Those eligible to vote in the US elections today

[STSF_BluRox 0]

Ok, for those of you that meet the criteria to be able to vote in the US elections today, get on out there and do so.

 

Because if you don't pick one way or another, be it the winner or the loser, then you have no right to complain later. There's a better quote, but it's not appropriate for this forum.

 

For those not eligible, bummer.

 

Blu

[Seiben 0]

 

For those not eligible, bummer.

 

Blu

Yeah, bummer. :P ::plays with his toonie and watches CNN::

[Cougar 0]

::flips up his loonie::

 

This election is important to Canada too, eh

[Dumbass 0]

Yes, everyone get out and vote! If you're not from a Red or Blue state your vote kinda sorta might count. :P

[Tachyon 0]

Even though I'm Canadian (and underage), I chose my candidate:

 

:P

[OHNO 0]

Yes, I chose mine to. Every vote counts, make yours count. :P

[Nemesis 0]

Yes, I chose mine to. Every vote counts, make yours count. ;)

Unless of course you're voting :P

[Darrik 0]

:P

[Vex Xiang 0]

I voted today fairly easily...no lines at all, and the place was right across the street as always :P

 

In fact, funny story. I went in and when I entered my booth (its an electronic voting system) I noticed the person before me had failed to push the "CAST BALLOT" button...so their finished ballot was sitting there, unsent.

 

I thought for a second about voting twice for my candidate...but then my conscience got the best of me and I told them and had them reset the machine for me ;)

[DaryusZaphodDracal 0]

;)

Wooohooo, there's someone I'd vote for!! :P

Seriously, I voted early this morning when the polls opened.

 

Zaphod,

"Meow mix, now in delicious gumbo flavor."

[Guest STSF Sketti]

I feel bad for other states (except NY). Virginia's voting system is so easy. You walk up to the machine, pull a handle to close the curtain (and set up the ballot), then use little switches to make your choices. You can change anything around all you want to.. and when you're satisfied with your final decisions, you pull the handle the other way to open the curtain - and pulling the handle records your vote. It's a shame more states don't have this ... especially, say, FLORIDA.

[STSF_BluRox 0]

I agree Sketti, that's the way we used to do it in Delaware. Up in MA, it's like taking an SAT filling in the little circles. Talk about dark ages....

[LoAmi 0]

Most lever machines (like the ones they have in NYC) are hopelessly outdated technology. There have been reports that it's hard to get replacement parts for them, and, they're more likely to make an error (the manual ones punch *cards* when you pull the lever).

 

The Massachusetts system (optically scanned paper ballots) is the second least error-prone voting system; the first is a simple paper ballot. Simple paper ballots have the disadvantage that they can't be counted electronically. Importantly, any form of paper ballot can be manually recounted. Electronic voting machines in some states don't have a paper trail or voter-verification that the vote they cast was actually the one recorded. Recounting in a close race is impossible, and votes can be lost by machine failure. And, I don't think I have to make a case against punch-cards. :-) So, those SAT-like sheets give us the best of both worlds.

[Dumbass 0]

But electronic voting is fun! The poll workers like it when you make slot machine noises and maybe even drop a few coins on the table to make it sound like you won something. :P

[John_Anderson 0]

I feel bad for other states (except NY).  Virginia's voting system is so easy.  You walk up to the machine, pull a handle to close the curtain (and set up the ballot), then use little switches to make your choices.  You can change anything around all you want to.. and when you're satisfied with your final decisions, you pull the handle the other way to open the curtain - and pulling the handle records your vote.  It's a shame more states don't have this ... especially, say, FLORIDA.

I resent that! ;)

 

Besides, all I had to do was draw a little line, which would complete an arrow, to show who I voted for. So I know nothing about these hanging and dangling chads.

 

And no, my lines weren't crooked, I actually made sure that the lines completed the arrows, just so that my votes WOULD count. :P

 

And just to prove my point, I got an image of sample ballot for you all to see what I'm talking about.

 

[Guest STSF Dacotah]

I know nothing about these hanging and dangling chads.

Yup, looks just like my ballot in Santa Rosa County. No levers (though I love the idea of making slot machine noises) No curtains. No chads, and best of all NO LINES. Walked in and seven minutes later I had my "I voted" sticker.

 

Next time I'd like to have the choice of colored pencils though, graphite is so ... dull.

[FredM 0]

It's a shame more states don't have this ... especially, say, FLORIDA.

Hey there,

 

Actually, Florida (to my knowledge) has never had that style of voting machine in the state's history. As for our voting, it took me a total of seven minutes to vote...in a county that had almost recording breaking turnout. It isn't that hard to take your finger, press it against the screen to check the name of the person you want to vote for, then click the blinking red light that says "CAST VOTE." :P

 

Personally, from what I've seen, I think what we have here is a heck of a lot easier than what you have/had. To each his own I suppose. I do think they should look into a nation wide standard.

[Dumbass 0]

Wow, you could only vote for Congressman? The rest of us got to vote for President as well.

[FredM 0]

Wow, you could only vote for Congressman? The rest of us got to vote for President as well.

Hey there,

 

Budget cuts, don't ya know...

[Dumbass 0]

I do think they should look into a nation wide standard.

Although I agree, that is easier said than done. There is actually supposed to be a national standard for federal offices (President, US Senator, US Congressman). The problem is with state and local offices and ballot initiatives. Those are off-limits to federal election authorities.

 

So what you would need to be compliant with all levels is at least 2 voting methods, one for federal and at least one for all other, and possibly even separate machinery and ballots for each level. If you think there was confusion in Florida in 2000 imagine taking that same population and subjecting them to multiple voting methods.

 

Sometimes the solution is worse than the problem.

[Dumbass 0]

Hey there,

 

Budget cuts, don't ya know...

The 1st Amendment to the Constitution begins "Congress shall create no law..." Why couldn't they stop there?

[Vex Xiang 0]

Next time I'd like to have the choice of colored pencils though, graphite is so ... dull.

 

Next time ask for a jumbo crayola.

[Captain Huff 0]

Okay, okay! I voted! ;) We had the easy little lever machines and no lines. Quite painless. The only hard part was reading my choices, lol.

[Darrik 0]

I for one am very upset at the media right now. I was listening to the news, and they were constantly repeating, "Kerry is conceited," "Kerry is conceited." How rude of them to be calling Kerry egocentric. The man just lost an important election! They should have been nicer to him!

[Dumbass 0]

:D ;) :D :) :D

 

I think you might have misheard. What they probably said is Kerry HAS CONCEIDED, not "is conceited"

 

Of course I'm not saying he isn't. :P