My ballot in Washington state required a bit more thought than usual.

[pnwmom]

Because of the new "top two" primary system, we had a number of races in which the final two opponents were both Democrats.

Decisions, decisions.

Luckily, there are voter guides to help.

[fierywoman]

1. Well in my district we have a Democrat and a guy who calls himself a Dem but the

last time we (trusted and) elected him, he immediately started to caucus with the R's. May he rot in hell.

[PaulX2]

2. Rodney Tom Is Pure Scum

Can't say what I really think...

[fierywoman]

3. He came knocking at my door a few months ago asking for my vote.

I yelled at him like a 67 year old female Banshee: I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR YOU EVER AGAIN IN MY LIFE !!!!!!
(He slivered away.)

[pnwmom]

4. Yes -- I got to vote against him, too. But I had to look up why it was I hated him.

There are so many people to hate lately, it's hard to keep track of them all. (But usually they make it easier by running as R's.)

[fierywoman]

5. God, isn't that the truth? Please please please I hope everyone in this district looks

him up to realize why they hate him !!!

[MFM008]

6. I used progressive

Voters guide...
Ballot ready to go tomorrow.

[pnwmom]

7. Me, too! I like how it sets everything out. n/t

[Glimmer of Hope]

8. I am plugging away on my CA ballot.

My last vote was in DC and took 30 seconds. This is work!

[pnwmom]

9. I know! I realized that when a young working parent I know complained

that the booklet was too long and she didn't have time to figure everything out.

That's when I realized that many newer voters don't realize you can SKIP anything you want, if time is of the essence . . . except for the names that have D's beside them.

[Retrograde]

10. I look at the arguments for and against

Last edited Mon Oct 22, 2018, 03:02 PM - Edit history (1)

the propositions. If the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association (or any other "Taxpayers Association" ) or a noted Republican group is for it, I'm against it, and vice versa.

[pnwmom]

11. Yeah, but this person was looking at a 50 page voter pamphlet, so I understand

why she felt overwhelmed.

[TreasonousBastard]

12. 50 pages! That's some voter suppression right there.

[Retrograde]

14. Only 50?

Lightweight

This election the California state voters' guide is 94 pages (because they replaced the actual of the propositions with links to the on-line version; it still has the impartial analyses and the arguments for and against) plus there's a 56 page county voters' guide for local issues. It may seem daunting, but there's over a month to go through it, and IMHO knowing what one is voting on is a good thing. It's better than relying on manipulative commercials.

[pnwmom]

15. I'm sure it IS daunting, to many! My young friend said it looked like a test,

and she didn't have time for it.

That's why I tell everyone now that if it's too hard, or time-consuming, just fill in the ovals next to every D (unless there's more than one D, in which case a little research may be necessary), and don't worry about propositions and non-partisan races that you don't have opinions about.

Once they're in the voting HABIT they can start worrying about those things. The important thing is to make it a habit, every election.

[Akacia]

13. Voted yesterday

at the kitchen table with my daughter (her first time voting), we read the voter pamphlet together and then decided. I made it into a sort of celebration/ right of passage and she loved it. It is so nice to be able to vote from home and just mail it in. I live in Washington State too.