VOTED TODAY. Check in here, if you did, too.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

Poll question: VOTED TODAY. Check in here, if you did, too.

some interesting Illinois facts:
I voted in southern Cook County, south of Chicago.

The Sequoia Machine (touchscreen) I used had a very easy to handle display, well organized, and always allowed you to change your mind. It printed out a complete listing of my votes, let me know when I skipped an office (skipped two, on purpose) and even did a high tech bar code for easy recount.

There has been an INCREASE of registered voters in Cook County - real surprise, considering that Chicago lost population. Dupage County, (a GOP stronghold) LOST 5600 voters. Total voters in Illinois, approximately 7.5 million.

IN Chicago alone, 81,827 voted by Wednesday by way of absentee or early voting. That is triple of the previous high, 2006.

Despite what HIllary's website said, Polls opened at 6am here. In my precinct, I voted at 7am CST. I was 40th that morning. As I left, people were coming in fairly steadily. All of this points to the highest turnout for a primary in Illinois history.

Clearly Obama's presence plays a big role, but still, interest in many offices is incredibly high.

For those who voted today, please answer how:

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. ALSO, if you had any problems voting, please list them here.

[TornadoTN]

2. Voted for Obama but on a paperless computer

Very happy about it, but still don't feel secure on those machines. (And I'm a tech guru!)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. which state?

[TornadoTN]

7. Tennessee

They just switched over to the paperless system in 2006. Sadly enough, the poll workers (who generally tend to be retired seniors) have a very hard time working with them. My parents said that they both had to use paper ballots after the poll worker set the system up wrong and cast a blank ballot for them.

I even ran into an issue myself this morning. Luckily I was smart enough to catch it before any real harm was done. The poll worker put the card in the machine and fooled around with the screen for a bit. She seemed to be very unsure of what she was doing. When I got to the screen, it said "do you want to confirm your ballot?" - I pushed "No-Review Ballot". When I reviewed it I found that she had put me in the Republican primary. The precinct captain came over and reset it to Democratic and all was well. However, I can't help but wonder if this happens more than once today and whether other people will catch it.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. Tennessee? I heard of that. Isn't that a suburb of Kentucky?

at least as bourbons go?

[calico1]

4. At my polling place it was a quick in and out

which is why I always try to go early rather than after work.

This is the second time we have used the new optical scan machines but it was much more organized than the first time. The machines were farther apart which allowed more privacy. On going in there was one line for Republicans, one for Democrats. In the time I was there (though slow) there were about 10 Democrats besides me. Only two Republicans the whole time. When I was leaving there were more people getting on the Democratic line and no one at the Republican table. All the Democratic candidates were still on the ballot.

Supposedly about 35,000 or so new people registeriing for this election.

I am in CT

[ChairmanAgnostic]

6. While voting, I overheard a woman ask for GOP ballot, then ask,

"How do I vote for Obama on this? He's not listed."

voting judge: He's a democrat.
"SO what? I want to vote for him."
VJ: Then you must vote in the Democratic primary.
"But, I always vote republican. My husband insists."
VJ: You can only vote for GOPers if you vote in their primary.
"Can't I write him in and have it count?"
VJ: sigh.
"THis is so screwn up. Why don't you fix it?"
VJ: Sigh.

[calico1]

8. People can be idiots. Here voters have been told

from a while back that you have to register with a party and that if you switch from one to another it takes longer. But people don't listen. What did they end up telling her?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. closed primaries suck

they should all be open. Oppressive control by two party pols who want to maintain control.

[Tammie]

5. I did my duty

I voted at about 7:30 a.m. in Chicago, north side precinct. We used paper ballots, optical screening. The polls opened at 6 a.m. and at 7:30 I was number 30 to vote. It was pretty empty.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

9. the early voters probably put a dent in it.

what with 80,000 voting early in Chicago alone.

[Tatiana]

11. I voted in IL too. Turnout at 7:30 a.m. was HUUUUUUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I mean, HUGE! But the lines were moving quickly. I voted for Edwards, but there appeared to be a very large contingent of Obama voters (yesterday, there was some sort of spontaneous march down LaSalle with people shouting "Yes, We Can!").

EVERYONE is sick of Bush and ready to get rid of the Republicans. There was a small contingent of voters who had red, white, & blue "Republicans for Obama" signs a short distance from my polling place.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. methinks this will be the hugh-est turnout ever.

that should send a message to pelosi and reid.

[Little Star]

14. Massachusetts, for Hillary. Polls had just opened bet still

quite a few in each line.

[HamdenRice]

15. Great grey giant beast with a lever

Our machines in New York City are these monstrous big ancient gray machines about the size of a telephone booth. You have to pull this huge red lever to the right, vote, then pull it to the right.

Makes it feel like you've done some real work when you vote.

[IsItJustMe]

20. LOL Sounds like an ugly slot machine.

[workinclasszero]

16. Two votes for Obama

I and my wife both voted for Obama at about 10AM in Missouri.

Only real problem is the nasty weather. A very cold rain is falling at the moment. Didn't seem to be hurting the turnout to much.

We were the 400th something voters so far, the parking lot was full too.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

18. we'll be getting 10 inches of partly cloudy tonight.

luckily, most of the snow falls after the vote is over.

[in_cog_ni_to]

17. Illinois here..voted for Hillary on Optical Scan Accu-Vote...my husband voted for Hillary also.

:)

[IsItJustMe]

19. While I was voting, a gentlemen next to me, who I suspect was mentally challenged,

asked me where on the ballot he could vote for Bill Clinton.

[robbedvoter]

21. Voted for Hillary on a good ol' reliable lever machine - in NY

[moriah]

22. In my precinct in AR we had a choice! (well, other than the main one...)

We got to choose between paper optical scan ballots or the machine. They had one machine set up for the Republicans and one for the Democrats, and about eight different places for people to mark their paper ballots.

I chose paper, and when asked why I said "I don't quite trust computers with my vote." They said I sounded like some of the "older folks", to which I replied "I wouldn't have a job if computers didn't break."

It's true, I wouldn't.

Still kind of cool we had a choice.

[Jed Dilligan]

23. Provisional ballot

The DMV, of course, didn't process my change of registration.

[LSK]

24. paper/optical scan - no option for electronic voting this time (Dupage County)