Eh, where I went, we had a line of 6 or so for Democrats and no line for Republicans. Depends on your neighborhood. I always am surprised by reports of long lines for voting because I've never had one except the one time I tried voting early. This year's line of 6 people was the longest election day line I've ever been in. Props, I suppose, to people who waited in line until 10 pm yesterday to cast a vote that will have an infinitesimal impact on our future.
Where I voted, it was particularly strange... ...elementary school...two lines...happened to be late in the evening (after 5p)... ...the Democratic line was very long...the site workers routinely would announce to the people in the line that if they were voting Republican, there was another line for them (thinking, perhaps, that the line was so long because people weren't aware there were two lines...)... ...and when I say a long line...I mean out-of-the-door, around-the-corner long...(have to admit to not seeing anything like this in a primary election since at least 2008)...anecdotal, of course... ...stood in that line for an hour at least... ...as I got to the front of the building, someone wanted to report what they felt was an irregularity...despite the extremely long line for Democratic voters...there were only four voting machines available on that side,while there were 8 machines available for a virtually non-existent Republican electorate (at this location)... ...the thinking, I can only guess, being that there was no attempt made by the site workers to accommodate the turnout and make the process a little bit speedier... ...spent my time talking to a couple of young white guys in line in front of me (couldn't have been more than 30 years old)...who were more than a little surprised at some of the little things like this that they saw at this site... ...for whatever it's worth, I'm more than ready to accept (or at least concede) that the election rules were what they were, and that the volunteer site workers (bless them) were only going to follow the rules as they were... ...but the point I tried to make to the young men was, that this type of thing happens with apathy, born primarily from persistent resistance. ...also pointed out that, for all of the corruption and contempt from the general public for how the voting process works (its archaic, given the numbers of the populace)... ...if there was all that much wrong with the process...then why would so much consistent effort be put into buying it? It's not necessarily contempt for our democratic process (flawed in many ways, certainly) that's the problem... ...as it is contempt for the potential participants. Nature (and a democratic election, apparently) abhors a vacuum. Something's going to fill an empty or vacated space.
...Tell you what... ...here's where I voted yesterday: Ed White Elementary School 9001 Triola Ln Houston ...see if you can uncover what happened there (again, not necessarily an impropriety as much as an inconvenience)... ...results of "shrinking" polling districts and "realigning" voting locations and the like.... ...you're good at exposing an ignorant race-baiting, brainwashed Negro like me... Happy hunting.
The rule to which my wife took exception was the consolidation of Democrat sites into fewer locations. The school where I have voted in every general election since 2006 was Republican-only, as were many other sites listed. However, the site where I went, labeled Democrat-only on the website, had polling for both Democrats and Republicans. Looks like a way for Republicans to make it harder for Democrats to vote and to suppress Democrat numbers. I guess if they didn't cheat, they wouldn't win anything.
...well, that was my whole point earlier. ...and the reason why Republicans can make it harder for Democrats to vote and to suppress Democratic numbers is because of the vacuums that appear in voting in a "red" state like ours. ...Look. Say whatever it is you want about rigged elections...paid-off delegates and superdelegates...corporations buying entire electoral platforms... ...why would so much effort go into buying something that was worthless? I mean, even conmen and shysters and hucksters don't try selling you the same junk in the same place at the same time... ...this is almost entirely about one person, one vote, to me. And the only reason you "accommodate" or "facilitate" one vote over another is an abiding contempt for that other person's vote. Little aside to my experience yesterday...saw more that a few Negroes who got off the Democratic plantation and voted Republican...and nothing made me happier. Maybe because I'm not inclined to think that there's something wrong with somebody having their own opinion...and having the right to express it and vote on it if they so choose. Not altogether uncommon to see...and like I said, for me, personally, very gratifying. I'm also not inclined to forget what was because more than a few people want to muddy the waters and claim things that were never true in order to hold up things that were always wrong...
Not making an excuse for slimy GOP behavior but that's why Voting early is key. I wish more folks knew or stopped being late to vote.
I don't vote early because the lines are always too long. I never have to wait longer than about 10 minutes when I vote on election day.
Two lines where I want. Split into the first half of the alphabet and second half. Second half was much shorter but they didn't do anything to accommodate the first half. Blatant discrimination
Only thing that made me mad was the Republican side having 8 voting machines while the Democratic side having 4. Outrageous.
The blatant cheating - gerrymandering districts outside of the normal redistricting process following the census every decade, the photo ID requirement, even if you have a voter registration card, that hurts the poor more than anyone else. One of my sons had to bring his passport in order to prove his identity before he could vote. He doesn't drive and has no interest in learning (yeah, not at all like his father in that way, but similar political leanings, thank god). He isn't the GOP target. He'll eventually get the "state ID card," something else to stuff in his wallet. The target are the poor who can't afford a car and don't possess a drivers license, much less having a passport for their "trips abroad." Many are unaware a state ID even exists, busy trying to support their family, without the wherewithal to spend hours on the Internet, keeping up with the news like many of us here do. Actively attempting to suppress the vote, when encouraging Americans to vote should be everyone's job, is the modus operandi of the Republican Party. Your example is simply one of many, but no less outrageous.
I had the same experience. My usual polling place was Republican only, but the Democrat location also had Republican voting. They no doubt expected a large Republican turnout in Texas, which is perfectly reasonable. With Trump in, they've been breaking records. I don't see a conspiracy here. Long lines for Democrats in a primary don't favor Democrats over Republicans. It might favor Sanders or Clinton vis-a-vis one another. And short lines for the Republican primary probably favors Trump as the prime beneficiary of the casual voter. I doubt that's what the local party apparatus was shooting for (but who knows?). I give the election folks the benefit of the doubt. They're being asked to forecast turnout at a local level, by party, and by hour. What if they convert some Republican machines to Democrat at 10 am, only to find out there's going to be a big lunchtime rush of Republicans. And get accused of rigging the system by voters of the other persuasion. It's better to just stick with the plan and stay open to get all voters. A couple of possible solutions though: 1. Have too many machines. You can assure short lines if you have more machines than you can possibly need. But that costs money. 2. Don't dedicate machines by Party. I'm not even sure why the do this. Why can't you have a single set of machines and the ballot a machine presents depends on which party you pick. There still remains the problem, of course, of some locations having longer lines than other locations. 3. Online voting. Wouldn't do it today with the way everyone is hacking everything. But surely some day we can make a secure way that people can fill out their ballot on a device and send it in without getting off their asses at all.
