Thought I would start a thread where we can discuss our voting experiences - past, present and future. Why just make it about today's?

 

 

I half expected, due to ten years experience in the same location, to find the hall mostly empty. Riiiiight!

 

Actually it was not that bad for those who brought what they needed and were already registered. I was in and out in 30 minutes. Although I have to tell you, the city dropped the bomb on the charter amendments. If I was not already prepared with how I was going to vote, it would have taken me much longer. The wording was very confusing.

 

The people who wanted to go the provincial direction were in much longer then I.

My polling location has police directing traffic in and out of the limited parking lot, and the line is at least 3 blocks long to get in the lot, then the line to vote snakes around the building.  While I was there, there was a group loudly complaining that the police presence was "intimidation" and would scare away voters who may have a warrant outstanding or a criminal record.

Repost from earlier:

 

I arrived to my poll in Lakewood at 6:20 AM , there were already 60 people in line waiting and well over a hundred by the time the polls opened. I did managed to get out in 15 minutes once they opened. Know your precinct it will save you a ton of time.

 

I hope that was just the morning rush otherwise this could get messy which is saying alot considering Ohio's past voting debacles and shenanigans.

I walked over this morning and saw how long the line is, so I decided to put it off till this afternoon on my way home from work.

 

Also as I was writing the above sentence I got an email from my brother that he voted this morning and saw that both my name and my Dad's were on the list just below his in Ravenna. Which is funny to me as I haven't lived there since about '99, and my Dad has been dead for quite a while now.

I arrived at Horace Mann Middle school at 6:03 and was the fourth person there and got probably the most prime parking spot(parking was minimal)...by the time the polls opened..there had to be between 100-200 people in line.  The volunteers (albeit much appreciated) were slow and slightly unrehearsed causing things to move slow behind me.  I was the second vote at the location and then i scooted to starbucks for a free coffee and made it to work only 10 minutes late.  exciting day!

 

Got to the Main Library in DT Cinci at 6:45 and the line was over one hour long. The sign on the outside said "PRECINCT 6E" but nothing else -- and my precinct was 6F. Several others were wondering what the deal was, because the library was the voting place for 6A, 6E and 6F.

 

Inside, the line was a solid single line. It split into three lumps towards the end, one for each precinct, although this distinction was not clear and there were no signs until the very end that indicated what was what. And those signs were near the ground. A woman was making her rounds asking that they form three lines for their precincts, which made the single line shorten up considerably once people were in their appropriate spots. Better signage would have helped a lot here.

 

The interior was cluttered and congested. There were three tables, one for each precinct, staffed with three individuals. I handed over my electric/natural gas bill but they could not find my name.

 

"All we have is Sherman Lee Canal."

 

That's what happened Friday, when I realized that I was not "registered" to vote in the county because my card had my name misspelled! I got it corrected that afternoon, but it was all fine at the voting booth. They let me sign next to Mr. Canal and vote.

 

This county uses PAPER ballots? Fill in the box? Old-fashioned and slow, but reliable I suppose. I suppose coming from backwards-Kentucky where I was accustomed to using electronic ballots and being in-and-out in 1 minute instead of 10 minutes...

 

Afterwards, I had my paper scanned and received the "okay" that my vote was tallied!

 

The line when I left was down to 30 minutes. Go figure. I went early to beat the lines and it gets shorter as I leave!

I got to my location about 6:15a and there were about 20 people in line.  The slowest part once they opened was getting checked in as the check-in lady was excruciatingly slow and then the person who hands out the ballots was distracted by a problem with an absentee voter in the line next to us so there were like 4 of us waiting for ballots while she and 2 other people tried to figure out what happened with the absentee person (it was his son and they marked the father as absentee instead).  Then the booths were full and people were refusing to just sit in a chair with a board and privacy folder to vote, they wanted to wait for the actual booth, which is stupid to me as we just use paper and pens/fill in the ovals, which you can do anywhere.

 

I found the tearing off of the tabs at the bottom to be cumbersome and I almost ripped my ballot but I was in and out in about 15 minutes once the polls opened.

I arrived for my FIRST voting experience (its not an interesting story... I just turned 18 a month ago) at 6:18 and stood out in the bitter cold until 6:30. I was the 4th person voting in my precinct right after my dad.

