Early voting

[BenL]

This is the first time I remember early voting being such a phenomenon. We can only vote absentee in MA if we meet certain conditions. And the absentee ballots are not counted until after the polls close. How different that is from early voting where they're making the results known before Election Day.

Does anybody have a idea how this might affect the election on Tuesday? Will there be a similar effect as the TV networks and the rolling close of polls in different time zones? Will a decisive early decision (both pre-E-Day and on Tuesday night) in the presidential race affect the turnout in CA where there's a threat of a constitutional amendment against gay marriage?

I don't how to evaluate the effect of large numbers of votes cast before Election Day itself.

[Pablo Rafael]

I was going to vote on election day, but might go to the courthouse today and see if I can vote early. Since I moved, I want to be sure nothing is askew with voter registration.

I wasn't really sure for whom I was going to vote, so I asked the dog. (Tawney has very good political sense, but she isn't allowed to vote. She's only 9.)
When I asked, "For whom should I vote?"
She definitely said, "BARaK."
"Aaaaakkkk!" (Shepherd's crook pulling Pablo offstage.)

[tdogg]

Smart dog you got there, Pablo! My dogs said the same thing!

So, Barack must be the right choice.

Dropping off my ballot today, already voted.

[Zerbie]

We dropped off our early ballots on Tuesday. I drove them in to the local recorder's office which is also an early voting location.

I was startled to see a significant line out the door and down the sidewalk - a full week in advance of election day! A fella just leaving after voting early saw my look of shock as I got out of the car and spied the line. He nodded at me and said,

"We're changing the country."

[sauu4equality]

I sure hope there is good news in Arizona come election day! That would send a strong message, beating a guy in his home state...wow...I can't even imagine that. Well get to work up there because I want to move to Tucson eventually and regardless of who I marry I'm not getting married legally until there is full equality in the state that I live in!

[Emproph]

Two things.

Early voting throughout the state began on the 20th. At first it was only 8 hours a day because of House Republican law - they said it would cost too much to be open 12 hrs a day (an obvious attempt to suppress the vote). However, the other day governor Charlie Christ (R) changed it back to 12 hrs a day. Hooray!

I also learned that they got rid of all the electronic machines throughout the state. I’m not sure, but I was under the impression that the entire state had the ‘fill in the oval’ paper ballots. So, no more hanging chads, and a paper trail throughout the state. Hooray!

There should be no excuses in Florida this time around - in case of recount, or voter suppression - people have had (and still have) plenty of time to get to the polls.

P.S. If anyone in line offers you a recognizable "pro-family" voter guide (AFA, FOF, etc.), take it, and then rip it up.

The guy in front of me was reading an AFA flyer that had been making its way through the line. When he passed it to me I politely shook my head 'no'. It then made its way to the person behind me. Five seconds later I realized that I had just passed up the opportunity to one-up Sinead O'Connor's infamous performance.

Now that I just watched it again though, the song itself seems quite timely.