I voted yesterday... No Political statements just asking about the method you chose on casting your ballot.

[PrincessShmoo]

Have you voted yet? method you choose to vote?

We voted a couple of days ago (well, filled in the ballot), mail in ballot, but we're going to use an official drop box not the post office.

 

[Lizgistix]

Early voting opened early in Florida yesterday, and I went in person to vote,

Oh good, I'm glad you're a Florida voter because I have a question. I don't know how it is for you in your area of FL, but on our ballot in my area are questions about FL Supreme Court judges and District Court of Appeal judges. They're usually "Should Judge (name) be retained in office?"
Now I don't know about you, but when I get to this part of the ballot, I'm always like " I guess?"
Is there a way to determine if these judges should be retained or not? I figure if they're not in the news they must be doing an okay job?
I never know how to vote for these so I just select 'yes' for all of them.

 

[Wendy1985]

By mail

 

[bcla]

I have never voted by mail before although this year we all get one automatically in my state. I don't know where the ballot is. Maybe I can ask my wife since she handles our mail. But I don't need it to vote in person as long as they haven't recorded my ballot as being received.

I'm probably going to vote early (would be my first time) although my county doesn't start doing that until next week. There's a place pretty close to where I live. Not as close as my assigned polling place (they're a lot more limited this election) but reasonable. I guess I could wait until election day, but I might just try something new.

 

[JimMIA]

Oh good, I'm glad you're a Florida voter because I have a question. I don't know how it is for you in your area of FL, but on our ballot in my area are questions about FL Supreme Court judges and District Court of Appeal judges. They're usually "Should Judge (name) be retained in office?"
Now I don't know about you, but when I get to this part of the ballot, I'm always like " I guess?"
Is there a way to determine if these judges should be retained or not? I figure if they're not in the news they must be doing an okay job?
I never know how to vote for these so I just select 'yes' for all of them.

Yeah, that's one where I usually just leave it blank unless I happen to know a judge. And I've been out of law enforcement long enough that I don't know very many judges.

 

[bcla]

Oh good, I'm glad you're a Florida voter because I have a question. I don't know how it is for you in your area of FL, but on our ballot in my area are questions about FL Supreme Court judges and District Court of Appeal judges. They're usually "Should Judge (name) be retained in office?"
Now I don't know about you, but when I get to this part of the ballot, I'm always like " I guess?"
Is there a way to determine if these judges should be retained or not? I figure if they're not in the news they must be doing an okay job?
I never know how to vote for these so I just select 'yes' for all of them.

Those are almost always a rubber stamp. I have heard of judges being recalled. There was the case of California Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky, who sentenced Brock Turner to a fairly light sentence for a sexual assault. In the 80s we about three California Supreme Court justices (including the Chief Justice) who weren't retained. There was no election for new justices. Once they were removed, the Governor got to appoint the replacements.

 

[fortwildernessishome]

New Hampshire- I already voted by absentee ballot. Actually, my immediate family of four have all voted.

In NH, our only options are voting in person on election day or by absentee ballot. On a normal election with no pandemic going on, its very limited on who can qualify to use an absentee ballot, but because of Covid, everyone has the option to vote that way. I LOVED it!!! My entire life (I'm 52) I have never missed an election, but like I said, I loved using the absentee ballot and I would LOVE it if the state continued to let people vote that way in the future.

Until recently, I had no idea that some states only use absentee ballots or give everyone the choice to use one if they choose. That's amazing!! I also never heard of a ballot box!

 

[martikus]

South Carolina - voted today in person. Took 50 min. Most of line was outside and pleased to see most wearing a mask. Felt safe.

while we don’t have early voting, they do in person absentee so I did that due to state of emergency. I usually go on Election Day but our polling place is tiny and I didn’t want to get stuck in line for hours.

 

[martikus]

Not a fan of either candidate so sitting this one out.

please vote. It goes so much further than one person. 2016 is what happens when people don’t vote because they don’t like either candidate. if one party fits the direction you want the country to go vote for them not matter person running for pres.

im so sad at how many Americans don’t vote. As a woman it wasn’t that long ago I wouldn’t have been allowed to vote. People fought hard to get us this right. Please vote.

and I say all this for anyone who feels this way. Not wanting to just say to you.

 

[Skippy918]

I have never voted by mail before although this year we all get one automatically in my state. I don't know where the ballot is. Maybe I can ask my wife since she handles our mail. But I don't need it to vote in person as long as they haven't recorded my ballot as being received.

I'm probably going to vote early (would be my first time) although my county doesn't start doing that until next week. There's a place pretty close to where I live. Not as close as my assigned polling place (they're a lot more limited this election) but reasonable. I guess I could wait until election day, but I might just try something new.

Go to vote411.org and type in your address and it will take you to your ballot. There’s a blurb about the candidates and then you make your selections and then you can email yourself the responses. Be sure to print that out because many voting locations do not allow cell phones.

