Poll: When Are you voting?

[u-dog]

Who's voting early?

[Alecto]

I'm paperwork-phobic. I'm registered, got my card thingy, and will go down the street and pull a physical lever.

[BenL]

I will vote Nov. 4th. I like the exercise of going to the polls, standing in line with my neighbors, checking in, marking my ballot, putting it in the scanner, and checking out. It's a civic sort of liturgy, the equivalent of going to church on Sunday. That said, if I knew I wouldn't be able to get to the polls on Election Day, I would certainly want to vote absentee.

(And I'll probably be up half the night watching the returns come in. If they'd just can those exit polls. I think the actualy votes are much more interesting.)

This is certainly no year to sit idly by and let others decide for you!

[Daniel]

Ah...just kidding.

Will vote on the day of, probably around 10 AM when the it's not so crazy, that is, when the morning rush is over. My voting booth (the old turn the lever kind - thank god!) is at the Center for the Blind a few blocks away.

No jokes about blind voting please!

[Unmasked]

I felt that the last poll choice was slightly misleading. I'm not voting for two reasons. One, because I didn't register. When reviewing the choices and issues in my state, I realized that I have no opinion on measures such as Proposal 2 (infant stem cell research), and the only thing I know for sure when it comes to candidates is that I want McCain to lose. But to cast a vote because it will be the opposite of what my Church wants or so that one evil won't prevail, I don't feel is ethically responsible. Voting for Obama because's he's not McCain isn't what I want to be doing. Every candidate has something that scares the shit out of me. In the end, it's McCain, and whoever. The things I like and the things that scare me balance out, and I can't feel good about anybody.

So, I'm abstaining this time around, because if I make a decision, I don't want it to be arbitrary or out of spite. I wish Ron Paul was still in the running, because he was one that I did like. But as it stands, I have to chosen not to decide.

[BrianB]

My polling place is downstairs in the community room. I'll just go down there on the day to vote. Who knows...I may write in Ron Paul.

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

My husband and I are sold on early voting! We've already cast our votes!

Early voting is good because:

1. We won't be contributing to the crowds on election day--we may make it possible for someone else to vote who otherwise wouldn't have time to wait in long lines.

2. We avoid any possible unforeseen problems on election day.

Did we miss any of the "drama" of election day---no, we got to stand in line with other early voters. We got to look a city clerk in the eye, get a ballot, mark it in a booth--all that good stuff. We just got it out of the way early!

Steven Webster

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by Unmasked

Every candidate has something that scares the shit out of me. In the end, it's McCain, and whoever. The things I like and the things that scare me balance out, and I can't feel good about anybody.

So, I'm abstaining this time around, because if I make a decision, I don't want it to be arbitrary or out of spite. I wish Ron Paul was still in the running, because he was one that I did like. But as it stands, I have to chosen not to decide.

Required reading perhaps?

Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway.

It's a shame that you've chosen not to have a voice. A real shame. You could have- if registered- written in the candiate of your choice, you know that, right? You could write-in Ron Paul if you wanted to. That said, you also stated that you want McCain to lose, yet are afraid of what both candidates have said.

Really! You are all over the place.

You know, there's nothing wrong with taking a stand, but a negative stand? As in opting out? That I really don't get.

A decision not to decide is a decision. It means you are leaving the choice up to someone else.

[BruceChris]

The polling place is just across the street, and I may have to help my slightly disorganized roomie to register. We have same day registration here, you have to have some I.D., and it helps if there is someone in the neighborhood to vouch for you.

Bruce Chris

[tdogg]

I vote by absentee ballot, but last year instead of mailing, I dropped it off at a polling place. I don't trust the USPS completely. However, our local polling place in our neighborhood is very near a couple of houses with McCain/Palin and Yes on 8 signs, so I'm not sure will trust that either. We may end up dropping it off at the elections office this Friday. The surest way to get the ballot counted.

Voting is a right, but I see it also as my obligation. I would never judge someone who chose not to vote, but I won't listen to their complaints after it's all said and done. I'll respect your position Unmasked, but don't complain if McPalin is our next president. I hope you think about it a little more before completing deciding to opt out. This is one of the hugest elections we've ever had in this country (and in many states as well).

[Unmasked]

Ron Paul is not a registered write-in, and therefor not eligible. While Obama -might- give us some rights, he will also continue to support Israel. That I cannot abide.

