My voting ordeal in California

[RandySF]

I had to walk all the way down the stairs to the lobby, open the mailbox, pull my ballot out and walk back up stairs. THEN I had to sit down, and fill it out all while avoiding paper cuts. THEN stuff all four pages into another envelope, sign it and take it to the mailbox down the street. Good thing I didn't need postage or I wouldn't know what to do. Voting is such hard work in CA.

[NYC_SKP]

1. It can be harder for the transient and the homeless and anyone who moved and doesn't have great docs

California, and other places, are really car dependent, and we lack good public transportation.

Of course, in other states it can be much harder.

[RandySF]

3. This is all in jest, btw.

[Stargleamer]

2. Another possible part of the ordeal. . .

you may have also had to draw a straight line connecting parts of an arrow to make a complete arrow--that can be more of a challenge than it would initially seem (especially if one has arthritic hands).

If only people all over this country could face this "ordeal", instead of the real harm of being disenfranchised due to phony claims of voter fraud: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025715231 [roughly 2,000 cases of voter fraud, compared to thousands if not millions being disenfranchised so that Republicans can win]

[RandySF]

5. The nice thing about paper ballots

Is that it becomes easier to discern intent in the event of a recount.

[Wounded Bear]

4. Well, voting really sucks in WA state...

We have to provide our own stamp.

[freshwest]

12. And they send those huge pamphlets out that have to be read and then recycled, how agonizing.

It's hard work voting from the comfort of your own home. And I always put two stamps on the mailing envelope. You can't be too paranoid...

[Capt.Rocky300]

14. On the contrary............

there is a drop box at our local library with no postage required. I can ride my bike to it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Oh you poor thing......here, sit a spell

and I will get you some nice hot tea and a pillow, you DO look a bit peak-ish.

[LeftyMom]

7. Out here in the hinterlands we have to provide our own stamps. TWO.

Seriously though CA folks: Make sure you use two stamps if needed.

[RandySF]

9. Postage on a ballot feels like a poll tax to me.

[LeftyMom]

10. It's less than I'd spend on gas going to my polling place.

That said, I'm probably going to drop my ballot off in the box in front of the county elections office, just because my travels will take me that direction anyhow.

[Retrograde]

16. In CA, you can drop off the completed ballot for free

on election day, at any polling place in your county. Or, in my county, you can drop it off at any city hall in the month before the election. And there are several early voting sites throughout the county the weekend before the election. Or you can stop in at the registrar's office any time during business hours during the preceeding month.

California makes it easy to vote - and still the turnout in the last primary was less than 20%

[shenmue]

8. I used lots of stamps

[SoCalDem]

18. USPS will now flag it as a potential letter bomb...and blow it up

[Jenoch]

11. I live in Minnesota.

We have same day registration. Early voting is allowed to any registered voter via absentee (vot by mail) ballot. I voted absentee omce while I was in college. Paul Wellstone's last campaign taught me that voting at the polls on election day is the best way to vote. Also, I enjoy the ritual of going to the polls. Minnesota also has a law in which employers have to give employees paid time off to go to the polls and vote. I don't know how this law works in practical matters. I usually vote on my way to work.

[aggiesal]

13. The problem with voting by mail is ...

15% to 20% of the mailed in ballots are considered spoiled,
and you can't fix a spoiled mailed in ballot.

While voting at the precinct, if you spoil a ballot, you ask for another ballot.
So 0% spoilage.

Here in San Diego, the mail in ballots, on the outside of the envelope had a
box that you marked if it was a spoiled ballot. Basically telling the ROV that
you needed a new ballot. And they would put the party affiliation on the
outside as well. That one drove me nuts!!!
We would complain with the ROV to have this removed because a nafarious
volunteer or employee could secretly mark the ballot spoiled, negating the ballot.
They insisted that would never happen.
Especially that mail in ballots that arrived just before or on the election date,
making it impossible to fix the ballot or getting you a new ballot and submitted
in time.

Another way the ballot is considered spoiled is not signing a signature.
Or if the signature on file does not match your name. That was an incredible
issue for those citizens who registered prior to getting married and changing
their name after getting married.

That last signature issue was those whose signature has changed over time.
I know mine has.

I personally will continue to vote at the preciinct, but if you feel the need to
continue voting by mail, be aware of the pitfalls listed above.

[Wounded Bear]

15. No choice here...

In the state of WA, it's all mail in voting. For better or worse. Our ballots have no party info on them, especially on the outside of the "privacy" envelope which is basically a plain white envelope that the ballot is placed into, signed, and then inserted into the mailing envelope.

One thing I don't like here is that the candidates are not required to place party affiliation by their names. They can say what party they "prefer" but its optional.

[pnwmom]

20. Anyone in WA can go online and see when their ballot has been accepted.

And I haven't heard anything about a high spoilage rate here.

A friend did get a notice that her ballot had been accepted, but she needed to submit a new signature for next time. And she did.

[cally]

17. Californian here...we have to put a stamp on the envelope

but I sometimes drop it off at the County Registrar.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

19. The propositions are a real dilemma this election

Governor Brown says vote 'Yes' on 1 and 2, but most progressive organizations say 'No'. 46 sounds good to me, but again, most are saying 'NO' or 'no opinion'.

These are important issues too.

[RandySF]

21. I voted yes on 1 and 2.

It makes sense to me to have a fund in place so we don't go through what we did when Ahnold was Governor. I voted on 1 was well. What can I say, I trust Jerry. I voted No on 46 because there has not been a rash of drunk/high doctors that would justify testing for no other reason.