<b>Gustoferson</b>, March back there and demand a provisional ballot.

No lines at my polls. The old mechanical voting machines are still used here.

I just got back from voting. I always take election day off. If I am not so emotionally invested in the race that I can assure civility all day long, then I work the polls. Today, I am just staying home from work (& going to get the Third Season of the West Wing.To hell with Bush and Kerry: Bartlett for president.)

It's absolutely gorgeous out today in northern Virginia. I walked to the polls at the elementary school, and then stood in line for an hour to vote, this during an off peak time in a suburban precinct. Going to be an interesting race in ol' Virginny. We're expecting 80% turnout in most of NoVa, and that'll break for Kerry. Whether it'll be enough to swing the rest of the state is doubtful, but fingers crossed. (Touch screen machines.)

Voted this morning before work. Line was about a half hour. Watching some of the volunteers made me want to volunteer myself. Maybe next election.

No can do, according to those working at the voting site this morning, North Carolina does not do provisional ballots unless there is prior record of registration somewhere in the state. Since they can't find even a trace of my name on any registration related materials, I don't qualify and can't prov vote.

Again though, yeah they screwed me over royally, but I didn't help myself but not doublechecking to make sure the paperwork wasn't just thrown in the trash when I turned my back.

Edit: Though you mentioning it did just spark me in my more alert after-nap state to look up some stuff online. I just called the local county board of elections asking about that and they said I should go back to the voting place and ask if they would let me try a provisional ballot anyway. It would be up to the workers there if they wanted to let me, and then I still would have no way of knowing if my vote would be counted or not, because it would have to be individually looked at and approved through the board later on. But at least its something, assuming they let me, so i'm going to give it a shot.

Voted an hour ago. No line at all.

I voted. It took 15 minutes. About 5 minutes in line, then 10 minutes looking at my vote, cherishing my choice. I've been dreaming about that moment for four years.

Just got back from voting. This was my first time and it was surprisingly anticlimatic. Oh well. Now I get to wait and see what happens :)

I voted early in Texas, was in and out, I like being able to vote early for around 3 weeks before the big day, then I don't have to worry about it anymore.

I just came back from voting, kind of long. It took me like 20 minutes.

Now with more provisional voting goodness!

Thanks to Tophat, who in telling me to march back down there got me the idea to just call the people at the county boe myself and ask about it, rather than take the confused word of the election workers at 10 this morning.

Turns out they were expecting me back. It seems four other people through today have had what happened to me happen to them and during these messes they figured out that they were after all supposed to allow provisional balloting. So I after I walk in and briefly explain my phone conversation to the boe officials and they realize i'm the same one from earlier, they pull me aside again and tell me about the provisional ballot. First off I got one of the massive voter cards where you vote by using a thick felt pen and connecting the middle of a broken arrow to vote. I fill that out at a table and then she brings over the provisional voting envelope. At the top it is basically a repeat of a voter registration card, which I awkwardly fill out with the same thick felt tip pen (3s are a bitch to write with that thing, by the way).

Then I fill out the bottom of the envelope, which has several different things to check off and fill in. They are best described as the reasons you think you should be allowed to cast a provisional. There are some about being registered in a different district, moving recently, errors in registration, and whatnot. I fill out a couple of them that are closest to my reasons before, something along the lines of them having no record of registration though you've lived here for however long. Of course this is all in painful legal speak so the election volunteer is trying to read along with me and between the two of us figure out what they are saying. Then another place to sign and date it. Turns out the back of this is the envelope part, and the top 'voter registration-esque' part is the flap that covers and seals it. Only problem is the ballots are massive and the envelope is, well, not so massive. So I have to tri-fold this very heavy paper, damn near cardboard, myself while being witnessed, and try to fit it in the envelope. Of course it doesn't qute fit correctly, but none of them ever do, I'm told. I peel the backing off the sticky part, which won't work for most of it since it will be just stuck to the back of the ballot, and fold the registration-type part over the top and try to seal it down. It doesn't seal, but close enough they say.

I then take it over and they put it into something looking like an oversized banking money bag, and say they will hand deliver them to the board of elections central office tonight. All the prov voting will be counted by hand in the next couple of days, pending individual approval by the board that they feel it is legitimate and should be counted. They also handed me a sheet of paper saying that as of the 10th of the month, I will be able to go online to the website they have listed, and use my full name, date of birth, and a PIN printed on a sticker placed on the sheet, and find out if they counted my ballot or not, and why not if that is the case.

