Observations from Virginia on Election Day

[Warfish]

1. Turnout was very strong early. Line was very long. Took 2 hours of waiting to cast our votes.

2. Turnout Demographics of that early line: Very very strong for African Americans and Hispanics.

3. My ID was checked, as was everyones, with a list of acceptable ID's that was very broad. VA rules are no ID at all = you can still vote, but only a provisional ballot.

4. Despite being an educated professional, the voting machine was still slightly confusing at first (a more prominant insert card here would have been useful).

5. The line was very very quiet. Probably due to early am time (arrived at 7 am, left at 9 am).

6. I cast my first vote in my lifetime. So at least there is that I suppose.

7. All along the hallway (it was a school) we were lined up in there were signs comparing Romney and Obama Policy, created by the kids. As you might imagine, they were generally rather positive about Obama, and no so much about Romney.

8. No exit polling was being done. Not on the way in. Not on the way out. The only folks outside were those handing out the "sample" ballots for each party (I refused both, I know who is who and what is what).

9. VA has two Constitutional Amendments on this ballot, one (limiting the power of emminent domain to clear public good/non-private/non-profit reasons, I REALLY hope wins. The other was....odd, dealing with what seemed to be statehouse rules of the "how we make sausage" variety, where a yes or no seemed meaningless either way tbh.

So there you go, Fish's sights and sounds of election day in VA.

[Timmy®]

Originally Posted by Warfish

6. I cast my first vote in my lifetime. So at least there is that I suppose.

.

curious why you did this when you seem unimpressed with both men?

African Americans and hispanics voting early = Romney's dead

[chiefst2000]

Originally Posted by Warfish

1. Turnout was very strong early. Line was very long. Took 2 hours of waiting to cast our votes.

2. Turnout Demographics of that early line: Very very strong for African Americans and Hispanics.

3. My ID was checked, as was everyones, with a list of acceptable ID's that was very broad. VA rules are no ID at all = you can still vote, but only a provisional ballot.

4. Despite being an educated professional, the voting machine was still slightly confusing at first (a more prominant insert card here would have been useful).

5. The line was very very quiet. Probably due to early am time (arrived at 7 am, left at 9 am).

6. I cast my first vote in my lifetime. So at least there is that I suppose.

7. All along the hallway (it was a school) we were lined up in there were signs comparing Romney and Obama Policy, created by the kids. As you might imagine, they were generally rather positive about Obama, and no so much about Romney.

8. No exit polling was being done. Not on the way in. Not on the way out. The only folks outside were those handing out the "sample" ballots for each party (I refused both, I know who is who and what is what).

9. VA has two Constitutional Amendments on this ballot, one (limiting the power of emminent domain to clear public good/non-private/non-profit reasons, I REALLY hope wins. The other was....odd, dealing with what seemed to be statehouse rules of the "how we make sausage" variety, where a yes or no seemed meaningless either way tbh.

So there you go, Fish's sights and sounds of election day in VA.

First time you voted? Yet you spend all this time talking politics? WOW. I've never missed a vote aside from the college years. And being honest who did you vote for?

[Timmy®]

Originally Posted by chiefst2000

First time you voted? Yet you spend all this time talking politics? WOW. I've never missed a vote aside from the college years. And being honest who did you vote for?

Romney, take it to the bank.

[Warfish]

Originally Posted by chiefst2000

First time you voted? Yet you spend all this time talking politics? WOW. I've never missed a vote aside from the college years. And being honest who did you vote for?

I know it's been a while, but we've covered this in the past. Previously, my choice not to vote was a very conscious one, a protest (albeit a feeble one) for a lack of real options in the two-party system.

As I've grown older, I no longer feel that choice is appropriate. That a vote must be cast.

As for whom I voted, I cannot say. Why ruin all the good forthcoming Anti-Crypto-Liberal rants in advance?

[SafetyBlitz]

Surprising that you never voted before considering the time you put in here...

Just remember to tell us who ya voted for so we can hold ya accountable when that guy sh*ts the bed.

[Timmy®]

Originally Posted by Warfish

As for whom I voted, I cannot say. Why ruin all the good forthcoming Anti-Crypto-Liberal rants in advance?

you pretty much said it in the JI presidential poll

[chiefst2000]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

you pretty much said it in the JI presidential poll

I only asked because when Fish first said that he would be voting Johnson I said in a thread that when it comes down to it, sitting in a swing state and looking at the ballot, as informed of a voter as fish is he will be compelled to vote Romney.

[Timmy®]

Originally Posted by chiefst2000

I only asked because when Fish first said that he would be voting Johnson I said in a thread that when it comes down to it, sitting in a swing state and looking at the ballot, as informed of a voter as fish is he will be compelled to vote Romney.

peel away all the complex shades he exhibits, at the core is an anti-lib

and that's ok

I'd still vote for him as first ballot mod

[Warfish]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

peel away all the complex shades he exhibits, at the core is an anti-lib

and that's ok

I'd still vote for him as first ballot mod

I disagree with the first, and thank you for the second Tim.

[brady's a catcher]

Originally Posted by Timmy®

curious why you did this when you seem unimpressed with both men?

