# The official election day 2012 thread: 11/6/12 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 6, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045 "2012-11-06T04:11:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/41 "2012-11-06T15:02:39Z")
I voted early here in Franklin County, Ohio. I do not remember the order of the Presidential candidates on the ballot but I do know Romney and Obama were not the first two sequentially. From friends of mine who are posting on FaceBook, looks like they’re reporting anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour to vote this morning with the lines varying dramatically depending upon location. MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/42 "2012-11-06T15:03:28Z")
> [@xanthous](#): > > I voted early at my county’s early polling place. Romney’s and Obama’s names were at the top of the ballot, followed by all the third party candidates. A coworker just posted this pic from her neighborhood polling location. She lives in a wealthy, conservative, Republican-voting area. > > [http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/06/yje2y9at.jpg](http://img.tapatalk.com/d/12/11/06/yje2y9at.jpg) > > Hmm. Meanwhile, in California, Obama’s name is near the top, while Romney’s is near the bottom. There’s an explanation for this - in California, there is a random drawing of letters to determine how names are ordered. The only time this was really a problem was in the 2003 governor’s recall/replacement election, where there were over 100 candidates. In Ohio, the rule is: “The names of all candidates for an office must be arranged in alphabetical order in a group under the title of that office and must be rotated from one precinct to another.” I think the precincts are numbered; in precinct 1, the names are in alphabetical order, then in 2, either the top name is moved to the bottom or the bottom name is moved to the top, then repeated for precincts 3, 4, and so on. Notice the names in that photo are in order from R-Z, and then from A-Q. In other precincts, a different name would be on top. In most cases, Obama’s name would appear directly above Romney’s - sometimes at the top of the ballot, sometimes at the bottom, sometimes in the middle. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/43 "2012-11-06T15:04:22Z")
> [@MeanJoe](#): > > From friends of mine who are posting on FaceBook, looks like they’re reporting anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour to vote this morning with the lines varying dramatically depending upon location. My husband showed up at our polling place as soon as it opened, but there was already a line of people waiting, and he only had a brief window of opportunity before he had to leave for work, so he abandoned his attempt and will go back after work around 5:30 pm or so. (I TOLD him to vote early last week. 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/44 "2012-11-06T15:05:41Z")
The line here at my polling station in South Carolina is more than an hour long and has been since 7AM this morning. I’m hoping to get out there about 3PM to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/45 "2012-11-06T15:10:07Z")
Pretty long lines this morning in my precinct in Minneapolis - the election judge lady even told me that she’d never seen it so busy, in 30 years of working elections. It was definitely busier than I’d seen it previously, but not out of hand - took me maybe 5 minutes of standing in line to get my ballot. Romney was listed first, followed by Obama - I didn’t pay close enough attention to the rest of the ballot layout to try to figure out what system they were using. It’s possible that they were simply listing the Republicans first, based on a coin flip or something. (I think that’s how it was - the Democratic candidates lower on the ticket were usually listed second or further down the list, from what I do recall.) Easy peasy. Now to wait on the results. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/46 "2012-11-06T15:14:41Z")
I voted on the way to the office this morning. Relatively heavy turnout for my small rural precinct. At 8:30 AM, my ballot was the 643rd cast at that location. There’s been a nasty Supreme Court race that is likely driving the turnout, along with the race for the House seat in this district. The race for POTUS and Senate are foregone conclusions in this state. And I paid a heavy price for exercising the franchise this morning. After voting, I stopped at the corner convenience store as I often do. Sadly, they were sold out of the ham, egg & cheese; steak, egg, & cheese; tenderloin, egg, & cheese; and chicken (no egg or cheese) biscuits. I had to settle for a sausage, egg, & cheese biscuit. It was not as good as any of the others. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/47 "2012-11-06T15:23:22Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I voted on the way to the office this morning. Relatively heavy turnout for my small rural precinct. At 8:30 AM, my ballot was the 643rd cast at that location. There’s been a nasty Supreme Court race that is likely driving the turnout, along with the race for the House seat in this district. The race for POTUS and Senate are foregone conclusions in this state. > > And I paid a heavy price for exercising the franchise this morning. After voting, I stopped at the corner convenience store as I often do. Sadly, they were sold out of the ham, egg & cheese; steak, egg, & cheese; tenderloin, egg, & cheese; and chicken (no egg or cheese) biscuits. I had to settle for a sausage, egg, & cheese biscuit. It was not as good as any of the others. ☹ Nobody said democracy would be easy or convenient! ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/48 "2012-11-06T15:26:25Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > TheKid will be voting for the first time today. Congrats to TheKid! Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/49 "2012-11-06T15:33:46Z")
Just voted in Chillicothe, OH. Gary Johnson, libertarian candidate, was on top, followed by Obama, then Romney, then 5 more whodeys. I waited behind my mother-in-law and my wife. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/50 "2012-11-06T15:37:50Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I had to settle for a sausage, egg, & cheese biscuit. It was not as good as any of the others. ☹ Your sacrifice humbles and inspires us all. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/51 "2012-11-06T15:51:18Z")