So now I do have my "I voted" sticker, and turned down an offer for multiple ones for the hoops i had to jump through and returning again after several hours, and I have kinda voted. In 8 days I will know for sure if I voted or not in this election via that website.

I'm still a little upset, remenants from me feelings before and the fact that its not 100% that they'll take my vote, but I've calmed down a lot considering. You learn a lot of lessons this way, most important about trusting something as important as voter registration to other students in a student organization without ever checking up on it yourself afterwards. Also writing it all out gave me something to do with the situation and in between all the time i spent today trying to figure everything out, and skipping 2 classes in the process. Also saved me the trouble of trying to type all that out umpteen times to different people.

Oh and by the way, they say that I will definately be registered for the next elections now.

Yeah, I've heard that before, think I'll doublecheck that one this time.

I voted! Was almost afraid I would not be able to, I changed my address this year, and never received my registration card. Went to the polling place across the street, and they did not have my information, called county voter registration, and they misplaced numbers in my address, so I had to drive ten blocks to vote at a different precinct.

Was easy! No line, walked in, showed ID, voted, and walked out. While there one of the volunteers said that half of the registered voters had already voted at that precinct (that was at 1:00 in the afternoon).

good work Gustoferson!!!

i voted two hours ago, first time ever! no line!

Damn, Gustoferson, sounds like you went through the ringer. Good luck with that, let us know if your vote "counted" or not.

I voted at 8:30 am, there were some long lines for the L-Z last names, but only 2 people in my line. I was in and out in 15 minutes....just like having sex, except without the sweaty, euphoric feeling.

I just voted... for some unknown reason my absentee ballot wasnt mailed until last tuesday...I was calling the election office every day trying to find where my ballot was...

so I got it today... no way i would be able to mail it to them in time... so i called em up and had to fax it to them... ended up taking a few hours of my time... and almost $9 (damn school charges a lot to send/recieve faxes) and because i was faxing it in i had to give up the annonymity(sp) of my voting decisions...

lame... but hey i still voted... better then i can say for some of my lazy bum friends...

i early voted last thursday.

I've heard there was some problem with absentee ballots overseas but not here.

Voted for the rich white guy that went to Yale

kudos to Gustoferson(and others like him) for jumping through all those hoops to get their vote!

Took about 15 minutes wait in line at 8:30 this morning. I tried to time it after the morning "before you go to work" rush and was successful. No problems, etc.

Just voted for the first time in my life! I wasn't a citizen at the time of the last Presidential election, so I couldn't vote. As far as the voting itself, very smooth. No lines, electronic voting. Yey!

Voted a few hours ago. No line at all. Walked right in, and right out.

I voted I will win!!!

voted, no line, but it is snowing in Texas!!! I am afraid hell is about to freeze over...

I just voted. Quick and easy :D

Just got home from the poll, lines we're not bad at all, noticed one younger guy in his 20's asking one of the poll volunteer who he should vote for, WTF? The volunteer's response was, vote for whoever you want. Dumb, but am still glad the guy made an effort to go to the polls.

Waited 1 1/2 hrs to vote last Friday. Worked my polling place today - no line after 11:30.

Took me about 35 minutes. I got there about 7:15 this morning and was out of there just before 8:00. Went smooth for everybody, and I live in a diverse precinct.

I voted 20 minutes before the poll closed. Funny, I heard horror stories at how long the lines were, but there wasn't one other single voter there when I walked in. It was sweet!

Nope, i didnt vote, i didn't vote because i don't want either of them in office, i think our voting system is flawed completely, that's just me though

Dan

First thing this morning. No lines. 10 minutes total.

Sure did- absentee, the lazy way.

I am ded sor e

God Bless the absentee ballots. I am not a fan of lines, and this has always turned me off to voting, but the absentee ballot has continued to save my ass.

" Voting? That's for suckers!" Oh the irony.

I voted, just got back a couple hours ago. Took 2 and a half freaking hours of waiting in line (Arizona, West Wing Club) My dad voted someplace else, in Phx, he waited in line 2 minutes! Arg my feat. Def doing absentee next time. Oh and I didn't even get to use a booth (more of a line) I had to use a table. Sigh.

i made the biggest mistake of telling my sis who i voted for. now my family hates me...well i don't think they really hate me, but they have been very cold towards me for the past few hours...:(

Voted by absentee ballot today.

I voted for the first time today, and I'm wearing my sticker with pride. :)

I am one of America's disenfranchised voters. Possibly because I am republican?