Starbucks isn't even open, and there's a liine around the block, probably 100 people. Thought I'd give j-mac an early lead in the heart of liberal US America, but no such luck... In 2004 at the same hour, I just walked in the door, no lines, no waiting. I guess folks want to get this pahty stahted...
This Presidential election will have the greatest voter turnout in history, and it will sweep Obama into the White House. Bank on it.
Its utter b.s where I live. I show up at 6:07AM to my polling station here in Jersey City, NJ. Polling has opened at 6AM at this station here. Good news... the polling station is at the ground floor of my condo building. Bad news...there are already 250 people in line and there are only 2 voting booths open. I wait in line for about 30 minutes, and about 25 people finish voting. 6:45AM...I decide to leave and try my luck later on this afternoon.
took me about 35 minutes once the doors opened at 6, so a little under an hour in line. part of the problem is they don't hire the sharpest folks to man the polling stations, the machines are confusing, and some of the voters are dim bulbs themselves. also saw a few Obama buttons, which is supposed to be strictly verboten.
Usually its the elderly/retirees who volunteer, and they just do things at a slightly slower pace than your average 20 or 30 something would. We need to make every election day, every year, a national holiday...
16 years of voting in New York and never a wait. This morning I got in line @ 6:30, pulled the lever @ 7:45. In New York City! God Bless America!
Also, save your "I voted" stickers you can get a free donut from Krispy Kreme's and also get a free chick-fil-a sandwich from chick-fil-a
The reason for the long lines at Starbucks is probably due to the fact that they are giving away FREE coffee today.
I went pretending to show support for McCain. They bumped me to the front of the line. .....only to vote for Obama. BIATCH!!!!
Maybe if we made voting more accessible and easier you would not have to wait. However, on the legislative side, this process is frequently opposed by one group of politicians in particular, who consistently chant "voter fraud!" whenever easing voting practices are discussed, such as extended hours and early voting - despite not being able to cite any evidence of such fraud or a rational relation to any of the proposed measures.
Like has been written about already, I predict this election will vault early voting into the mainstream and change the way national and statewide elections are held. By 2016, I betcha more than half the voters in this country will exercise their right BEFORE election day. Standing in line in 2000 is what made me change. More states will start allowing unconditional early voting and it may even become a federal issue.
it'd be hard to get easier than it is in manhattan- just show up and give 'em your name, they cross it off a list. no IDs, not voter registration cards, nothin', so i'm not sure what your point is. and there's already a ton of evidence of voter fraud out there if you care to look. for instance, in Dixville Notch this AM, 15 votes for Obama, 6 for McCain, in a town with 19 registered voters...
Can you imagine how anti-climactic it would be if we knew HALF the returns before the election? Man, that'd be a serious downer! Thank god they keep em sealed.
