2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumI just voted in Florida and I was inline for about an hour and a half.
When I finally got to sign in, the poll worker was challenging my signature today at sign in from what it looks like on my driver's license. I freaked out on her and said you do realize the documentation I had to show to get my driver's license under Florida law? Is that not my picture on the driver's license? She went and got a supervisor who looked ant my license & signature then looked at the poll worker & told her to give me my ballot.
This is the first time in my life this has ever happened to me.
On a happy ending, Hillary got another early vote from me!
CentralMass
(15,265 posts)rockfordfile
(8,682 posts)I had something similar happen to me in 2012. Clearly the guy that attempted to do that to me was a old right wing pos. Even after the supervisor the guy was muttering under his breath.
forest444
(5,902 posts)Perhaps if the good people at Medicare had scrutinized Reptilian Rick even half that much, they could have saved themselves - and the U.S. taxpayer - $2 billion+ in fraud losses.
TonyPDX
(962 posts)William769
(55,124 posts)I also hope anyone that is challenged stands up.
I'm heading into my golden years, but I still have some fight left in me.
cynzke
(1,254 posts)ballot and allow you to vote. They then have the right to authenticate that it matches your voter registration. BUT NO ONE can prevent you from casting a vote.
William769
(55,124 posts)still_one
(91,965 posts)some poll workers SUBJECTIVE view of what constitutes an invalid signature.
awake
(3,226 posts)The RNC is under a court order not to interfere with the voting process since the 1980s this will run out in 2017 unless they intmidate voters this year which will extend the ban. So it is important that you report what happened
Thank you
William769
(55,124 posts)I'm confused.
awake
(3,226 posts)It can not hurt
William769
(55,124 posts)William769
(55,124 posts)They referred me to the Florida division of Elections.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)irisblue
(32,829 posts)William769
(55,124 posts)I did not call. I have no idea what they would have said to me but since I was able to vote, I don't feel like dealing with those people.
Divine Discontent
(21,056 posts)You called it beautifully! The conservatives are claiming there's no such thing as ballot blocking going on, and the law forcing the Republicans to not stand in the way of voters is at risk of disappearing, and hear you are with your thinking cap on!!! Thank you for remembering the Voting Rights attack that the GOP is so wanting to get rid of...
What Should be Reported?
Any action or condition you feel prevented or was intended to prevent you from voting. Just few examples include; polls opening late or closing early, "running out" of ballots or having your identity or voter registration status improperly challenged.
Any action or condition you feel made it difficult for you to vote, including but not limited to; lack of handicapped accessibility and accommodation, lack of assistance for people with limited English ability, confusing ballots, lack of privacy while voting, generally unhelpful or unknowledgeable poll workers or officials.
How to Report Voting Problems
If you experience any problem or confusion while voting report the situation to one of the poll workers or election officials immediately. Do not wait until you have finished voting. If the election officials at the polling place are unable or unwilling to help you, the problem should be reported directly to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. There are no special forms to use or procedures to follow--just call the Civil Rights Division toll-free at (800) 253-3931, or contact them by mail at:
Chief, Voting Section
Civil Rights Division Room 7254 - NWB
Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20530
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/rightsandfreedoms/a/votereport.htm
awake
(3,226 posts)blm
(112,920 posts).
Awsi Dooger
(14,565 posts)My signature can vary quite a bit, depending on how fast I go.
I'm voting this afternoon. If I don't slow down they'll probably question it again.
William769
(55,124 posts)SunSeeker
(51,378 posts)And it should never take more than 15 minutes to vote.
William769
(55,124 posts)scarletlib
(3,400 posts)I voted in Palm Beach County this morning around 11:00 A.M. No problems at all -- in and out in less that 1/2 hour.
William769
(55,124 posts)Maraya1969
(22,441 posts)would have to stay on line for hours. Cape Coral is really blue compared to the rest of Lee.
There is definitely a bunch of angry republicans in this county that will try and stop people from voting if they can
William769
(55,124 posts)It took me forever to vote! I lived in Fort Myers at the time. I am in Bonita Springs now. Here I believe they have way less booths than they should.
tavernier
(12,322 posts)Six ppl ahead of me, about ten in the booths, more coming in behind. Steady flow. More women, some couples. One pair Birkenstocks, one camo baseball cap (just to show the diversity).
