Tuesday, November 04, 2008

When I Was Your Age, I Walked 10 Miles in the Snow to the Polling Station


So, any crazy voting stories yet? 

Oregon is a vote by mail state, which is both blissfully convenient and depressingly anticlimactic. While putting a stamp on an envelope hardly feels patriotic, I'm not going to complain, since I've already heard some harrowing tales from the polling stations in other states—how's it goin' out there? 

I'm working the polls in Virginia later (I think my official job title is "KEEP THE PEOPLE IN LINE HAPPY SO THEY DON'T GO HOME"), so maybe I'll see some of you there, and if I do, I'll tell you a knock-knock joke.

Tonight we make history.

34 comments:

Anonymous said...

Got up at 6 am to vote! Waited in line next to a smelly guy for about an hour but was too excited to care.

Unknown said...

I'm not American but I love the passion you guys seem to have! It's much nicer than over here! :D

WendyB said...

I had a relatively short wait but would definitely prefer voting by mail in the future.

Lauren said...

Voted in Manhattan early this morning...I was lucky, only waited in line for about 45 minutes but a friend of mine waited in Brooklyn for 3 hours!

Completely worth it, there is something about pulling that lever that makes you feel like you have accomplished something great.

So proud to help make history :-)

Kim said...

We had to vote absentee, but later we're going to join my inlaws who've been working the polls (dirty!) since very early this morning.
I blogged about what I'm going to have to do tonight to keep my husband calm for the evening. Now that I've posted, I'm a little embarrassed, but whatever. Bigger things to worry about today.

MizzJ said...

I'm not American, but I'm so happy to hear of anyone votes! This election is important not only to America, but the world. Get out there and vote people!

Anonymous said...

I voted last Friday (gotta love early voting) and while it was uneventful, I did get my hackles up at one point. I heard a couple in line complaining about all the first-time voters, and the woman said, "Stupid teenagers, thinking their opinions count." As a high school teacher and a human being, I was terribly offended! My students are so excited and informed, and their opinions most certainly do count! I'm so grateful that my kids don't let negativity get to them and are eager to help change the world. :)

TheSundayBest said...

fivethirtyeight is predicting a 348-189 Obama win.

And the Redskins lost.

Win all around.

Today's captcha - "ansuckee."

Mandy said...

Here in LA I waited in a line that went around the block for more than an hour to vote. They put three precincts (all the precincts with majorities of apartment buildings, by the way) in the same polling station! Gah.

WAY WORTH IT THOUGH. Felt very patriotic as I did the little ink spots on the ballot. Plus, California is voting for gay marriage rights. It is definitely a huge day.

Have fun at the polls tonight!

Lisa said...

My host here in NYC got up early to vote and get coffee. He said his wait wasn't too bad.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

Other than having to drive out to Reston at my lunch hour(s), my experience was fairly boring. I heard that the lines were really long early in the day, but I just walked right in.

The only drama was a panicked moment when I realized that I forgot to pick up my "I voted" sticker, and had to go back in to get it. That sticker is supposed to get me a free coffee, scoop of ice cream or doughnut! When I'm going to find time to go to Starbucks, Ben & Jerry's or Dunkin Donuts today? I'm not sure. But I like to have options. Isn't that what voting is all about?? (I mean the options, not the ice cream - or maybe both, but options first)

Anonymous said...

I'm British but I've literally been counting down to today.
I'm very excited for the results.

hope505 said...

I love that picture! *hahaha!* Of course you can use firearms in lieu of a hammer! This is America!

Anonymous said...

http://fatpinkhippo.wordpress.com/2008/11/04/i-voted/ My voting story. Perhaps you can maybe find someone to answer why this keeps happening to me? I dunno.

Katy said...

Have fun! Here's a good one:
Knock Knock.
Who's there?
Termite.
Termite who?
Termite's the night!

Anonymous said...

Hope you don't have to tap dance to keep the voters entertained. I voted absentee weeks ago on the advice of the hubs, and although I've heard few tales of voting woe, I'm glad to have cast mine early! GO O!

Guy Faux said...

I hope we make history. I'm scared.

Sara Darling said...

Q: How many ears did Davy Crockett have?

