Show support for your candidates by voting.
(My first election too, so I'm kind of jumpy.)
I would vote but I forgot to register and also have no idea about any of the candidates. =D The extent of my caring about this has been narrowed to annoyance with my school's refusal to close down classes even though it will be used as a voting area.
Yay for election day, I can't wait!
...because the political ads will FINALLY. STOP.
and I won't have to chuck my TV out the window.
woo hoo! 
oh, and I suppose I might as well vote or something too, I guess.
I honestly have no clue who I'm going to vote for.
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Yay for election day, I can't wait!
...because the political ads will FINALLY. STOP.
and I won't have to chuck my TV out the window.
Same here! Same here!
** can't vote not because there's no options besides the GOP and the Democrats but because of my status which if you want to find more, you'll have to leave a cheezeMessage **
Awww, my son doesn't take after me. **sniff**
It's just a matter of when I decide to head to the polls. I'll probably wait until after work just to get a better idea of how many people have voted in my area.
Sure, in NY, with the exception of Congressional races (which are local things and obviously vary), the latest scandal surrounding the comptroller, and perhaps the attorney general race everything is pretty much set to be a landslide, but voting is too important to me not to do.
I will be up to bug people to vote that I know, including my sis in CA. ;D
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the latest scandal surrounding the comptroller
Westchester, NY newspaper latest article on Hevesi.
Wikipedia bibliography on Alan Hevesi for reference.
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** points to my first post in this topic **
I'd like to remind all Americans that they are not obligated, legally or morally, to vote. If you don't feel like voting tomorrow, don't.
I already voted by means of Absentie Ballot =D... Have fun standing in line guys 
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Thank Jesus the ads will stop...for a year, before the 08 Presidential ads start ><
I'll be getting my vote on tomarrow morning! To those who don't bother to vote: You make sexyback Astrid cry.
However you vote, know this: the world is watching.
Not that most Americans have ever cared too much about that 
I really need to know, is your election right now for the govener of each state? Or is it for various people in each town and offices throughout your country? Because right now in my town in Bracebridge Canada, we are bombarded by signs for elections for various positions in the town.
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I'd like to remind all Americans that they are not obligated, legally or morally, to vote.
True, but it also means that if you choose not to do it, don't complain about anything that happens in terms of governing.
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I really need to know, is your election right now for the govener of each state? Or is it for various people in each town and offices throughout your country?
Varies from state to state. The only thing that everyone is going to vote for is their House of Representative (federal government) member as that happens every 2 years. Whether you have Senator (federal government), Governor, or other races depends on your location.
My dad is one of those "evil" people with signs out on our front lawn for the past month. Only one got torn down by someone, who seemingly doesn't like a certain politician as a bunch of her signs got torn down all over constantly. The rest my dad put up were left alone.
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True, but it also means that if you choose not to do it, don't complain about anything that happens in terms of governing.
I disagree. Vote as much or as little as you like, and complain as much or as little as you like.
When I got my driver's license, I was asked on the spot if I'd like to register for selective services, and to vote. I said yes.
I went in to vote today and I'm not registered.
Guess I'm good enough to go die for our country, but not good enough to take an interest in political affairs?
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I already voted by means of Absentie Ballot =D...
That's the same way I always vote as well, definitely convenient... Of course, the thing is still sitting on my desk at the moment. Heh. I always seem to put it off until the last minute. Suppose I really ought to get the thing filled out before the post office closes...
Voted last week via absentee ballot. My votes are not to be public knowledge.
I disagree. Vote as much or as little as you like, and complain as much or as little as you like.
That seems a bit disingenuous at best. Either choose not to vote and accept that politicians aren't going to bother making you happy because you aren't worth it, or vote. If you thumb your nose at the political establishment, you can expect them to do likewise to you.
Protest by not voting? Sure. Just as long as you know the implications.
Thanks, Pundit. You said it. ^_~ I don't even consider not voting a protest really as you're not showing that you "exist." Considering most people don't have the money to show that they exist, voting is the only thing everyone can do. You can always write-in a candidate to protest. Cartoon characters and presidents from TV series are some of the more popular protest write-ins. 😉
Sakaki, they probably only registered you for selective services because that is something that males "must" do. Your situation unfortunately happens to a lot of young guys that don't fill out the voting registration form themselves.
Zero, it depends on where you live and how strict they are about absentee voting. Unless I have a reason for not being able to get to the polls, I'm supposed to vote in person. ;p
Only one got torn down by someone, who seemingly doesn't like a certain politician as a bunch of her signs got torn down all over constantly.
