")
> [@rfgdxm](#): > > Ahhā€¦my neck of the woods. While my postal address is East Lansing, I live in Meridian Township. My neck of the woods too. I voted in Lansing and waited about an hour and ten minutes. And I thought Iā€™d showed up early, at 7:20! šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/78 "2004-11-02T19:05:17Z")
Springfield, Illinois, 110th precinct. I got to my polling place at about 7:20 AM, about 20 minutes after opening. I was in and out in five minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/79 "2004-11-02T19:07:31Z")
I have no idea which way my precinct leans (nor do I know which precinct Iā€™m in; I just went to the place listed on my voter card), but Iā€™m in Fairfax County, Va. I took my place in line at 11:05 and walked out of the building at around 12:15; the poor schmucks in the A-G and P-Z lines had to wait twice as long. > [@jayjay](#): > > At least I know my vote will be counted, unlike those poor souls in touch-screen country. Hey, I resemble that remarkā€¦ :eek: šŸ˜‰ > [@fruitbat](#): > > Really though, I would think they could do a better job than that of staffing polling places and moving the lines along. Seemed to me that it wasnā€™t a matter of staffing, it was a matter of only having 8 booths (in my location, anyway). There were plenty of staff members around, but when only 8 people can vote at a time itā€™s gonna take a while. ---
**Author:** ![CyberHippy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@CyberHippy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberHippy)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521/80 "2004-11-02T19:39:50Z")
Little town of Sebastopol, Northern CA here, went in at 10:30 and the (8) booths were full, three people in line ahead of me. We usually only have four booths at my polling place, and Iā€™ve never in 9 years seen more voters in the room than workers. So, much bigger turnout than normal in one of the most liberal towns in CA. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-watching-how-long-are-the-lines-at-your-poll/272521.md?page=5)