 

Stupid virgin moment... I put the ballot into the wrong slot... HAHAHAHA. I was nervous... it was early... I was up late last night doing Physics homework. After I realized there were no noises, sounds or flashing lights... I got my paper back out and... inserted it in the correct slot.

 

From now on I will be voting absentee. I just wanted to get the polling place experience under my belt.

Got to Pilgrim Congregational Church in Tremont at 6:50am - a line of about 15-20 people. It would have been less but apparently the person assigned the duty of checking IDs and names didn't have her glasses with her. Umm, 1. you'd think you'd have them if you're doing something important, like volunteering at the polls for a PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION and 2. you'd think the other volunteers would give her a different duty like handing people their ballots. :roll:

 

Anyway, I understand that she needed people to spell their names to her - but uh, this is Tremont - here's a good example of a typical last name:

 

 

All in all it wasn't that bad, but next time it's absentee for me.

 

I arrived at my polling place at about 6:30am and finally cast my ballot at 7:30.  Took about 7 minutes.  I wanted to ensure that I voted on the issues exactly as I planned.  No judge votes from me, as I don't feel I knew them enough to make an educated decision.  Everything else was cake though.

 

Oh, and originally, the man at the table said that I had to vote provisionally because my driver's license doesn't have my current address on it.  He claimed that they couldn't prove that I was a resident in that district.  That made me very angry because I made sure to read the conditions last night.  As I was half way through the provision ballot envelope, I mentioned to a woman at the same table that my name was in the book, but the man wouldn't let me sign it.  After a couple minutes, they informed him that his instructions were wrong, and they let me vote with a regular ballot.

 

Whew.

I arrived at my polling place at about 6:30am and finally cast my ballot at 7:30. Took about 7 minutes. I wanted to ensure that I voted on the issues exactly as I planned.   No judge votes from me, as I don't feel I knew them enough to make an educated decision.

 

Don't you know about this site?  www.judge4yourself.com

 

I never voted for judges until this site was created.

^Nope.  I didn't know about the site.

I just vote for the Italians.

Wow, that's surprising.  It's been publicized everywhere - cool cleveland, the PD, I've seen it more this year than ever.  It was even mentioned on my artists' listserv.

^^Yay--caving into conventional profiling!  (I hope you're joking.)

I don't really understand your comment but no, I'm not joking. 

^Yay--caving into conventional profiling! (I hope you're joking.)

 

Of course I am. Everyone knows the Irish make better judges. ;)

Wow, that's surprising. It's been publicized everywhere - cool cleveland, the PD, I've seen it more this year than ever. It was even mentioned on my artists' listserv.

 

Sorry, man.  I wasn't going to give votes away to people ,if I didn't know for certain who I favored.

ok.  I hope you'll use it next election.

Well, posted in the election thread before I saw this one....

 

Absolutely no line at 7am this morning at the Sterling Rec Center (Asiatown, Cleveland).  Walked right in, voted, walked right out :-D

No problems on the Westside of Cincy. Got in and out in less than 15 minutes.

 

I never understood the point of early voting especially with the hours long waits. After my experience this morning, even less so.

If you have not voted, get out there by 7PM.  I proudly voted for John Sidney McCain III this morning and am hoping for 80%+ as some have predicted.

 

No problem in Lorain County for me.  I arrived at 6:15 AM and the line was out the door.  I was back in my car at 7AM.  Not too bad.

If you're going to use his full name... isn't it Jonathan Sidney McCain III?

 

I'll be voting this afternoon at the Corryville Public Library. I have class til noon. Any lines reported there?

^I hope you're not going to post "proudly voted for John Sidney McCain III" in each of your posts today...

?

John is not short for Jonathan

[Got to the Main Library in DT Cinci at 6:45 and the line was over one hour long. The sign on the outside said "PRECINCT 6E" but nothing else -- and my precinct was 6F. Several others were wondering what the deal was, because the library was the voting place for 6A, 6E and 6F.

 

 

Sounds like I was at the library during the same time you were.  I saw a few forumers there as well.  I'm also in precint 6F.  I arrived around 7:10 or 7:15, and I finished voting around 8:30.  Those three short lines at the end were not marked off well in my opinion. 

