Unbelievable Turnout
Lines out to the street can only be a good thing for the Democrats today, as the throngs of newly registered voters actually turn out — unlike 2004. Remember that yesterday in Florida McCain had a rally and only about 1,000 people showed up. People showing up to vote are the people who show up at the rallies, at least that’s my theory.
I saw elderly people on crutches waiting, others who had brought their own chairs. You might do the same, or bring something to read. I brought the morning paper, but ended up in a good conversation with the nice people standing in line near me. The poll workers were great today, very polite and helpful, doing what they could to speed people through.
On the other hand, the Maplewood PD is not showing their best side. Right about where I was standing in the photo immediately above they gave a guy I was chatting with a really hard time because he wouldn’t hide his Obama pin. The law — at least I think — against electioneering only applies to within 100 feet of the polling place. As you can probably estimate we were not in that range yet. It was very disturbing and almost became very ugly. And Maplewood is a very liberal town, so I can only imagine what’s going on in some of the more redneck parts of the U.S.A. Right after, an older african-american guy who was part of our conversation said, “now you know how I’ve felt the last 70 years.” It was a great funny-but-not-funny moment.
But hang in there, and don’t let them cheat you. Here’s MoveOn’s tips for handling problems today.
Election 2008 Voting Information
Today, November 4th, is Election Day! Remember to vote—not just for Barack Obama, but for Congressional, state, and local candidates as well.
Where and when do I vote?
Find your polling place, voting times, and other important information by checking out these sites and the hotline below. These resources are good, but not perfect. To be doubly sure, you can also contact your local elections office.
- Obama’s VoteForChange site: voteforchange.com
- League of Women Voters’ site: vote411.org/pollfinder.php
- Obama’s voter hotline: 877-US4-OBAMA (877-874-6226)
What should I do before I go?
- After you’ve entered your address on either Vote For Change or Vote411, read the voting instructions and special rules for your state.
- Voting ID laws vary from state to state, but if you have ID, bring it.
- Check out all the voting myths and misinformation to look out for: http://truth.voteforchange.com/
What if something goes wrong?
- Not on the voter list? Make sure you’re at the right polling place, then demand a provisional ballot.
- If you’re voting on an electronic machine with a paper record, verify that the record is accurate.
- Need legal help? Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
- If you encounter a problem, try to videotape the situation and submit it to VideoTheVote.org