I worked the polls last night. Totally upsetting!!

[SmokingJacket]

First of all, the worst part: my Republican co-worker. Dear GOD!!!! She might have been the worst person I have ever met in my life -- rude, abrasive, dismissive of the voters, and the process, and made tons of errors. Fortunately the whole thing is run two dems and two repubs so all her mistakes were caught and fixed, though it definitely slowed down the line. She single-handedly turned what is usually a pleasant experience for all into a very unpleasant one.

Secondly: people were not prepared. They didn't understand our state's delegate system. They didn't know you had to be registered as a Dem or a Repub to vote in our state's primaries, and they were full of righteous indignation when we told them they couldn't. Lots of people hadn't looked to find out where they were supposed to vote and showed up too late at the wrong place. Some people didn't even realize you had to vote where you live -- thought you could go to any old polling place. (Granted, some of these were young people who never voted before, so I guess that's a good thing.)

I felt that most people were just taking the whole thing for granted -- they don't realize how important it is to be educated about your vote and the process. I even thought, for a passing moment, that we don't deserve the democracy we have. :(

Oh, yeah: the machines worked great. But guess what: I live in NY, and we have 40 yr old lever machines. After this election, they'll be gone.

Positive thing: Democratic turnout blew Repubs out of the water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Xipe Totec]

1. Thank you for being there!

:applause:

[SmokingJacket]

9. Hey, you're welcome.

I'm young and healthy, and I figure a lot of the older people are going to quit before the new machines are rolled out. I want to be on the ground floor with them...

[Aviation Pro]

2. So, the Republican strategy....

...of dumbing down America has worked great. Is there any wonder why these asswipes shouldn't be shoved into prison for the remainder of the their lives (and their precious assests frozen for good measure). This borders on treason.

[complain jane]

5. I think

that while I agree 100% that these asswipes belong in prison with assets frozen for good measure, I do also think it's up to the voter to be educated on when & where to vote. On the other hand getting that information, at least here in NJ for the average citizen, should be made much, much easier.

[SmokingJacket]

7. Yes! People should make more of an effort, but

it's true that the info could be much more available. Don't they teach it in high school civics anymore?

[tyne]

3. It sounds to me

like the Dem party needs to educate these new voters we're bringing in.

[SmokingJacket]

8. We do spend a lot of time on energizing people

Next step: focus on the process.

I really do think that if everyone were more organized, educated, and focused, and had access to clear information, our government would be unrecognizably different.

[THUNDER HANDS]

4. what part of NY was this?

[SmokingJacket]

6. Upstate.

My district is more Dem, for sure, but the turnout was greater even in percentages:

Democratic turnout: 60% or more of registered voters.

Republican turnout: 25-30% of registered voters.