 

I wish I would have had reading material or my iPod with me. 

John is not short for Jonathan

 

I wasn't sure. I know for some people it is but for some it's not.

[Got to the Main Library in DT Cinci at 6:45 and the line was over one hour long. The sign on the outside said "PRECINCT 6E" but nothing else -- and my precinct was 6F. Several others were wondering what the deal was, because the library was the voting place for 6A, 6E and 6F.

 

 

Sounds like I was at the library during the same time you were. I saw a few forumers there as well. I'm also in precint 6F. I arrived around 7:10 or 7:15, and I finished voting around 8:30. Those three short lines at the end were not marked off well in my opinion.

 

I wish I would have had reading material or my iPod with me.

 

Same here. I was in a black jacket and had a brown JCrew "man bag" FTW. Was a fun experience nevertheless!

Did y'all remember to get your free coffee from Starbucks?  All day, if you voted. I'm voting in one hour.

Got to Pilgrim Congregational Church in Tremont at 6:50am - a line of about 15-20 people. It would have been less but apparently the person assigned the duty of checking IDs and names didn't have her glasses with her. Umm, 1. you'd think you'd have them if you're doing something important, like volunteering at the polls for a PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION and 2. you'd think the other volunteers would give her a different duty like handing people their ballots. :roll:

 

Anyway, I understand that she needed people to spell their names to her - but uh, this is Tremont - here's a good example of a typical last name:

 

 

All in all it wasn't that bad, but next time it's absentee for me.

 

There are a lot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadeusz_Ko%C5%9Bciuszko">Kosciuszkos</a> living in that neighborhood? Impressive.

 

I voted at Bollinger Tower here in Columbus. Got there a bit after 6:30AM and the line stretched about 50 deep into the parking lot and about 50 deep inside the door and into the polling place. Decent pace. We were in and out in about an hour and a half. My five year-old held up well.

 

Afterwards, as promised, we stopped by Piece of Cake bakery for cookies. We brought home several blue donkey cookies and a single red elephant cookie for my boss.

 

Yes: I am a suck-up.

It looks like the Poles were voting at the Pilgrim church :)

:D

 

 

HAHAHAHAHA

 

I wish we had poll dancers at the library.

I just wish we could vote in a libary, or any other building that is NOT A CHURCH.  I do not understand why I am continually forced to vote in a church.  How does this not conflict with separation of church and state?  I have wondered this ever since I turned 18 and started voting.

^I completely agree.  While I was standing in line, I wondered how people would react if we all had to vote in Islamic temples.

^Being an atheist, I really wouldn't give a sh!t. I was admiring the oak woodwork at my polling place, and I appreciate that they're an open and affirming UCC congregation but sorry - it's a beautiful building but that's where it ends.

 

My guess is that not all libraries are equipped or laid out to handle crowds like that, or not every precinct has a neutral "municipal/community" center? Pure speculation but that's the only reason I can come up with.

I just wish we could vote in a libary, or any other building that is NOT A CHURCH. I do not understand why I am continually forced to vote in a church. How does this not conflict with separation of church and state? I have wondered this ever since I turned 18 and started voting.

Uh, who cares?

Right.  I wouldn't mind either, but that would surely divide voters on its just nature.  All of a sudden, it would become a diplomacy issue and a defense issue.

They used to use schools until the "predators" became an issue.

I woke up a couple hours early (7 AM), put on some pants and walked to the polling station with my lady.  What a nice day, too.  After we voted, we went downtown to the Coffee Emporium and got some coffee before I had to head into work.

 

We live in East Walnut Hills, our polling place being at St. Ursula's (or is it Ursaline, I can never remember?).  There were a few people, but they had enough booths.  We didn't have to wait. 

well, I care, I don't like being in churches, it makes me uncomfortable and more than one I've been in had signs posted up that I find offensive.

 

As to "no other neutral territory," I just don't buy it.  We used to vote at the senior citizen's center and then they changed it to a church.  Many other people I know vote in schools, which we also have, I don't know why we can't vote in a school.  I just would strongly prefer a more neutral setting than a church.  I mean, I'm not Jewish but I would imagine if I were I wouldn't like seeing a big sign proclaiming JESUS IS LORD while I'm waiting to vote, and I don't appreciate it either.