I am not registered to vote, and I will not complain if they simply win. I have little doubt that Obama will win Michigan. What I will complain about is if America continues to support the terrorist state of Israel, and to treat minorities like vermin. Obama will not stop that, just shift it.

[pnggrad79]

Originally Posted by Unmasked

Ron Paul is not a registered write-in, and therefor not eligible. While Obama -might- give us some rights, he will also continue to support Israel. That I cannot abide.

I am not registered to vote, and I will not complain if they simply win. I have little doubt that Obama will win Michigan. What I will complain about is if America continues to support the terrorist state of Israel, and to treat minorities like vermin. Obama will not stop that, just shift it.

I have no doubt that Israel may employ terrorist tactics, but hell, look at the 20 something ARAB nations around it who would like nothing more than to see it swept into the Mediterranean Sea? Let's not forget history, upon its inception as a state for Jewish people after WW2, immediately 3 ARAB nations came against them. The ARABS were summarily defeated, and the Israelis have endured 4 wars since then, not to mention scud missile attacks from Saddam for no reason, and suicide bombers from Hamas,Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, and other senseless atrocities. I am not excusing Israel for responding in kind, however, given their history as a nation, what nation wouldn't react like that if it were done to them? Has America been on the up and up in Afghanistan and in Iraq? I hardly think so.

We have no right to sit in judgment over Israel. We haven't had to deal with surrounding countries who are hell bent on our total destruction. We need to pray for Israelis and Arabs. I can't honestly say that the Arabs are totally at fault here because they aren't. I am saying Great Britain in their Manifesto in 1948 handled this totally wrong. And the native Palestinians were not welcomed back into their native countries because those native countries wanted to keep the refugees disgruntled, poor, destitute and unhappy so that they could cause trouble for the Israelis.

And pray tell what would you have done to answer the incredible Jewish refugee problem after WW2 when 6 million of them had been murdered by Hitler and millions more left homeless and unwelcome in Europe. What would you have done with them? Not an easy question and not an easy answer.

[pnggrad79]

Oh BTW, I voted early. Voted for Obama and hope he wins.

[Matt Algren]

Voted Saturday. Stood in line for 2:15, and proud of it. Notes from when I was in line:

One of the workers just came out and said that it's a two hour wait from where I am now, and I've been here an hour already. I'm a cynical bastard, but this is warming the cockles of even my cold heart. Directly in front of me is an African American lady, a white woman with her daughter who is voting for the first time, and a Hispanic family that speaks no English. A woman just came out who has a distinctly African accent. She said it's her husband's first time voting. There's an older man giving away bottles of water to people who want them. I haven't heard a cross word yet [and I never did]. To call back to something Michelle Obama said, it's been a long time since I've been this proud to be American.

[keltic63]

voting early and voting often!







vote early? not very likely in PA! so I will be voting Tuesday.

[labguy22]

Like tdogg I voted absentee. I had to call for a second ballot as the frist one was never received ( or sent ). I just received it Friday and hand delivered it to the county clerks office yesterday, they are thankfully open this weekend.
I'm not sure if this is just for California or all the states, but the clerks website offers a way to view when absentee ballots are sent, received and counted, you may all want to check that out.

[sauu4equality]

Ok...as a Texan, and someone who lives very close to Ron Paul headquarters I have to say a couple of things on Obama's behalf. Ron Paul was a good candidate. He had many good ideas. But his supporters are almost 100% anti-gay. So, it doesn't make sense for anyone GLBT to support him. Another thing on Israel. I do not think are unwavering support of Israel is justified. However, calling them a terrorist state is a little harsh. Since inception (when we put them there...not biblical inception) they have been on the defense. The back and forth between them and Arab nations is mostly caused by misunderstandings from both sides. Not a black and white good-guy, bad-guy scenario. I wish I could say that about the Presidential candidates, but I cannot. It's fairly black and white. Obama wants to continue to be friends with Israel, but he also seems very interested in listening to both sides. Ron Paul is pretty much an isolationist. And his plan for allowing states to have the ultimate say in social issues, means absolutely no rights for me in Texas. So, enough of the Ron Paul histeria. I am extremely skeptical that an Independent candidate would do any better than the established party candidates. They would likely be in way over their head. I should also mention that Obama is in support of election reform that may allow for more choices. And I voted early at my University for Obama. But I'm holding my pride for my country until Nov. 5th. My pride for my state went away in 2000...