A. Three. His left ear, his right ear and his WILD front-ear! (It helps if you do a funny gesture with your hand in front of your forehead.)

Anonymous said...

Lisa - I don't know where you find the strength to teach high school but I salute you darling. I have two brothers who were first time voters today and couldn't wait to give me every little detail (mainly about how the table in their booth was so low that they had to stick out into the aisle), I can't believe people actually say and believe things like that!

*~Dani~* said...

I want to live in a vote by mail state~ How great! This morning around 7 am the line was TOO long. Luckily, I have flexibility with my schedule and went back in the afternoon to a much shorter line. Made me much happier.

In other news, I don't think I have ever pulled a lever while voting.

hollarback said...

All's well in Southern Cal. (I know you Oregon types like to mock those of us who are rain deprived - but you can't argue with 55 electoral votes...)

I actually like going to vote election day -grew up going and waiting while my parents voted. I would hate to vote by mail. Sorry - I just need the whole effect on the actual day, there is just something very satisfying about it. Lines be damned.

Voting was really quick and easy - lots of people but hardly any lines. Everyone was in a good mood. Here's hoping Obama carries the day nationally, and that prop 8 bites the big one in CA.

Megan said...

I'm an absentee voter too (from CA), but I'm going in to personally hand in my ballot to have some of the day's excitement rub off on me. I will be joining my husband while he does his civic duty!

Poochie said...

Yeah, well here's mine...
We got up at 5:45 to get in line first thing. It's raining, we brought the dog since we didn't want to lock him up. Brought a book, phones, water etc. Went to our usual voting location and got in line. Waited, waited waited. Got to the front andddddddd.... we were in the wrong location.

Morons!

Found out they added a location literally right next door to our house. We could have walked.

So we went over there and got in and out in 10 min.

So there you go.

Luv
Poochie

Anonymous said...

You're right, having mail-in ballots in Oregon is "blissfully convenient"... except for those people they've been showing on the news here for the last few days who waited so long that they had to hand-deliver their ballots. I don't understand... you get your ballot in the mail WEEKS in advance and wait until two days before the election to fill it out? So then you have to drive across town to the Washington County ballot-drop off only to find yourself on Murray Blvd. for two hours. (Don't worry, for those of you who have no idea where I'm talking about, Winona does...) It makes no sense.

Anonymous said...

I'm reading how long you all have to wait in line to vote and wondering why? In Australia we have compulsory voting, so (almost) EVERYONE turns out to vote, and I've never waited more than 30 minutes in line. How unorganised are you guys?

And you have to pay for the stamp for mail in votes? Whats a jib. We get stamped envelopes for if you can't make it on the day.

I feel proud to be an Australian right now, compulsory voting is the business.

Anonymous said...

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK!

islander said...

Just moved from Ohio to Washington last week so I voted early in my hometown. I'm glad that Ohio didn't let us down this time around and I'm also proud to be from TWO blue states now!

NoLimit said...

Wow! you sure did it!!!
Yes we can...Yes we did!!!

echidna girl said...

Completely uneventful. Little Hip Chick was happy because she got to wear the I Voted sticker. This turned into BLISS because her ballet teacher was also wearing one and none of the other little ballerinas did, so she was totally ahead of the fashion curve in the 4-year old demographic yesterday.

Biz said...

The election is over and I'm still too excited to sleep. I'VE BEEN UP FOR 28 HOURS. WOO, OBAMA.

Anonymous said...

IT'S OBAMA, BABY! okay so yeah i'm not american but eh this is the start of a new era!

Anonymous said...

King County is the last place in Washington state where you can vote in person--for one more year. Then it'll be like Oregon. So I voted in person for the first & last time. There were no lines and it was very quick & easy. We did see a hipster slapping a sticker over the 'Republican Street' sign.

The Nooky Manifesto said...

OBAMA WON!
i'm ridiculously excited, eventhough i'm british! now i get to watch the 7 hours of election coverage which i recorded last night because it was too late to watch it live.

Anonymous said...

We had a nice discussion in civics today about Oregon. My teacher, being a short and bitter Libertarian, thinks everyone should have to wait in lines (and take IQ tests, but that's another story) to vote. It weeds out the weak.
I love him.

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