I have heard from several students who say they want to vote but can't find enough hours in a single block between classes to get to the polls. One of them skipped class today - with my (possibly over-trusting) blessing -to vote.
I waited on Wednesday for 30 minutes. Not long by comparison, but enough to send a few people right back out the door when they saw the line. It is shocking to me that we have lines like this in 2008.
That is disgusting. Yet one more way to disenfranchise the poor. Rachel Maddow is fantastic, though. I'm totally crushin' on her. Wish I had a way to watch her show.
yeah, that's my biggest fear too. My only hope is that those who have felt cheated in the past will stick it out to the bitter end because they believe that what they are doing is so important.
Here is south florida I waited about 30 minutes one Monday morning during early voting, but the polls were only open from 8-4pm. Hubby had to wait till Saturday. During the week the govenor here changed the hours to 7-7pm and allowed counties to decide on Saturday hours, the last day for early voting. Although it was advertised as opening at 7am, it did not open until 8am. Hubby got there right before 7am and did not finish voting until 9:30am. He was very glad to have gotten there an hour early. One of the comments in line was that our county only had 3 early voting places, but the county over had 17 open. Love this commentary, the lines are just too long for so many. miles
In Australia, anyone can vote at any polling station anywhere in the country - you just have to show ID and they'll find your voter registration. DH has never had to wait more than 10 minutes; and voting can be much more complicated here too. (Instead of voting for one candidate, because of preferences, you rank the candidates in order of who you prefer; in the Senate this is generally fairly easy, 1 to 6, but for the lower house, you might have to rank 1 to 60 and it can take a while.) I wonder about voter fraud - what would keep you from turning up at more than one polling station? - and apparantly it happens, although there they will catch you and a stiff penalty applies; but at least it avoids the long waiting lines.
Interesting peice. I live in California and had no wait. We have permanent absentee voting where you vote by mail and the registrar has made a big push to have more people use this method. It saves money of having to staff the polls and allows for faster processing of the vote. I heard similar news peices out here and some polls had long lines on election day, buy at my local poll 5 workers 2 voters 8:00 am VERY NICE.
I have heard from several students who say they want to vote but can't find enough hours in a single block between classes to get to the polls. One of them skipped class today - with my (possibly over-trusting) blessing -to vote.
ReplyDeleteI waited on Wednesday for 30 minutes. Not long by comparison, but enough to send a few people right back out the door when they saw the line. It is shocking to me that we have lines like this in 2008.
Eris, are you a professor? Most excellent.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you looked the other way. Hopefully, your generosity will not be abused.
Eri said it all for me. I love absentee ballots.
ReplyDeleteThat is disgusting. Yet one more way to disenfranchise the poor. Rachel Maddow is fantastic, though. I'm totally crushin' on her. Wish I had a way to watch her show.
ReplyDeleteI waited 90 minutes to vote, and Utah's not even in contention. I hate t think how many people see the lines and go home.
ReplyDeletejeremy, you are new.
ReplyDeleteWELCOME!!!
yeah, that's my biggest fear too. My only hope is that those who have felt cheated in the past will stick it out to the bitter end because they believe that what they are doing is so important.
thanks for stopping by.
M
I waited for about 5 minutes to vote in my little town but 40 miles from here in Kansas City,MO there are 5-6 hour lines, it's incredible.
ReplyDeleteHere is south florida I waited about 30 minutes one Monday morning during early voting, but the polls were only open from 8-4pm. Hubby had to wait till Saturday. During the week the govenor here changed the hours to 7-7pm and allowed counties to decide on Saturday hours, the last day for early voting. Although it was advertised as opening at 7am, it did not open until 8am. Hubby got there right before 7am and did not finish voting until 9:30am. He was very glad to have gotten there an hour early. One of the comments in line was that our county only had 3 early voting places, but the county over had 17 open.
ReplyDeleteLove this commentary, the lines are just too long for so many.
miles
Interesting. I only had to wait, what 3 mins. I can't imagine having to wait for 10 hours. It makes you wonder why they don't have more areas to vote.
ReplyDeleteBecause the party in power doesn't like the masses to vote.
ReplyDeleteRachael Maddow did anohter peice on vote suppression and why they use it.
well, a good illustration is W 2000 and 2004.
love ms maddow. beautiful little call to arms there at the end.
ReplyDeleteIn Australia, anyone can vote at any polling station anywhere in the country - you just have to show ID and they'll find your voter registration. DH has never had to wait more than 10 minutes; and voting can be much more complicated here too. (Instead of voting for one candidate, because of preferences, you rank the candidates in order of who you prefer; in the Senate this is generally fairly easy, 1 to 6, but for the lower house, you might have to rank 1 to 60 and it can take a while.) I wonder about voter fraud - what would keep you from turning up at more than one polling station? - and apparantly it happens, although there they will catch you and a stiff penalty applies; but at least it avoids the long waiting lines.
ReplyDeleteInteresting peice. I live in California and had no wait. We have permanent absentee voting where you vote by mail and the registrar has made a big push to have more people use this method. It saves money of having to staff the polls and allows for faster processing of the vote. I heard similar news peices out here and some polls had long lines on election day, buy at my local poll 5 workers 2 voters 8:00 am VERY NICE.
ReplyDelete