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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObservations of an Ohio12 Poll Worker...
Very long day. Hotter, mostly sunny, but not oppressive weather.
My report from an extremely gerrymandered, small, half-old-established families- rural/half new wealthy white yuppy, Franklin County precinct constituency.
Im going to stay as flat line unemotional as possible (as poll workers everywhere are trained and expected to be!) We are workers who simply do the job. Civility. Follow the well written rules explicitly, professional demeanor insisted upon. No drama. No mention of politics with voters. No candidates signs, pins, posters anywhere. We are paid for our days work and the training leading up to the elections.
Solidly equal, bipartisan participation. Purposefully.
OK. This is a small precinct. Heavily gerrymandered, as are many Franklin County precincts. The craziness of the political lines in Columbus are head-rattling. I don't live in this Franklin CountyPrecinct but in a similarly gerrymandered precinct that borders this area. I, like most of my other poll workers, was not voting in this election due to the crazily established precinct lines. Many people in the different counties were still confused about IF they even could vote. It varied house by house, street by street. So here goes:
Hugely Republican Red precinct. Voters mostly Old Republican generational white rural families and working white country-dwelling yuppies but with small patches of older, educated/sophisticated hippy liberals (especially women) and a smattering of fresh young voters (again, mostly female that showed up) and a few minority citizens mixed in.
As per Board of Election rules, three times during the day public lists printed from the actual roster machines are clearly posted with the names of who has voted (never HOW they voted), number of votes already cast and a percentage of the registered voters in the precinct who are voting.
The final, actual numerical results of votes for all the candidates are posted publicly at the end of the day.
No expectations of a Blue win here. None.
The figures: all public. At the end of the day, in person on site votes for OConner were tallied at almost exactly 1/3 of all votes cast. 2/3 went to the opposition.
(Three names on the ballot. Green Party received literally just a handful of total votes.)
Voting percentage of registered precinct voters was 34%
( it was 18% in the primary in May) predictions for the OH12 election had been 30%.
All records and numbers are cross checked and documented many given times during the day with bipartisan oversite.
Of my fellow poll workers, 75% were women. Vast majority over 55. (As per rules 50/50 bipartisan workers participated at every precinct).
The voters came in small, but fairly constant numbers throughout the day. No big lines or waiting. Easily could get in and out in a few minutes.
All voters were required to have a current, verifiable ID. Period. The qualifications and rules are printed in booklets at all roster tables.
No verifiable ID, no voting ballot for the machine. Options for qualified provisional voting, on site at every precinct.
Every voter is required to show their unexpired ID, then state their name and once electronically scanned or entered into the polling files, state their current address.
Personal behind the scenes Observations: This is a friendly group of conscientious, supportive poll workers. Lots of children/grandchildren bragging among the personal conversations. Good cooperative group. Weve worked together before at other elections and probably all will return for the midterms to work the same precinct.
Not ONCE in a 15 hour work day, in quiet, private conversations among us did I hear anyone supportive of the Cretin. Just the opposite. A few Republicans were repulsed by what had become of their party. Some had voted for Clinton.
Of all the Voters, most were courteous and pleasant and friendly. Not a lot of random chit chat because of the serious reason they were in the room. None were there very long. Simple ballot.
There was, however, a certain type we all instantly recognized. We had a dozen of them throughout the day. Chip on their shoulder, swaggering, almost sneering attitude and making a snarky comment about how many illegal immigrants we were allowing to vote, Russia quips or getting pissy when asked to state their names again after handing us the legal ID.
All older white males... by coincidence I am sure.
One memorable voter, a rounded bellied, long bearded, older white male in a white t-shirt and jeans, complete with a big silver NRA belt buckle (no lie!), wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses and fist on hip, planted himself in front of the roster table, blocking the next voter, literally tossing his drivers license at us. The aura all around him reeked of bully creep. Instantly in our face.
Asked to state his name, he snarled its on the license. Calm Smiling Reply...It is the rule in Order to vote. Please state your name
After a heavy, damning pause, he gave it with even more attitude and eventually getting his printed ballot ticket literally stomped over to the line of voting machines.
Shake our heads, small eye rolls. No audible comments. Breathe. Next voter, PLEASE. Thank-you.
No one was impressed. He had a definitive ugliness emanating around him.
This is a good example of what we are fighting against daily, not just at the polls.
End of the day thoughts: Borderline depressing result, though not at all a surprise in that particular precinct. More turnout is always a plus. Just too many are still doing nothing. Very Close still sucks if the final provisional and absentee ballots give us a loss...until November. This is a long, wearying battle. We did our job. Now, we still wait. We still grasp for little wins, holding on to hope.
Ill take Wednesday to reconnect with some simple joys, try to avoid anything with the GD foul Cretins puke inducing vile name, hideous scowling degenerate face, wretched reeking soul, repulsive gut twisting repugnant voice or ignorant, bile raising, bilious BS attached. There will be plenty of it.
