Our Voting Experiences

[FilmFan720]

rainBard, only you are allowed to take someone's favorite movie into consideration when voting...if the American public did so, we might end up with Will Ferrel winning the presidency.

[rain Bard]

I did. I haven't talked to him since 1991, and I have no idea what his positions might be. So I was a bit conflicted in the booth. But since we have ranked-choice voting here in San Francisco (just like the Oscars!) I figured it would be fine for me to put him as my #1 choice, and put down as #2 the candidate I actually hope to win, who has a lot of high-profile endorsements and a very good chance to contend.

I remember asking him what his favorite movie was back in 11th grade, and his response was that he hadn't seen any theatrical releases he liked as well as the "V" television series.

[FilmFan720]

I didn't know until I was in the booth that my high school chemistry class lab partner was running for district supervisor. He wasn't one of the higher-profile candidates, with a budget to send almost-daily flyers into my mailbox (grrrr.)

Did you vote for him (if you don't mind my asking)?

[flipp525]

(psst - flipp, I think you're up in the Peneloposcar game)

I'll post my choice later tonight. Sorry for the holdup. I'm off to an election party. I'm gonna wave at Obama's new house on my way there!

[OscarGuy]

I'm going to log into Yahoo Messenger if anyone wants to talk. Or if anyone knows of a good mass-chat program we can all get together and chat.

[rain Bard]

Mine took a while, not because of lines (there were none at 12:30 PM- the beauty of working the late shift on Tuesdays), but because there were more city and state initiatives than I can recall having seen before. Though I must admit I also wasn't as prepared for some of these (besides the obvious ones- No on 8 first and foremost) as I usually am. I didn't know until I was in the booth that my high school chemistry class lab partner was running for district supervisor. He wasn't one of the higher-profile candidates, with a budget to send almost-daily flyers into my mailbox (grrrr.)

On the way in I bumped into a childhood pal from the neighborhood. I don't think he's a usual voter, so it felt like a good sign to see him there.

(psst - flipp, I think you're up in the Peneloposcar game)

[flipp525]

I'm still a registered Virginia voter and just got back from voting for Obama in my hometown. It took all of 5 minutes and felt wonderful to vote in such a crucial battleground state.



Edited By flipp525 on 1225837358

[Greg]

Because I voted early, I spent the morning today canvassing for the Obama campaign. As it was morning, the majority of the doors I knocked on had people who weren't home; however, I came across probably more than a dozen people who had already voted for Obama before noon.

[Big Magilla]

I've voted by absentee ballot for more than twenty years so I have no recent stories.

The longest line I was ever in was in 1972 when as it happens I was sandwiched between Eli Wallach and his wife Anne Jackson. Oddly enough no one bothered Eli, but all the neighborhood ladies went out of their way to guffaw over Anne and inquire about her daughters. You would have thought she was the star in the family.

[MovieWes]

Also, Chick-Fil-A is giving away free chicken sandwiches today, but you have to have a sticker that proves you voted to capitalize.

[Sonic Youth]

I voted around 7:40 am this morning... got in the voting booth, thought about who I'd be better off under and I cast my ballot... but in the end I could not vote for Bob Barr. As much as it pained me, as much as I despised it, I could not bring myself to vote for John McCain and for the first time in my life I voted for a Democrat. I felt so dirty, but I had to somehow.

However, I've had three cups of coffee from Starbucks.

For those who may not be in the know, it's not just Starbucks. Krispy Kreme and Ben & Jerry's are also giving away free stuff if you vote (or say you did).

So go out and vote, and get your free coffee, donut and ice cream. Then hope Obama's health care plan will be adequate enough to cover your diabetes and tooth decay.

[barrybrooks8]

I just voted. I live about three blocks away from the library where I have voted for the last 6 years (Ward of 49 of the city of Milwaukee). I left my apartment at 12:45, and it's 1:10 now and I am home. There was no one in line! I was voter number 479. My roommate was there at 8 in the morning and waited about 40 minutes. There were a lot of scene kids outside the voting room waiting to get registered; I assume they go to UWM and waited until the late minute to register, which in Wisconsin, you can do. There was no exit poller, and very little going on around period. It's unseasonably warm here today, about 75 degrees, and with the leaves on the ground and so many OBAMA/BIDEN signs, it's truly a beautiful day. There was a House of Representatives race between the incumbent Democrat Gwen Moore (who has been riddled with family scandal) and someone from the "Purple Party," which I will wikipedia right after I post this. There were two referendums, one to require employers in the city to pay people for sick days, and the other to add 1% to the city sales tax and reduce property taxes for the sole purpose of improving the city's parks. I voted Yes for sick days and No for the tax. I know the second one makes me seem like a monster, but, the people in the city don't take care of what they've got, so I don't think improvements on parks would be appreciated (plus, I don't own property).

[Damien]

I went to vote shortly after noon. The lines were the longest I've ever seen (4 years ago, voter turnout was considered heavy in my Hell's Kitchen precinct, but the lines then were maybe 1/4 of today's). Fortunately, for some reason my particular election district wasn't too bad (in New York City, several election districts vote at the same location), so I was in and out in 35 minutes, despite some problems with voting machines and ill-informed workers.

The local NBC and CBS affiliates were there doing stories about machine breakdowns, but the best part of my voting experience was seeing my favorite comedian. Lewis Black, waiting on line to vote.

[Mister Tee]

I voted around 7:40 am this morning... got in the voting booth, thought about who I'd be better off under and I cast my ballot... but in the end I could not vote for Bob Barr. As much as it pained me, as much as I despised it, I could not bring myself to vote for John McCain and for the first time in my life I voted for a Democrat. I felt so dirty, but I had to somehow.

However, I've had three cups of coffee from Starbucks.

You earned all three cups, MovieWes. Happy to have you with us, if only for a day, and not quite in spirit.

[MovieWes]

I voted around 7:40 am this morning... got in the voting booth, thought about who I'd be better off under and I cast my ballot... but in the end I could not vote for Bob Barr. As much as it pained me, as much as I despised it, I could not bring myself to vote for John McCain and for the first time in my life I voted for a Democrat. I felt so dirty, but I had to somehow.

However, I've had three cups of coffee from Starbucks.