African Americans and hispanics voting early = Romney's dead

Blacks and hispanics outnumber white voters in much of NOVA, so not sure that is true. Also seems humorously racist in lib fashion. If minorities are actually getting out of bed early, this must be important to them!

Going to try my luck in Arlington in about an hour. My neighborhood is mostly minority so I'm sure that's what I'll find at my polling place.

[DDNYjets]

I take issue with #8. Children are impressionable. No doubt the teachers played a role in that.

[nj2socaljetsfan]

Was able to vote in my first ever presidential election. I live in NJ but go to college in FL so I was able to vote in FL. A lot of students were there surprisingly wearing Romney shirts. Anyway pretty cool to finally be able to vote in an election.

[HessStation]

Originally Posted by DDNYjets

I take issue with #8. Children are impressionable. No doubt the teachers played a role in that.

It's a progression...union teachers fill the heads of young, impressionable kids with Liberal thoughts....kids graduate usually Democratic....kids eventually get a job, get married...have their own kids, say, wait what!?... and turn into Republicans.

Either that or said kid:
-joins union job
-makes $50k or less their whole life
-becomes famous movie actress/actor
-still smokes pot into their 30's

[Sanchez 3:16]

Originally Posted by HessStation

It's a progression...union teachers fill the heads of young, impressionable kids with Liberal thoughts....kids graduate usually Democratic....kids eventually get a job, get married...have their own kids, say, wait what!?... and turn into Republicans.

Either that or said kid:
-joins union job
-makes $50k or less their whole life
-becomes famous movie actress/actor
-still smokes pot into their 30's

lol.

yes, every successful person is a Republican. Their success is built from their conservative views.

no Democrat has ever gotten married, had kids, pursued a non-union career, made more than 50 thousand a year, wasn't famous and didn't smoke pot. All Democrats are losers!

[crasherino]

Originally Posted by Warfish

I know it's been a while, but we've covered this in the past. Previously, my choice not to vote was a very conscious one, a protest (albeit a feeble one) for a lack of real options in the two-party system.

As I've grown older, I no longer feel that choice is appropriate. That a vote must be cast.

As for whom I voted, I cannot say. Why ruin all the good forthcoming Anti-Crypto-Liberal rants in advance?

Just curious....how'd it feel (voting that is)? Considering you are very much into politics, did it have an energizing feeling, like you were part of the process, or was it more of a mechanical - "I pulled a lever" type thing?

For me - in NYC - voting doesn't have has much panache and is a fairly uneventful episode.

The exception to that is when I have taken my grandfather to vote. When he was more ambulatory, I always made it a point to take him. He immigrated here from Austria, narrowly escaping from the Nazis, speaking no English and without a pot to piss in. Even at his advanced age (he's now 97) and with his faculties becoming somewhat impaired, he has always been so thankful that he has the right and ability to vote - something that most of the world isn't able to do. His mind is now at the point where he tells several of the same stories as if they were on a loop. One of his most oft told is what a wonderful country we live in and we should appreciate it what we have.

I usually have little patience for repetition - my grandfather is my glaring exception.

[PlumberKhan]

Originally Posted by HessStation

Either that or said kid:
-joins union job
-makes $50k or less their whole life

Yeah. F*ck these guys. Bunch of whiners.

[HessStation]

Originally Posted by PlumberKhan

Yeah. F*ck these guys. Bunch of whiners.

Did I say anything was wrong with it? Absolutely not. I have 2 sisters who teach, 2 uncles are NYC cops, and the best man in my wedding is in construction.
I was stating the obvious norm of things. I'm not fighting it at all. To each there own but let's be real. People will almost always vote for self interest.

[HessStation]

Originally Posted by Sanchez 3:16

lol.

yes, every successful person is a Republican. Their success is built from their conservative views.

no Democrat has ever gotten married, had kids, pursued a non-union career, made more than 50 thousand a year, wasn't famous and didn't smoke pot. All Democrats are losers!

No way did I call anyone a loser. But let's be real in realm of generalizations, which sure, is always a slippery slope, but usually pretty close to real, most of the above shop at whole foods and still think they can save the world. The CEO of my company is all the above and still a hardcore liberal. He's an awesome guy whom I respect greatly. ****, I'm extremely Liberal on social issues.

Whatevs, you know it's true....that's how it works with a majority of the middle class.


An don't get all sensetive, it was also meant to be a little tongue in cheek to boot.

[Warfish]

Originally Posted by crasherino

Just curious....how'd it feel (voting that is)? Considering you are very much into politics, did it have an energizing feeling, like you were part of the process, or was it more of a mechanical - "I pulled a lever" type thing?

It felt good to take part in the process.

It felt rather bad to vote the way I voted, out of calculated pragmatism, and not true idealism and agreement.

To support, directly, a system (two party) that I truly loathe.

His mind is now at the point where he tells several of the same stories as if they were on a loop. One of his most oft told is what a wonderful country we live in and we should appreciate it what we have.

I usually have little patience for repetition - my grandfather is my glaring exception.

We're going through that ourselves, but at a later stage sadly, with my wife's father. The stage that comes well after just repetition.

But your point is very well taken, and it's good to have examples like that in our lives to remind us how important it it to cherish the rights we have, and to use those rights.