Damn, I really abhor this. I cant respect people who still support this treasonous, corruption-riddled, soulless, graceless, calculatingly evil, anti-humanity, putrid, domestic and foreign terrorist enemy that has infected our country.
Oooppp, I got a tad emotional.
RESIST, REFUSE, REVOLT
dalton99a
(80,910 posts)Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)We will have wasted 4 years of our lives through this daily trauma. I've heard the other side say.."We PUT UP W OBAMA" as if there is even a half % comparison on any level. Im too old to be giving half a decade of my life to such ugliness and back-peddling. It's exhausting. Glad you have a day to recoup.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)The Genealogist
(4,723 posts)The right wants all this photo ID and other things in place to suppress the voting for ,minorities, then wingnuts like this dude get all petulant when they have to abide by the same rules.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Sorry you had to put up with that bully. These people just radiate anger and hatred. They are only hurting themselves by holding on to it. You will never find peace or happiness when you are filled with such emotions.
True Blue American
(17,969 posts)Last edited Wed Aug 8, 2018, 04:08 PM - Edit history (1)
And early Obama years I can say that is pretty much what I saw.
Most voters are polite,understanding. We had one group for 8 years. The Republican Leader went out of his way to make sure rules were followed.
A small Precinct of my neighbors the only incident I recall is a man coming in loudly proclaiming he was a Democart, wanted to vote in the Primary .Challenged by the leader because he was registered as a Republican.He had to sign and swear he was a Republican.
Voting for the candidate because you thought he was weaker, the switching back was a problem.
We just wanted an honest vote.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)These bigots grew up in tight knit communities with little interaction with the outside world
Completely different social paradigms now
D_Master81
(1,822 posts)Social media creates the bubble for these people now. Fox News, RW talk radio, daily wire et al. Thats the bubble you have to burst now.
vlyons
(10,252 posts)I hope you know that while it may feel like the hostility is aimed at you, it's really a projection of his very own mind. What he thinks about himself. How he regards his own precious life. The enormous anger, hatred, and bitterness that he drags around with himself 24x7. He is not a happy person. I share this tweet that the great Karmapa sent out yesterday. It helped me to remember that I am better than all that hatred and anger. And so are you. We can choose to for our minds to emanate rays of sunshine and loving kindness, while everything else is just the weather.
Link to tweet
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)He strutted through the door.
Mad at the world.
A walking dark cloud.
Insecure behind the dark glasses.
Faked entitlement.
He was still only one vote, no matter his rude histrionics. He fooled no one. Just acted like a fool to everyone.
True Blue American
(17,969 posts)LakeSuperiorView
(1,533 posts)True Blue American
(17,969 posts)When asked for her ID thrust her badge at the High School girl. Had her first name on it.
After getting huffy she finally pulled out her DL. We had those two girls getting credit because we had a shortage of workers.
I was passing out the Memory cards. I pushed a paper out and said, We really need Poll Workers, would you care to volunteer? In a nice pleasant voice.
When she returned her card she was nice and friendly. Point made without rudeness. Those girls always wanted to work with me.
CrispyQ
(36,112 posts)They are so angry, that's what I notice. Angry at everyone! My cousin, who has been a rwnj for a long time now, has gotten significantly worse since president shithole came to office. He used to post right wing crap with no comment. Now he always comments & it's always angry & rude. He always denigrates liberals. Always. It's the hateful left. the lying left, they hypocritical left, the destructive left. I unfriended him when he trolled my page, reposted my stuff on his page & then he & his friends piled on about how awful libtards are. He had a wonderful girlfriend, but she dumped him because of his negativity. He used to be a nice guy but now he's full of hate. And anger, lots of anger. There are other trumpers in my life, but they aren't as bad as this one. This one is addled with religion, so I think that is a factor, too. He feels persecuted, because, you know, a cake.
True Blue American
(17,969 posts)Inflitering everything we are.
Families fighting, nasty,hateful things said that can never be taken back.
And,all the while a President spewing out his bile on every one. Cable stations repeating his hate over and over. Showing his hate filled,lying rallies.
We are in a freaking Reality show.
Lonestarblue
(9,813 posts)Those who are too ill, incapable of driving or getting to the polls, or no longer mentally able are excused, but everyone else is not. We need to make at least the first Tuesday in November for federal and state elections a national holiday so lower paid workers do not have to take time off to vote. Then we need an incentive for people to votesomething like you cant renew your drivers license if you do not vote in at least one of the last three elections. This lack of participation is ridiculous in a country that claims to be a democracy where the people have the power through their votes.
GusBob
(7,285 posts)They are everywhere and they are repulsive to everybody. Everyone who works with the general public deals with them on a daily basis, assholes
A different version of incel, really
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)yonder
(9,620 posts)What's the deal with Mr. NRA belt buckle? It seems like you can spot that type a mile away. And somehow, they're always the same: pissy, they'll-show-you-who's-a-patriot, jerky and chip on shoulder-shit for brains attitude.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)Very interesting read.
