Voting (No Political Content )

[Bob_Roller]

A major national election is a week away here in the US .

I use the early voting option, as I'm on vacation and if I decide to get away, I don't want voting to get in my way .

Just filled out the early voting ballot this afternoon and gave it to the postal carrier .

I save all the information that I get in the mail from unbiased sources, for the local elections .

There were 336 decisions to make on the ballot I had .

It took me almost an hour to fill out the ballot I had .

Even with all the info I had, I still had no idea who around 100 candidates for local offices were .

How do people make informed decisions, that walk into a polling place and make their choices

[donbmw]

Eny meny miny  moo

[Motu]

With voting on a week day, how do they expect a good turn out ?  Are workers allowed time off to vote ?   Election days are always on a saturday in New Zealand, a more relaxed day, and most people find some time to get out and vote.

[BPT]

I believe that companies in the US have to let workers off to vote although there are some caveats.  However, I don't think that they are required to pay an employee for the time off. So although nobody would be kept from leaving work to do it, there might be other reasons the employee wouldn't want to.

Kind of like jury duty.  My company pays me if I am serving on a jury but they aren't required to.  But all companies have to let you go.  Most people try to get out of it but especially so with people who will lose pay.

[wilcom]

How do people make informed decisions, that walk into a polling place and make their choices  

Here in Southern Ca we have a radio station that has been going over the propositions and who is running for "school board in district 9". I lean on them when I get to something I know nothing about. ( They have the info up on their web site. )I also vote at home via "absentee ballot" so I will have time to research something rather than toss a dart at the answer when in a polling booth.

The way they title propositions here is almost outright fraud. VERY confusing!!!  The proposition that is titled "for safer neighborhoods" actually lets a huge number of felons out of prison early.... go figure, huh

[Bob_W]

Local newspapers in small towns normally have the whole ballot printed. Otherwise the ballot, including the basic write up of items other than offices, can be found on line under the election commission.  
Information on any statewide issues are again covered extensively online. Locally we had a sales tax which is pretty straight forward.
I hope you voted my way.

Bob

[Barry]

A general election in the UK is always on a weekday but this presents no problem as the polling stations are open from very early in the morning until late at night so that people can vote on the way to work or on the way home. There are polling stations in the smallest of communities so you can often walk to one in 10 mins.  Many of them are in primary schools which means the kids get the day off.  Hurrah !

[Justin B.]

Bob, when I run out of ideas I usually vote for the candidate whose party affiliation most closely reflects my own values.

[Bob_Roller]

There was no political party affiliation noted for these candidates .

It was for elementary school district, high school district, junior college district, county water district, county flood control district and a few others that I can't remember .

[Justin B.]

In that case I probably would not vote for any of 'em...

[marcmax]

When I run out of ideas I vote for the one who is NOT running for re-election. The way I see it is the problem is too many career politicians spending all their time trying to get re-elected instead of doing the job they were elected to do in the first place. JMHO

[nhmaf]

We had (1) senator, (2) congress reps, state governor, state executive council, state senate, state house, county sheriff, town selectboard, county attorney, and of course the president/v-p to vote for here.  But no general ballot items.   

There was a long line coming out of our little town hall - turns out this election has more new voters registering than ever before.   A poll worker asked if I was a new voter, and whne I said "no", he brought me right in and I was back out in 10 minutes.  Sometimes living in a small town is a blessing!

[Bob_Roller]

The ballot I had. was 32 inches, .81 m. long and completely filled out on both sides .

I drove by my assigned polling place, a city police substation about . 5 miles, 1 km from my home at a little after 10 AM .

There were cars parked on both sides of the two streets that border this police station for a good 3 blocks north and south on one street and three blocks east on another street, plus the 150 or so parking spots at the police station .

Just guessing how many people were visible, and my guess would be 500 in line outside the building .

Waiting time to vote, was 3-4 hours .

I'm glad I use the early voting method .

nhmaf, unless you are having an emergency medical condition, it's always better to live in a small town !!!!

[Justin B.]

It was SO nice to have NO political spam in my inbox when I went through overnight e-mails!  I am so glad this political season is over.  I think that the primaries need to be whacked down to about 3 months, general to half that, then vote.  I am totally burned out ...

[Bob_Roller]

I'm just glad the robo calls for politicians is over !!!

From 8 AM last Thursday, through 650 PM Tuesday, I received 487 political calls !!!!!!!!

Some as early as 740 AM Sunday .

I'm not registered as being affiliated with any political party, so I get the wrath of both parties !!!!!