Oct

30

Early voting open thread?

October 30, 2008 | 14 Comments

If you have voted early, how was it?  Leave your reports in the comments. Many states are seeing multi-hour waits to vote early.  Folks in KCK are complaining about the lack of evening/weekend voting hours and only one location.  Business seems brisk at KCMO’s satellite absentee voting locations.  Yours truly tried to vote at the Plaza Branch of the KC Public Library, but was turned away because the line was too long.  Reports say the line at that library has been long all day, every day.  Here’s my tip – head Downtown and vote at the Election Board HQ at 18th and Walnut.

Categories: Politics


Comments

14 Comments so far

  1. Sara on October 30, 2008 9:49 am

    What kind of reasons can you give for absentee voting in MO? I would love to vote early, but I don’t “technically” have an excuse…

  2. Bull E. Vard on October 30, 2008 10:20 am

    Voting in Johnson County was a breeze, the line seemed long, but with about 30 voting machines, it moved briskly. In KS it is silly to wait until election day, get out and vote (and write my name in for Sheriff, the guy is running unopposed).

  3. Bryan on October 30, 2008 12:06 pm

    I tried going to the Plaza branch around 5 pm on Tuesday but the line was far too long. Last week I mailed the election board for an absentee ballot, so I just filled that out and dropped it in the mail today.

    What do we have to do to get early voting in MO? It’d make sense for so many reasons.

  4. William Rockhill Nelson on October 30, 2008 12:40 pm

    Sara,

    All you have to do is them that you will be out of town on election day.

    Bryan,

    Write State Rep and State Senator. It is the General Assembly that has to vote to allow real early voting.

  5. Chimpo on October 30, 2008 12:51 pm

    JoCo resident here, and I early voted at the Metcalf South location. We showed up at 4:15 on a Tuesday and the line stretched a good distance through the mall. After just about an hour, we had finally made it to the front of the line. Saw a lot of people come in and turn around, and they weren’t even seeing half of the line. One of the guys that was validating your info told someone on the phone that it’s about a 45 minute wait and getting worse every day.

  6. Shay on October 30, 2008 1:13 pm

    Went to the 10 Quivira Plaza location in JoCo last Friday, about 6pm – I was in an out with no waiting at all. It was fabulous.

  7. Ryan on October 30, 2008 1:36 pm

    Aren’t votes from absentee ballots counted after all of the regular votes are counted on Nov. 4th!? I am weary of doing an absentee ballot and it not even being counted… Anyone know!?

  8. KK on October 31, 2008 10:39 am

    In most juristictions absentee ballots are actually counted first. “Provisional” ballots, those where they are unsure of the validity of the voter, are counted last.

  9. Dave on October 31, 2008 10:54 am

    i voted absentee at the KC election board a few weeks ago. i was one of two people at around 6 PM. you do NOT have to wait in line at the satellite locations… go to KCEB at 19th and walnut!

  10. Sara on October 31, 2008 11:11 am

    KK – Thank you for the clarification! I am still thinking about voting absentee, but maybe I’m changing my mind. It might be fun to stand there among the masses exercising my rights!

  11. ChrisM70 on October 31, 2008 3:18 pm

    I voted today at the 10 Quivira location in Shawnee today at around 1:00, and there was a line out the door. Even with what appeared to be a long line, it didn’t take more than 20 minutes, and the staff was very polite and helpful despite the cramped and chaotic conditions.

    (One note: There’s not a lot of privacy when voting because of the tight squeeze to fit all the voting machines inside a small strip-mall space that used to be a consignment store. Also, I still find it a little weird to be placing all my votes on a “credit card” ballot. Don’t steal our election Diebold!)

    I also have to say, after hearing more than 2 YEARS of campaign talk, I was very glad to finally get my vote cast, and every time it still makes me feel happy to live in a Democracy where we can choose our leaders.

    Now we just have to wait and see if America is finally ready for change.
    Obama/Biden!

  12. Eric Thut on October 31, 2008 9:46 pm

    I voted at the Center HS (KCMO) voting location this afternoon. Got there about 3 and took me till 6:15. The problem is not the numbers trying to vote – its the low number of machines they have (3) and the limited locations. With 3 machines they were only doing about 35 people an hour.

  13. ChrisM70 on November 1, 2008 12:24 pm

    Eric, you voted absentee? I didn’t think they used voting machines for absentee voting. I guess I”m confused about Missouri’s voting system.
    It would be nice if there was standard election rules for the entire country so there was less confusion. Maybe get rid of these stupid machines and just give everyone a piece of paper and a pencil?

    Also, I would encourage everyone to pull up a sample ballot online, and decide who you are voting for before you head to the polling place. This will make it easier for you to vote quickly and keep the lines moving. Plus, you’ll be a much more informed voter.

  14. William Rockhill Nelson on November 2, 2008 11:33 pm

    ChrisM70,

    Missouri uses two voting technologies. One is the touch screen. The other is optical scan – a machine that scans in the bubble sheets. Most voting locations have one or two touch screen machines and one optical scanner. In theory, they can have unlimited stations for filling out the bubble sheets, and every feeding them into one scanner.

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