# Why are there always too few polling places in big cities? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 8, 2024, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950 "2024-09-08T11:37:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/41 "2024-09-10T20:47:40Z")
I haven’t read this whole thread so maybe I am repeating something. I had a good friend who lived in Cleveland in 2000. He told me that some weeks before the election, the Republican governor of Ohio (or maybe the secretary of state had several dozen voting machines moved from black neighborhoods in Cleveland, where they desperately needed, to rural areas of the state, where they weren’t. As a result there was at least one precinct where some people waited in line till midnight to vote (and some doubtless gave up). My friend was of the firm opinion that it was in Ohio, not Florida, that the election was stolen. Remember, Ohio was purplish in those days (and Obama won there in 2012 and probably 2008 as well. ---
**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:** [September 10, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/42 "2024-09-10T22:18:19Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > I get that the reflexive answer is to blame Republicans wanting fewer people in urban areas voting, but surely the problem isn’t that simple. Happens in rural areas, as well. My son’s mother-in-law lives in Bon Homme County, SD. Not that it matters, but it’s a deep red county in a deep red state. Bon Homme County covers an area of 582 square miles, there are five polling places in the entire county. So each polling place covers an average of 116 square miles , roughly an area of 11x10 miles. Winter comes fast in South Dakota, and voters may find themselves having to drive to the polls in freezing rain or snow. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/43 "2024-09-10T22:40:42Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > My suggestion earlier was to make election day a “bank holiday”. Yeah, that wont work, because the people we really need to get out and vote- dont get bank holidays off. And some will just take Monday off and go on a 4 day vacation. > [@Smapti](#): > > Restaurant and retail workers are still gonna be working. Ditto hospitality, leisure, medical and first responders, and tens of millions of others. Yep. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > You want a real measure that would help? Require every workplace to allow workers as much time as in practice needed to go to the polls and vote, without either a financial penalty to them or a penalty in terms of being able to keep their job or of being treated worse on the job. California does that (4 hours paid), but the polls here are open so late it rarely is needed. To answer the OPs question- few polling places in big cities because just about every big city in America is BLUE. Republican voter interference. ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/44 "2024-09-10T22:54:07Z")
I’ve never experienced any significant delays in voting here in Chicago. The only time I’ve had to wait over an hour was in Milwaukee. It does seem notable that these problems seem to occur mostly in big cities _in Republican States_. I’m going with “GOP disenfranchisement efforts” as the main reason, with “ordinary bureaucratic incompetence” in second. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/45 "2024-09-10T23:16:36Z")
j/k Well, in _Chicago_, they have polling places in the _cemeteries_. 🤪 But you are correct on your second point. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/46 "2024-09-11T06:53:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, in _Chicago_, they have polling places in the _cemeteries_ Quiet, conducive to reflection, no disturbance to, let alone by, residents - perfect, I’d say. Just not the crematorium, though, that would look suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/47 "2024-09-21T19:49:01Z")
I would prefer to have elections run over two days, a Saturday and a Sunday. Also, why not have them in September, the way it used to be in Maine? Before it snows. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/48 "2024-09-21T19:59:57Z")
I think we originally picked November to be after the harvest was in. Not surprised Maine was earlier. But September is actually a horrible time, because parents are distracted with all the back to school stuff. And college students don’t have time to register, and may be in flux. (And voting days would often fall on the Jewish high holidays.) ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/49 "2024-09-29T18:41:22Z")
The county I work for does it right. Well so does the State of Colorado with mail in voting. The county has free bus service. And what they have done in the past is pull up a few buses outside the polling places so that people can take a number, sit in a warm bus and wait there instead of standing out in the cold (November can be deadly cold). ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/50 "2024-09-29T19:09:37Z")
Really doing it right would be having enough polling infrastructure that the lines never even extend out of the building. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/51 "2024-09-29T19:24:14Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > … State of Colorado with mail in voting. > > And what they have done in the past is pull up a few buses outside the polling places Why do they have polling places when they have all-mail voting? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/52 "2024-09-29T19:36:46Z")
Some people don’t opt for it. Some may just be old fashioned about it. And mail is problematic up here. We don’t have mail delivery. You must have a PO Box. Works for my Wife and I though. Getting your ballot in the mail (POB) is great. We always return it in person though. Pointless to mail it since you can see the County Gov building from the PO. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/53 "2024-09-29T19:36:50Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > Why do they have polling places when they have all-mail voting It’s not exactly all-mail voting. From this [article](https://kdvr.com/news/local/when-are-ballots-mailed-out-in-colorado/#:~:text=Every%20registered%20voter%20in%20the%20State%20of%20Colorado%20is%20sent) from Fox 31 in Colorado: > Every registered voter in the State of Colorado is sent a ballot through the mail. > The following is a timeline of important dates around the Nov. 5 election: > > Oct. 11 to Oct. 18: Mail ballots are sent out. > Oct. 21: The first day that county drop boxes must be open. They will stay open until 7 p.m. on Nov. 5. Polling centers will also open on this day and remain open through election day. > Oct. 28: Last day to register to vote and receive a mail ballot. Anyone registering after this date has to vote in person. > Nov. 5 Election Day. People can get in line to vote in person or drop off mail ballots until 7 p.m. Anyone who got in line before 7 p.m. will not be turned away and will be able to vote. > Nov. 13: Deadline for voters to cure ballot defects (including missing signature, signature verification and missing IDs) So every registered voter gets a mail-in ballot, which they can fill out and mail, or drop it in a drop box, or bring it to the polling place. Or they can decline to use the mail-in ballot and vote in person. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/54 "2024-09-29T19:36:56Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Really doing it right would be having enough polling infrastructure that the lines never even extend out of the building. Right. In my town, the lines never extend outside the door. For that matter, when i lived in Manhattan, the lines never extended outside the door. I honestly think Republican government officials don’t want to spend the money to make voting convenient for democratic-leaning urban-dwellers. Because it DOES cost money to staff each polling place. I was chatting with my town clerk, who was trying to decide how many polling places to have. She knew she’d need fewer because we started having a mail-in option, but she didn’t want to cut availability. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2024, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950/55 "2024-09-29T20:21:02Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > It’s not exactly all-mail voting. OK, I see. Here in Oregon, we don’t have polling places at all. It is All-Vote-by-Mail. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-there-always-too-few-polling-places-in-big-cities/1006950.md?page=2)