There are two people I can think of who can subscribe to that particular type of tear-em-down abuse with their signs.
If you would give me the first letter of her last name as a clue, I would be able to figure it out. I won't say who, of course. Can't let them outsiders know. :p
College ends for me at 3:15 PM.
I remember that I have to meet with my councilor to discuss registering for classes for the next semester. By the time I get out of UAB, it's 4:10.
You know what that means when heading south from the Birmingham area?
RUSH HOUR.
So it's about 5:00 PM when I get to Alabaster.
And I have no idea where my polling spot is. I registered several months ago, and I've long forgotten where to go.
So I begin a systematic search. Take note that earlier this day between classes, I searched long and hard for polling spots in Alabama. My searches via Google were fruitless (though I did find poll finders for Georgia, Alaska, and Minnesota...).
First is Shelby Crossings. Empty. It is now 5:30.
Next, a church along Route 31 (Baptist I think). Turns out I'm now technically in Pelham. I'm redirected to Silurian Methodist in Alabaster on Route 119. 5:50.
I get there, and I see cars! Joy of joys!
Then I get told that my specific voting spot is Southside Baptist Church.
Some mental anger, but it's fine. I get back to my car and go down along 119. As the clock hits 6:15, I see the LONGEST LINE OF CARS, EVER. "Dude, what is this?!"
It takes me 20 minutes to go one mile. I see the church further down the road! I pull in to the nearest grocery store parking lot and RUN across the road and across a grass field to the church.
The sign says "First Presbyterian Church".
I scream. "You've gotta be kidding!"
I run back to my car. I hear some guys in the midst of the election day traffic call out 'Run Forrest, RUN!'.
I'm in my car, and it is now 6:45 PM. The only other church I can think of is the one by Veterans' Park, so I get in my car and take the long way around to avoid the clogged traffic. It's ten more minutes than normal, but the traffic would have taken longer to navigate through.
I get back on 119. I see Southside Baptist Church! It's so beautiful! I run to the door!
A man opens the door and says that the poll's closed.
It is 7:05 PM.
I get back inside my car. I scream real loud.
And my family has a good laugh at dinner when I get home.
...yeah. 3 Hours are now gone. WASTED
Well...there's always 2008. *dives into the humorous cynicism of House*
Congratulations, America, on your elections that accomplish very very little =)
I don't understand this. Polling stations miles from where you live? Complicated machines that don't leave paper records, or break down and lose hundreds of votes? Having to register to vote every time? Polls closing at 7:00? Could someone tell me why voting in America sucks so much wang?
Man, alls I have to do is walk to the nearest polling station (which is clearly indicated on the letter I receive from the government a month beforehand), tell them my address, go in a booth with a little piece of paper, mark an X next to the guy I hate the least, put it in a box, and go home.
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Zero, it depends on where you live and how strict they are about absentee voting. Unless I have a reason for not being able to get to the polls, I'm supposed to vote in person. ;p
Huh, didn't realize it was different depending on the area. Guess I'm lucky I get to be lazy in my area then.
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Man, alls I have to do is walk to the nearest polling station (which is clearly indicated on the letter I receive from the government a month beforehand), tell them my address, go in a booth with a little piece of paper, mark an X next to the guy I hate the least, put it in a box, and go home.
Don't you not get to vote for both of your legislative houses in Canada?
By the way, interesting note. Working for a newspaper really sucks on election day. Why you ask? Well I'm not allowwed to go into all the details, but here's one. It's 3:32 am, CMT and I'm still at work.
Fun fun fun!
Her initials are EH. She's a NYS Assembly member so you may not know her. She won here again too. Actually, everyone who my dad had signs up for won and he did take them down around 10pm. ;p
Ultra, that stinks. Next time keep that mailing card (or however they do it in Alabama) with you.
Yeah, it was my first time.
It didn't go so well. :/
Anyhow, elections are over, Democrats have House majority, Senate is in the hands of the Republicans by only two seats, with a few races still to be decided.
Ultra, I know how you feel. I've been eligible twice and both times have been unable to vote. This time was my own fault really. I recently moved and didn't apply in time to vote here, but forgot to get an absentee ballot for my old state before leaving.
But 2004....nope, I was flat out disenfranchised then. I registerred months ahead of the election. I was excited about it, my first time voting and it was for president. I showed up at the polling places, and none of them had me on the rolls. They let me fill out a provisional ballot, but three months later, I got notice that my provisional ballot had been thrown away because they couldn't prove I was who I said I was.