William769
(55,124 posts)Thanks for letting us know.
Callmecrazy
(3,065 posts)Forty five minutes in line with no problems. The poll workers were wonderful. Very helpful with the elderly and disabled.
tavernier
(12,322 posts)(I thought the heat would never end and suddenly it's perfect, isn't it?)
Callmecrazy
(3,065 posts)A mild breeze this morning. Keeping the air nice and dry.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)... my driver's license photo (which was taken after I'd clipped off my hair and while wearing contacts instead of glasses), but he MIGHT have been joking. I'm guessing the old man was one of the Republicans there. Someone else looked at my ID and laughed at him, and then he sort of chuckled too.
That happened several general elections ago, and I voted absentee thereafter. I voted early in-person this time and a photo ID wasn't requested. The rules changed again here?
Anyway... I'm glad that nobody has challenged my signature yet! My signature on file is probably immaculate cursive from long ago, not the current illegible scribble!
If someone is making a fuss about a recent signature supposedly not matching a current one, that sounds like voter suppression to me!
William769
(55,124 posts)I have thought about voting absentee but to me, there's just something about getting up & going out to vote.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)It's the first step towards them trying to invalidate your vote.
Joke about the weather or the local sports team or whatever, but this shit where people "joke" about the documents you need to exercise your right as a citizen should be a violation. I tell poll workers the whole ID thing is embarrassing to begin with.
Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)For election day voting, you have to have ID - but it can be as simple as a recent bill with your name and current address on it.
There are different rules for early voting that I believe are even less stringent (but since I'm not trouble-shooting until election day I haven't reviewed the early voting rules in 4 years).
Different states have different voter ID laws.
As to your signature - I'll give you the same advice I was given when mine was challenged a few years ago: Update your registration to avoid future problems.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)During early voting, I filled out a card with my name, address, date of birth, last four digits of my SS number and my signature.
A poll worker looked me up on a computer and checked off as each bit of information matched. I had my driver's license with me, but she didn't ask for it.
Now that you mention it, I might have been asked for SOME kind of document that showed my address years ago, and I gave them my driver's license by choice. It's been long enough that I don't remember the details except the old man questioning the picture.
I wonder if my registration signature was updated when I moved years ago? Now that I think about it, that seems likely too. I know that I needed to fill out something to vote in my new precinct, and I would've provided my "finished in two seconds" signature back then. At least it's a consistent scribble.
Edit: It seems silly to ask for any documents during in-person voting given how it's not needed for absentee voting. That's how I've voted in the last few general elections, and I basically provided the same kind of verifying information in-person this time as I did on previous absentee ballots. When I wasn't asked for any documents this time, it "made sense" to me given how the absentee ballots are handled.
Ms. Toad
(33,915 posts)In the past it was always limited to a short list of excuses, and done by mail. The identification was by matching the signature on the envelope to the voter registration card. Then an excuse based absentee process was romoved & in person early voting on voting machines was created. What I don't remember (since I haven't reviewed the law since the last time I was in charge of monitoring to ensure the pollworkers didn't step over the line) is what ID is required. On the mail-in ballot it is something along the lines of last 4 digits of SS# or driver's license # - and I seem to recall it was the same for in-person early voting. The theory is that absentee ballots aren't cast instantly, so they have a chance to review whether they are valid and pull them if they aren't. That works for paper ballots - and there has to be a similar mechanism for touch screen . . . but it's been 4 years and I need to refresh my memory.
Similarly, the requirement for in person at the polls is relatively recent (and developed along a different track). Driver's license IDs were beaten back to documenting (essentially) that you live in the precinct in which you are voting (name on a mailing from a respected entity).
I have a bunch to read through before election day when I get to be #2 in line to intervene with the county when something goes wrong. When I run across the early voting ID rules, I'll try to remember to drop a note back here.
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,847 posts)On the mail-in ballot it is something along the lines of last 4 digits of SS# or driver's license # - and I seem to recall it was the same for in-person early voting.
I don't keep abreast of all the voting rules, obviously. I was expecting to be asked for ID or something similar when I voted in-person on Oct. 12th (first day of early voting), but that didn't happen.
I even showed up at my local precinct like a dummy! I then looked at the Board of Elections site again and realized that I needed to go downtown for early voting. That shows how naive I am about this stuff!