I’m knocking on doors in urban Toledo, and so far people have said voting’s been relatively easy and smooth. Lines, but nothing dramatic. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/52 "2012-11-06T15:54:55Z")
[Early voting numbers in Ohio that popped up this morning](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/NEWS010601/311060015/?nclick_check=1). Says Obama has 605,546 votes versus 697,143 for Romney. Those numbers add up to about 1.3M with 1.7M having already voted in Ohio. If those numbers are true, then Obama needs to win about 77% of the remaining early vote to draw even. Official states won’t be released until polls close, though there was a link on the page that has since disappeared. TIFWIW. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/53 "2012-11-06T15:59:55Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > [Early voting numbers in Ohio that popped up this morning](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/NEWS010601/311060015/?nclick_check=1). > > Says Obama has 605,546 votes versus 697,143 for Romney. Those numbers add up to about 1.3M with 1.7M having already voted in Ohio. If those numbers are true, then Obama needs to win about 77% of the remaining early vote to draw even. Official states won’t be released until polls close, though there was a link on the page that has since disappeared. TIFWIW. From the same website: [early votes not yet counted](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/CINCI/121106009/Early-votes-not-yet-counted-Ohio?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7C). No early votes have been counted yet. This was “dummy data”, apparently, posted in error. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/54 "2012-11-06T16:02:48Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Like this still can? Can the SoS get away with that? It doesn’t seem appropriate It is long past time to have some basic national standards. Congress has an explicitly granted authority to override state election regulations for Congressional elections: [QUOTE=US Constitution, Article I, Section 4] The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but **the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations** , except as to the Places of chusing Senators. [/QUOTE] While the authority does not specifically extend to Presidential elections, any state attempting to circumvent the regulations imposed on Congressional elections would need to split them off into a separate process, which would be a very in-your-face PITA (which would make it much harder to get away with than the current behind-the-scenes corruption). ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/55 "2012-11-06T16:02:52Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > From the same website: [early votes not yet counted](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/CINCI/121106009/Early-votes-not-yet-counted-Ohio?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7C). No early votes have been counted yet. This was “dummy data”, apparently, posted in error. And it showed Romeny winning Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) which is what made me smile. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/56 "2012-11-06T16:04:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > From the same website: [early votes not yet counted](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/CINCI/121106009/Early-votes-not-yet-counted-Ohio?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7C). No early votes have been counted yet. This was “dummy data”, apparently, posted in error. I saw that after it was posted. Hence why I initially said “TIFWIW” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/57 "2012-11-06T16:04:27Z")
You think Romney won early voting in Cuyahoga county? Just to refresh your memory, Obama won Cuyahoga with 68.5% of the vote in 2008. Your link has him losing the county. Similarly with Lucas county (which Obama carried with 64.5% in 2008) - this has him losing the early vote there. Those numbers don’t begin to pass the smell test. Try to use your critical reasoning skills. ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/58 "2012-11-06T16:04:34Z")
There is no way those numbers are accurate. They have both Cuyahoga and Franklin counties voting for Romney. There is only one way those counties aren’t MASSIVELY for Obama, and it involves vote manipulation. Definitely not real data. Funny that they used those numbers for the ‘dummy data’, though. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/59 "2012-11-06T16:07:37Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > From the same website: [early votes not yet counted](http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20121106/CINCI/121106009/Early-votes-not-yet-counted-Ohio?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7C). No early votes have been counted yet. This was “dummy data”, apparently, posted in error. > [@WreckingCrew](#): > > And it showed Romeny winning Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) which is what made me smile. > [@Jman](#): > > There is no way those numbers are accurate. They have both Cuyahoga and Franklin counties voting for Romney. There is only one way those counties aren’t MASSIVELY for Obama, and it involves vote manipulation. Definitely not real data. Funny that they used those numbers for the ‘dummy data’, though. Well-designed dummy data should be selected to insure than nobody is likely to mistake it for genuine data. Looks like they did a good job of that. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045/60 "2012-11-06T16:11:31Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > You think Romney won early voting in Cuyahoga county? Just to refresh your memory, Obama won Cuyahoga with 68.5% of the vote in 2008. Your link has him losing the county. Similarly with Lucas county (which Obama carried with 64.5% in 2008) - this has him losing the early vote there. > > Those numbers don’t begin to pass the smell test. Try to use your critical reasoning skills. Here are the pertinent parts of my post: “Official **stats** won’t be released until polls close” “TIFWIW” Yeah, I know. I actually said that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-election-day-2012-thread-11-6-12/640045.md?page=4)