It's striking that those dozen or so regard the democratic process itself as against them, poll workers enemies to be overcome. They're potentially dangerous, but only as an indication of wider deluded disaffection. It is depressing that so many courteous, pleasant and friendly people are still supporting what the Republican Party has become.
How great, though, that in less than three months that precinct's voters get to choose all over again who will represent them. And Trump's still up at bat for the Republicans -- for three months.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)or intimidating. Those voters brought the baggage in the door with them.
At the end of election days I always feel like I have done what I can to support Democracy outside of my own vote. It also leaves me sad.
Mixed bag.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)twice and Hillary once. And now many millions are more aware of what happened, including in our press and governments.
Btw, when you said "not remotely threatening" I could just see y'all. You're down here too every election, after all.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)Michelle Obama is about to get out there to encourage registration, so maybe that will help.
I just don't get it. WHY don't people VOTE? They sure do complain a lot...about health care, wages, Social Security, the environment, FEMA, etc. If they're unhappy, why not vote? Maybe it's because they use voter registrations to call for jury duty? That's why my brother doesn't vote.
It's just pathetic.
Duppers
(28,088 posts)Hats off to you!
It's almost impossible for me to hide my contempt for RWNJs. Thank goodness my dumbass R brother even hates TRE45ON.
mountain grammy
(26,553 posts)If we can't turn this around, this will be a nostalgic post of how things "used to be."
Pepsidog
(6,252 posts)bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)ProudProgressiveNow
(6,127 posts)The Conductor
(180 posts)But this loss for Democrats might actually be a tactical win. While the more intelligent Republicans will understand what such a close contest - still undecided - might mean for November, the ignorightie crowd will take awsy that having Trump come in and blather helps them. Also that the win here means no blue wave.
Isn't that nice? President Toxic Tangerine drives most voters away, and the dimwit Rethug strategists convince themselves that everything will be fine just doing the same old lying crap. And the loss here would also convince any outstanding protest vote fools voting for the so-called Green Party that they are not much more than Republican, but with even less chance of winning.
True Blue American
(17,969 posts)Me this morning, This is your blue wave?
Completely ignoring the many we have already won.
The Conductor
(180 posts)They don't do fact well, and don't have much foresight. How many of their congressfolk survive a generic 11-point swing? 😊
LakeSuperiorView
(1,533 posts)I talked with the head of voting in our city today to get my absentee ballot. She asked me if I would consider stepping up to assistant head judge from just a election judge. The person who was slated to be assistant head judge had not completed the online basic training (must be completed by this Friday) was wasn't responding to emails. Means I have to go to another training class tomorrow night, and a $1 more an hour.
We have new Electronic Poll Books (IPad with software) to replace the printed paper rosters in three ring binders. Completely separate from the ballot counting machine, should make the check in process much faster. First three letters of first and last name and the person should be on the screen. If they are not, search by birthdate. Still can't find them, register them on the spot with required ID. Pick a line, no more find the right line based on your last name. Should be a great improvement, provided that election judges using them can cope with the technology.
If anyone is wondering, the ballots are still the "fill in the bubble" paper ballots counted by a tabulator machine that Minnesota has used for years.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)True Blue American
(17,969 posts)The whole state is getting new machines. That bill was signed for the money. But 2020.
Maeve
(42,199 posts)A fellow poll worker, here, but I didn't work yesterday (or vote; not my district). Kudos for keeping it friendly--they bring snark with them, but we still smile. The fact that the race was this close (and still isn't resolved) says we are making headway, but there is a long way to go before November.
Guilded Lilly
(5,591 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)It might not help us in that district, but that's the way it should be everywhere.
awesomerwb1
(4,255 posts)with all that's happening you -still- won't vote.....then when will you vote?? wtf will it take to get you to vote?
I'll never understand it.
usaf-vet
(6,070 posts)A matter of fact demeanor from our poll works is welcomed. Now!
Sad but true. We live in a small town 8,000 total. We have live in the same house since 1980. Voted in the same voting place since 1980. Have the same address and telephone since 1980. Many of the poll workers are folks that we are on a first name basis with. Often we are greeted by "HI my name" and "HI my wife's name". Hi John Hi Sally. For years they would have already located our name BEFORE we finish small talk.
Now of course we have to show our ID etc, etc. Which would be fine IF we weren't smart enough to realize that this is all about VOTER SUPPRESSION. There is no voter fraud as recent news has proven. Trump and Kobach's "voter fraud" committee has already failed and been debunked by the national press.
VOTER SUPPRESSION been the point from the beginning.
Now I carry my ID to get milk and bread.
True Blue American
(17,969 posts)titaniumsalute
(4,742 posts)But this was worth it. Nicely done.