Divine Discontent
(21,056 posts)ya have to wonder why some people are so clueless or rude! "Small" brains I guess.
sheshe2
(83,355 posts)Very small line, though longer when I left. This nasty woman voted for Hillary as well.
It felt great!
William769
(55,124 posts)I can't be a nasty women, but I can be a nasty queen!
That works~
Dayum it felt good to vote.
retrowire
(10,345 posts)Ligyron
(7,592 posts)I'm in Palm Beach County and twice I've given someone a ride to work around 7:00 am past a polling place with a very long line outside the building.
Maybe it will calm down in a few more days but no more in person for me. Each way of voting has its pluses and minuses, but taking some crap from poll workers is not going to be on my agenda. Ever.
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)I do it in RI. No one asking me for my ID.
elmac
(4,642 posts)those that stand in line for hours, I thank you. I hope President Clinton's administration puts an end to republican election fraud.
bucolic_frolic
(42,678 posts)We have them like when you sign a credit card, a little blue pad. It takes
the lines and makes them fat, and shortens the signature top to bottom.
It only resembles one's signature, like you used a piece of chalk while
riding on a bumpy road.
DemInND
(164 posts)but I also believe there should be a police officer in every polling area to prevent any trouble from occurring. This election especially.
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I actually find that to be horribly frightening.
lostnfound
(16,138 posts)Knocking on doors in African American neighborhoods and warning them about the perils of voting to their freedom...
Summoning them to prove that they have the right to vote.
http://wonkette.com/605071/georgia-sends-sheriffs-to-scare-black-people-from-voting-uh-protect-integrity-of-the-vote-they-mean
NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)I'll be voting in Florida on election day. As I get older I have been thinking about early voting. My fear is that I will have a health or other unforeseen issue and won't be able to vote.
Congratulations William769. Logging in and seeing your op made me smile. Electing the first woman President will not look like elections in the past. We are going to have to fight for it. That includes at the voting booth.
I'm truly happy for you.
William769
(55,124 posts)ailsagirl
(22,842 posts)And I'm glad you prevailed
geardaddy
(24,924 posts)There was a referendum that went to the voting public about requiring IDs and it failed big time.
barbtries
(28,702 posts)so even when you go through the hoops they'll pull this kind of shit on you. WTF.
voter ID was struck down here in NC. for some reason i cannot divine my son was made to go to the help desk even though he did everything right. after he did the same thing at the help desk, the person there asked him to let her know which poll worker had told him to go there.
so it feels as if there may be people just kicking up shit because they can?
glad you got to vote any how!
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)may have participated in a first and last election. This opportunity for troublemaking must be well known for drawing both very right and very wrong types.
UCmeNdc
(9,589 posts)Funny how they try to control who is allowed to vote。
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)They will do whatever they can to make our lives impossible.
SHRED
(28,136 posts)William769
(55,124 posts)Which has your party affiliation on it.
Gamecock Lefty
(698 posts)voted this morning. She sent me a note - in and out in five minutes!
Madam President!
I sure wish we had early voting up here in St Louis where I now live.
MFM008
(19,782 posts)All who wait in lines.
It's so wrong. Our state is mandatory vote by mail ....
I just threw mine in the mailbox yesterday so easy no waiting no intimidating.
The Green Manalishi
(1,054 posts)'cause I ain't going to.
Please, please, please let someone challenge me.... it will be worth the jail time and civil suit just to make an example out of them that will resonate enough to strike fear in the hearts of teabaggers for decades. they will genuinely wish they would have kicked over a Hell Angle's Harley.
William769
(55,124 posts)Best advice is just try to vote without incident. Only use as last resort.
The Green Manalishi
(1,054 posts)Any such person who doesn't actually WORK at the poll I encounter is going to have a VERY bad day. I was born an emotionally well balanced Irishman: I have a chip on *EACH* shoulder. And testosterone that is 3X too high for my 55 years, and I drink a LOT of coffee and tea. Combine that with a vivid imagination and genuine loathing of conservatives and I should polly have my wife standing by with a tazer
christx30
(6,241 posts)The nice old lady at the table took my ID, verified the info on there, asked "Are you still on xxxxxx street?" I said yes and she said "OK, everything is in order. If you'll step over to your right, she'll get you into the voting booth."