Hopefully, I'll finally get this voting thing down pat by 2008.
A national ID card is what's needed. Free of charge, just simply prove who you are (birth certificate, driver's license...if you don't have them in your person, you'll be granted the opportunity to look up your records).
It'll have a little bar code that when you swipe it through an election machine and pick your candidate, it can't be used anymore through that election cycle.
Or thumbprints.
Or just plain ol' paper and pencil!
Anything to take care of voter fraud.
Voted Saturday afternoon, slept in yesterday morning. I love early voting.
Those of us at work last night spent most of it keeping track of the results with the New York Times or CNN. I'm happy with the results thus far. Now let's hurry up and get Virginia and Montana cleared up so we can all move on.
Don't you not get to vote for both of your legislative houses in Canada?
Nope. Senators are appointed for life by the Governor General on the advice of the Prime Minister. This could change soon though.
I was happy to see that one beneficial thing came out of the elections this morning (other than Democratic control of the House after 12 years)! The President's acceptance of Donald Rumsfield's resignation is a real step in the right direction, although I know little about the President of A&M who is slated to become Secretary of Defense and A&M is an extremely conservative campus, so maybe celebration is premature.
I watched the President's press conference concerning Rumsfield this morning and thought that while he handled the press better than he usually does, I'm a bit skeptical on his embrace of bipartisan policy making and attempts to make the country more unified. We heard these promises in 2004 and I've seen little resolve, which isn't suprising.
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Polling stations miles from where you live? Complicated machines that don't leave paper records, or break down and lose hundreds of votes? Having to register to vote every time? Polls closing at 7:00?
In my situation (I've voted in both Dallas and in Austin before) the polling station was at most 5 miles from where I lived. Where I voted yesterday in Austin was down the street. Dallas uses machines where as in Austin you fill in the bubble with a pencil, I think it differs everywhere. You don't have to register to vote every time,only when you move which can easily be done at any library or at the DMV,and some states offer same day registration. Polls do close at 7:00 in Texas, but I did have an entire 2 weeks of Early Voting that I could have taken advantage of.
The machines are the only things that really concern me, otherwise it isn't that bad.
Atleast my Govenor won... My Senator wasn't so lucky... He only got 39% of the vote D:
Well, a Senator from my state won. I don't know by how much, though.
Dallas uses machines where as in Austin you fill in the bubble with a pencil, I think it differs everywhere.
It's absolutely ridiculous that there is no standard from one district to another for federal elections. One would think that federal elections in the country that credits itself with polularizing democracy would not be executed with the grace and elegance of a Mexican cockfight.
They're not federal elections. Most districts were voting on, in addition to their congressional representation, their governor, state cabinent positions, state legislature, and even local positions. This is why it has to be different everywhere, because not every state has the same positions, ballots differ going down to the county level.
Here in San Juan County, New Mexico alone, we had elections for State treasurer, State auditor, attorney general, secretary of state, governor, several state legislature positions, several magistrate judges, and a county commissioner, not to mention Navajo citizens who also voted for Navajo council delegates and president for the Navajo Nation. Some of these positions don't even exist in other states, or even other counties in the same state.
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I watched the President's press conference concerning Rumsfield this morning and thought that while he handled the press better than he usually does
He started to lose it towards the end as the reporters got bolder and even more hostile. He got red faced and as soon as somebody gave him a positive question he seemed to run out while the running was good.
Britain's voting system is much like Canada's- nice and simple.
And it seems the Democrats have the Senate, Ultra.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world...131122.stm
Yeah, I know.
Meh. Oh well.
At least it was during midterms instead of a presidential election. Now Republicans might actually take the time for some introspection to see WHY they lost.
Corruption, sexual scandal, the economy, foreign policy and general disillusionment?
In England aren't you forced to vote for party instead of individuals? That seems like a very bad voting system, actually.
No. You vote for whichever MP you want to represent your constituency in parliament. MPs belong to a particular party and which ever party gets the most MPs in the Houses of Parliament gets to pick the government, but you're still voting for individuals. However, if you're not fussed on local issues but want to vote for a particular party, you can just vote for whichever of your local MPs represents that party. Not sure what happens if you like a party but don't like your local MP for that party, though, as IIRC each party can only have one MP in each constituency. Not sure, though - you'd have to check with someone who's actually voted before on that, since all my knowledge of the UK electoral system is second-hand.
Some MPs are independent, don't forget.
Oh aye. Make that most MPs belong to a particular party.
