I Voted!

[tanaqui]

Use this post to tell us you voted -- whether today, in early voting or by mail -- and what it was like.

Was it busy when you voted? Did you have any nice encounters and conversations when you went to vote? See any good or unexpected signs? Or any cute dogs? (Cute dogs at polling stations are a bit of a tradition in the UK -- I don't know if it's the same in the US!)

Did you persuade any friends, family or co-workers to go and vote?

Oh, and have a sticker.



(source: Wikimedia commons)

Comments

[jjhunter]

I voted early for my 30th birthday, and encouraged every friend who texted me or otherwise contacted me to wish me happy birthday to also consider early voting. :D

[tanaqui]

Oh, that's very smart-sneaky! And Happy 30th Birthday!

[aurumcalendula]

I voted early by mail. I filled it out over the course of two days in October, and mailed it on my way to work. My polling place is relatively close to be, but I like being able to take my time (and look up the people running for judge or school board)

I’m not sure if I persuaded people to vote, but I did remind my mom to vote by mail, and over the last couple days I’ve been texting relatives and friends reminding them to vote.

[redbird]

I voted early, last Friday, and waited in line a few minutes at Somerville City Hall to do it. I noticed at least one person picking up and reading a copy of the official guide to the ballot measures, and heard someone else saying they were "just going to vote the straight party ticket." (Given electioneering rules, I didn't ocmment or ask which party.)

They gave us special "I voted early" stickers; mine fell off my jacket before we got downstairs.

I could have voted more conveniently today, because my polling place is right across the street, but I wanted flexibility/availability for last-minute volunteering today.

[jjhunter]

Thank you! I was charmed at how many of my friends later followed up to tell me their voting plans or report they had successfully taken care of my birthday present (i.e. voted).

And really, all of this has proved the very best kind of birthday present I could possibly wist for - I’ve been much more moved than I was expecting when I first half-jokingly conceived of doing this (+ a succession of $10 donations to various causes and downballot candidates on some very thoughtful political slates in lieu of my usual monthly savings transfer) instead of throwing myself a big 30th bday bash of some kind. (Granted, my parents did take me out for a nice dinner, and I’m pretty sure some colleagues at work are throwing a semi-surprise birthday brunch for me and another colleague with a birthday close to mine today, so I haven’t been wholly without celebrations - somehow it’s ended up being a birthday week +.)

Anyway, definitely a birthday - and a midterms election - to remember. Now I get to update my donation spreadsheet of minor doom with the outcomes for all the candidates I donated to - really hoping the Great Slate folks in particular do well!

[gingicat]

I voted! And there was a line, even!

(7:07AM, Medford MA, Ward 1 Precinct 1)

[jenett]

I voted first thing this morning (I was ballot #18 at my precinct, they were doing steady business with a short line when I left at 7:12 or so...)

There was indeed a cute dog, and I learned by listening to one of his owners chat with someone who asked to come pet the nice dog that his other human had just gotten citizenship and was inside voting for the first time.

(And then I helped someone find the right precinct on the way out, she'd just moved.)

And I have a sticker.

[tanaqui]

Oh, great to hear that your sneaky-smart plan worked and people made voting plans or let you know they'd "given" you your "birthday present". :-)

I'll be putting up a post in a little while for people to talk about the results, so please do use that to let us know how things go with all those candidates you donated to.

[tanaqui]

Yay for early voting and for researching those down-ballot races. (Being from the UK, where we usually vote on just one race -- or at the most two, with separate ballot papers -- US voting forms never cease to amaze me.)

And good work on the reminders!

[tanaqui]

It's great to hear people were trying to educate themselves on the ballot measures. Congrats on voting early and I hope the volunteering goes well.

[tanaqui]

Woo-hoo! Lines are good (more people being engaged enough to vote is always good) -- as long as you don't have to wait too long.... :-)

[tanaqui]

A cute dog AND an inspiring story? JACKPOT!

Also, well done for helping someone find the right place to vote. :-)

[jjhunter]

...there’s 42 of them.

[gingicat]

Go you!

[tassosss]

I voted! No line but a steady flow such that all the cubbies were filled. I went an hour after polls opened.

[bridgetmkennitt]

I voted in early voting. There were a lot of people in line before and after me, but the line moved relatively quickly. My state tends to have at least 50% do early voting.

[tanaqui]

Sounds like a perfect voting experience. :-) (Let's hope there's a perfect result....)

[tanaqui]

Glad to hear waiting in line wasn't too frustrating. I hope early voting being busy means good things for the results. :-)

[julian]

I voted early, the day of the Pittsburgh shooting, when I couldn't do anything for any of them except vote for the future.

It was fnarking pouring rain, so I felt very pathetic fallacy about it, but everyone was very cheerful, I got in in the last 15 minutes it was open, and the woman next to me and I agreed that it was a good day to vote. (In that any day is a good day to vote.)

I stuck my "I voted early" sticker on my car, but it's since fallen off.

No bake sales then; I'm gonna go do a Yes On 3 (for trans rights) standout in a bit and see if the polling place has any today.

[sporky_rat]

I was #68 at my precinct (all the local precincts vote in the same building, it's easier), and I only had a few moments wait while they made up my card and a booth cleared up. No animals, but the polling building is at the fairgrounds, so they don't not animals except service animals in the building. Too many smells to excite them.

I do have my sticker!

[grammarwoman]

My husband and I separately did early voting, over a week ago. He walked right in and had a ballot within a minute, I had to wait for one person ahead of me.

Now the waiting!

[tanaqui]

I'm glad that, on a day like that, you had something you could do that might (and hopefully will) make a difference, even if it didn't offer any immediate relief to those most affected. A good thing for you and a good thing for everyone in the long term.

Hope there's a bake sale to reward you for doing the standout!

[kore]

I early voted by 'mail' (ballot drop box) on my birthday and got a virtual sticker from the King County website! I do miss the ritual of going to the polling place and being ticked off the list and turning in my ballot, but I have to admit doing it all at home is much less stressful. Last election, the ballot drop boxes got stuffed so full they had to start taking them out early. The poor box is just kind of sitting all by itself with no security guard or even camera trained on it that I could see. I had the urge to stick around and defend it, LOL. Last time there were lines on the day! http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2017/11/election-day-on-capitol-hill-and-the-broadway-ballot-drop-box-is-busy/

[kore]

I was charmed at how many of my friends later followed up to tell me their voting plans or report they had successfully taken care of my birthday present (i.e. voted).

NICE

[alexseanchai]

Vote by mail in Oregon. Done.