I was in line about 30 minutes total, and done with voting about 5 minutes later.
William769
(55,124 posts)Love it when it works like this.
obamanut2012
(25,911 posts)In PBC, they just scan in your DL and no probs. I had my passport just in case.
We are really blue here, though.
William769
(55,124 posts)obamanut2012
(25,911 posts)Hey, Bill!
Thunderbeast
(3,383 posts)My wait to cast my ballot was ten seconds!
Vote by mail eliminates the temporary unsupervised poll workers who may have a biased political agenda. Signatures are compared in the elections office in a controlled environment.
Why on earth do people put up with long lines for EARLY voting. I see the lines on TV and my head explodes! Vote by Mail increases participation, is secure, and gives voters all the time they need to make decisions on minor, down-ballot candidates and issues. Those without a mailing address can vote at the elections office during the three week window.
Vote by Mail has been the ONLY method in Oregon for twenty years. I do not understand why it is not the universal practice.
vlyons
(10,252 posts)ihaveaquestion
(2,420 posts)Temple Terrace Public Library to be exact...
No lines, no waiting - I voted in 15 minutes, start to finish!
I had my email from TampaBay for Bernie listing their recommendations and I followed it (as best I could).
Roland99
(53,342 posts)Then manually voted all Dem and voted to not retain all judges (appointed by Crist or Gov BatBoy)
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,615 posts)Then again, mine is in a trump district, even an aid worker had one of those damn red caps.
Stonepounder
(4,033 posts)When I look at results from our precinct it is usually something like R - 20 Gazillion, D - 15. (Not really quite that bad, but in all the time we have lived here we have never seen our precinct as anything but R all the way.
Given that, we have never once had any sort of problem voting. Kudos to all the poll workers. They have been polite, efficient, and friendly. No one has ever said a word about our registration. The only question we have ever been asked was to confirm our party affiliation in the primary and that was only to verify we were getting the correct ballot. (The R's were asked the same question.)
It is nice to vote without any issue.
C Moon
(12,188 posts)krkaufman
(13,429 posts)And I thought the point of the thread was going to be how utterly ridiculous it is that anyone should have to wait 20 minutes to vote, let alone 90. I early-voted in a Chicago suburb, this afternoon, with zero wait and banks of unused voting machines.
There needs to be a law enacted that states be penalized for excessive voting delays, 'cause the hours-long waits seen for the last 16+ years are electoral negligence at best and intentional voter suppression at worst.
https://www.thenation.com/article/voter-suppression-is-a-much-bigger-problem-than-voter-fraud/
LittleGirl
(8,261 posts)isn't it? spot on!
RandySF
(57,661 posts)Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)I lived in Florida for a time and I swear I spent a whole day waiting in line at the DMV to get a Florida driver's license. It was ridiculous. I actually had to stand up the whole time too. They didn't have the system where you take a number and sit and wait to get called.
Also, all those damn amusement parks = long lines too.
LiberalFighter
(50,504 posts)The local election board -- If that person receives too many complaints they might have second thoughts about their continued service.
Your local Democratic Party -- It helps them see if there is a pattern of suppression.
Doing this and the other suggestions given makes it difficult for any one entity from it disappearing.
In our state each county party provided names to the election board to fill the spots. Each location has at least one Judge and a Clerk from each party at voting locations. We get complaints about some of our workers that don't do the job as the description details. And we don't have a problem with the election board giving us a list of those not to use. There aren't that many. It does make it easier for us to tell those workers we can't assign them.
Liberal_in_LA
(44,397 posts)ecstatic
(32,567 posts)Anyway, glad the Trumptroll was shut down and you were allowed to vote.
radical noodle
(7,990 posts)Two more votes for Hillary. Our county has 9 polling places in which to vote and you can go to any of them if you're voting early, so we went to one we thought wouldn't be too busy. We had to wait about 10 minutes or so, but that's all.
Can't believe you were challenged like that. We've not encountered it. Sorry to hear it happened to you.
Go Hillary!
MADem
(135,425 posts)blm
(112,920 posts)In Mecklenburg County (Charlotte area) the GOP reduced early voting sites from 22 to 10, knowing full well that the county's population grew considerably in the last 4 years.
The lines in Dem strongholds are 3 and 4 hours long. The lines in GOP-strong areas rarely exceed 30-45 minutes.