 

Edited to add: or if I were an arabic american, and the sign said JESUS IS LORD.  I mean, we should just keep religion out of politics, that's what the founding fathers decided.

Are the free cookies and coffee at the polling places illegal too?

 

Possibly.

 

Certainly you can see what the law is trying to do (or was set up to address). Trust me, if a business that catered to a specific social group were giving away product in exchange for "I voted" stickers, there'd be wide scale outrage.

well, I care, I don't like being in churches, it makes me uncomfortable and more than one I've been in had signs posted up that I find offensive.

 

As to "no other neutral territory," I just don't buy it.  We used to vote at the senior citizen's center and then they changed it to a church.  Many other people I know vote in schools, which we also have, I don't know why we can't vote in a school.  I just would strongly prefer a more neutral setting than a church.  I mean, I'm not Jewish but I would imagine if I were I wouldn't like seeing a big sign proclaiming JESUS IS LORD while I'm waiting to vote, and I don't appreciate it either.

 

Edited to add: or if I were an arabic american, and the sign said JESUS IS LORD.  I mean, we should just keep religion out of politics, that's what the founding fathers decided.

 

Before Hamtramck, MI redrew its precincts, there used to be dozens of polling places within a 2.2 Square mile city. Many polls were in churches, but a few were actually in bars.

^IIRC, there was a group in the Jewish community of either Cleveland Heights or South Euclid that took the city to court because they didn't want to vote in a church.

The real question is what kind of beer am I going to get on my way home from work today?  Election day is like my Super Bowl.  I've already taken the day off tomorrow, and am open to suggestions.  I usually don't stray too far from pale ales and porters, although a good lager is not out of the question.  :)

At least this year I'll be drinking to celebrate and not to anesthetize (if the political market predictions hold).

My voting experience was quite moving.  I live in Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood with lots of Obama support.  I have never, ever had to wait in line to vote in my 19 years of voting at this same location (actually our location was at the local school, but that changed a few years ago because of the sexual predator issue I believe). The church at which we now vote did need to add a handicapped ramp to comply.

 

At 7am the line was out the door and moving slowly.  Comments of people in line were things like "we've waited long for this" and "what a beautiful day".  A guy behind me said he lives at the Drop Inn Center (local homeless shelter).  It took me about an hour to get through the line and vote, which might not seem unusual, but if you knew my neighborhood, you would know that this was very unusual, especially since we have many vacant buildings in our district.

This county uses PAPER ballots? Fill in the box? Old-fashioned and slow, but reliable I suppose. I suppose coming from backwards-Kentucky where I was accustomed to using electronic ballots and being in-and-out in 1 minute instead of 10 minutes...

 

Afterwards, I had my paper scanned and received the "okay" that my vote was tallied!

 

The line when I left was down to 30 minutes. Go figure. I went early to beat the lines and it gets shorter as I leave!

 

Believe me, as a tech junkie and avid reader of tech news, you don't want an electronic voting system.

 

I forgot where, but a new machine that WAS going to be used somewhere in, I believe New England was hacked in like 3 minutes.

 

Electronic Voting Machines=Backwards

Paper Voting Systems=Paper Trails

Consider our region lucky, I suppose.  I was up in Erie, PA, and all the Trappists they had there were $7 to $10 per bottle.

 

The one that I had wasn't cheap.  I think it was around $5-6 per bottle.  Worth it, of course, but not cheap.

 

My voting experience was quite moving.  I live in Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood with lots of Obama support.  I have never, ever had to wait in line to vote in my 19 years of voting at this same location (actually our location was at the local school, but that changed a few years ago because of the sexual predator issue I believe). The church at which we now vote did need to add a handicapped ramp to comply.

 

At 7am the line was out the door and moving slowly.  Comments of people in line were things like "we've waited long for this" and "what a beautiful day".   A guy behind me said he lives at the Drop Inn Center (local homeless shelter).  It took me about an hour to get through the line and vote, which might not seem unusual, but if you knew my neighborhood, you would know that this was very unusual, especially since we have many vacant buildings in our district.

 

That's what's going to win the election.  :)