 

[xjillianpaige]

Massachusetts here. If I find myself over by the early voting spot, I'll run in and vote. If not, then I'll go to the polls on Election Day and vote in person. I have never waited to vote. In and out in less than 5 minutes. Once, for a local election, I stopped in while I was out for a run.

Four years ago I happened to drive by City Hall when they were doing early voting so I quickly pulled in to vote, but I usually vote on election day.

 

[AppleDumpling]

It's not me, but I understand.

Voting is a right — not a requirement. We have just as much right to NOT vote as we have to vote.

I agree with a PP that if you don't vote, you have no right to complain.

I also want my voice heard in every election, no matter how local or how trivial. So I vote every opportunity I have, but not everyone shares my personal point of view...nor are they required to.

I’m with you on all points. No, voting is not mandatory, and I don’t believe it should be. I do respect a person’s right to abstain from voting. However, I personally would not give up my opportunity as a citizen to participate in the process.

I think it’s unfortunate, that the impact of our individual votes are restricted somewhat by the way our system of government is set up (two-party system, electoral college, etc.). And I can relate to pp, because there have been times where the choices were lacking and I reluctantly voted for the “lesser of two evils”. But IMO, even a vote for a third-party candidate or a write-in is better than not voting at all. My feeling is that someone will be elected, so I may as well be a part of it.

if one party fits the direction you want the country to go vote for them not matter person running for pres.

im so sad at how many Americans don’t vote. As a woman it wasn’t that long ago I wouldn’t have been allowed to vote. People fought hard to get us this right. Please vote.

Well said.

 

[Kestryl]

Tennessee. I didn’t qualify for absentee/mail-in, so I’m voting early in person. Waits for the centers have been in the 1-2 hour mark.

I’m really curious what you’re supposed to do if you’re covid positive. Can you vote from a car? Or do they seriously want you to stand in line with everyone? Because they can’t just prevent you from voting if you’re positive, right?

 

[Keetchino]

NY, plan to vote in person on Election Day....... or in person at an early polling location if I remember about it and the mood strikes me

 

[AppleDumpling]

Tennessee. I didn’t qualify for absentee/mail-in, so I’m voting early in person. Waits for the centers have been in the 1-2 hour mark.

I’m really curious what you’re supposed to do if you’re covid positive. Can you vote from a car? Or do they seriously want you to stand in line with everyone? Because they can’t just prevent you from voting if you’re positive, right?

That’s a good question. In NY, there are normally only five reasons you can vote absentee. This year, because of Covid, they are allowing anyone to do it.

Check with your state Board of Elections. Seems like they’d have to make accommodations.

 

[leebee]

I'm in Maine, and I'll vote in-person on Election Day. I'll wear my mask and keep my distance. I don't usually think of myself as overly-patriotic, but I just love going to the polls and voting alongside my friends and neighbors!

 

[sparks&whimsy]

Military Spouse whose hubby is currently stationed in Hawaii, so I voted by mail!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Floridian - all 3 of us did mail in ballots.

Oh good, I'm glad you're a Florida voter because I have a question. I don't know how it is for you in your area of FL, but on our ballot in my area are questions about FL Supreme Court judges and District Court of Appeal judges. They're usually "Should Judge (name) be retained in office?"
Now I don't know about you, but when I get to this part of the ballot, I'm always like " I guess?"
Is there a way to determine if these judges should be retained or not? I figure if they're not in the news they must be doing an okay job?
I never know how to vote for these so I just select 'yes' for all of them.

I look up as much history on these judges as I can find to decide which I will & won't vote for. I definitely don't agree with the rubber stamping & wouldn't give anyone an automatic yes vote, just because they were placed in that position previously. I do think it's better to leave it blank than vote to support someone you haven't researched at all.

 

[aggiedog]

I think most of those statements are simple misunderstandings of the situation.

For example, in our county (a little less than 3 million), we had only two dropoff sites until yesterday -- County Hall and the elections office -- or you could mail your ballot.

Regarding drop boxes - here in Texas our Supreme Court just ruled prior to early voting that each county can only have ONE drop box, regardless of size or population of the county, for the entirety of early voting.

 

[Kestryl]

That’s a good question. In NY, there are normally only five reasons you can vote absentee. This year, because of Covid, they are allowing anyone to do it.

Check with your state Board of Elections. Seems like they’d have to make accommodations.

TN explicitly stated that “fear” of COVID-19 wasn’t a reason for absentee. You have to be actively ill, or at bare minimum have an underlying condition that would cause you to have complications. And you can request it up to 7 days before an election. But if it’s Nov 3, and you couldn’t make it to early voting (like my husband, who is a teacher), and you just learned you’re positive, what do you do?

I had actually asked in Aug for the primary (we were exposed, and waiting on a test), and the person who answered the phone just told us to come in because we weren’t positive. Didn’t really have a clear answer on if we were positive- just “we’d work with you.” It didn’t really sound like they had a plan.