While election day is still 35 days out (who's counting?) today marks the day Ohio residents can start casting their ballots. The opening of the flood gates comes just a day after Ohio courts ruled that new voters can register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day. Both candidates have been in the state, raising a little Buckeye and enthusiasm for their campaigns ahead of bringing on the vote. If you're holding a ballot in your hand and you're still not sure, Google has a rad (yep, I said it. Rad.) tool to help you search quotes from the candidates by subject. Go play and learn!
Ohio isn't the only state allowing early voting. States like IA, VA, NV, NM, and NC, all allow early and absentee voting. For some, the question isn't when to vote, it's are they registered — for a bunch of reasons. In Houston, some groups are calling for an extended deadline following Hurricane Ike — lots of voters are more worried about where to sleep, than if they're registered.
Are you similarly concerned about the deadline to register, and whether you are or not? You're in luck! The deadline is quickly approaching — check out the list from Rock the Vote to see when your state falls. Saturday, October 4 has deadlines for RI, SC, and WA. Put it on your list of things to do! Think you might be registered but want to check? VotePoke will tell you.
Princesse Tam-Tam
Aminaka Wilmont
Fantasie
I say rad all the time! That makes us totally cool, right?
1I'm really nervous my absentee ballot will get lost in the mail or processed wrong or something.
2Haus, I have been volunteering with the Obama campaign, and like the McCain campaign, they want people to do mail in or absentee ballot because it's much more likely for your vote to be counted that way, as counterintuitive as that seems. I'm also doing mail in because the lines could be outrageous.
I cannot wait! Besides the presidential and congressional elections, I have a lot of state and local measures to vote on. I'm going to spread out on the kitchen table with all my information, put on some Van Morrison, have a little wine, and spend the evening with my ballot.
3I am registered and everything...but I still don't really trust our voting system!
During the primaries when I went to go vote, there were 2 stations in one building. The first line said, "Nope, you must be over there". Then I went to the next line and they said, "Nope. You must be over there". Then I started to panic a bit!
Eventually the lady in charge of the first line looked in the very back of her book of paperwork, and there was a little list with my name on it. I was allowed to vote, but it didn't look very organized! I am still curious what that little list was all about!
4That sounds very romantic, TS!
5I usually get our little book that explains the "props", and mark which way I want to vote on them.
Then I get a little recipe card and make a "cheat sheet" for the props so I can quickly mark them on the ballot.
TS - I already got my absentee ballot from the McCain camp (how thoughtful right?
)
but I had to call to change my name on my registration (I got married shortly after the last election) so I'm worried that someone in that office my mess it up or that the whole thing might
get messed up.
Maybe I'm cynical but its been my experience that most people are incompetent! So I just don't trust other people with important things that I can't follow up on. I wish you got some kind of reciept that said your vote was counted.
Jill - thats exactly what I fear, that kind of "we have no idea so we're just going to do whatever" attitude. i don't trust that people who work at these places, that 100% of them really understand the importance of counting every vote.
6haha! you guys are awesome with your ballots! you should double date!!
7In the past I have always made a cheat sheet, too! You can print out a sample ballot on...oh, I forget. Smartvoter.org, maybe? And I would highlight, yellow for yes, pink for no. I try to look at polling, and if a Democrat is in a secure seat, then I consider voting for a Green party candidate. I keep a file and put all the campaign lit I get in that one file (all the mailers, etc) and then pull it out when I'm making my cheat sheet.
8Haha. Voting is definitely a huge deal for me. I look forward to it, vote in the morning so I can wear my sticker all day, take the next day off work so I can stay up late and watch the results come in and spend the next day immersed in all the post-game analysis.
9I like the stickers too... I'll miss getting one
10Registered since I was 17. I'm ready to go. I got my absentee ballot in the mail too, I'm a little scared to do it that way though. I was just going to do early voting.
11*when* not since
12In some states you still get a sticker, it comes in the mail with your ballot.
You also have the option of dropping off your absentee or mail in ballot at a polling place and getting a sticker there.
13Is it right the Obama campaign in Ohio providing free ride to the voting booth?
14Will they be providing the same thing to non-battleground states??
I think the stickers should come in the absentee packet!
15I also just got my absentee ballot in the mail, and i have a sticker , which looks just like the regular "i voted" round stickers but it says "I farted" I know, I know, its deeply immature but a bunch of ladies in my office wear them and no one really notices untill they really look.
I am a 12 year old boy at heart. sue me!
16I'm not a citizen of this country (yet!) but if there was ever an election when I wish I were, this has to be it! It's historic and it's going to have such a huge impact... everyone who can, VOTE!!!
17Where Did You Get Those?!?!
18I'm registered and ready to VOTE!!!
19I registered as soon as I was able to, and I've been voting ever since. Some years I've done the absentee, but it just doesn't feel the same to me. I gotta have my sticker!
Although the voting place for me is only about a block away...so I guess I could do the absentee and walk down to pick up my sticker
20Oh I didn't know you got a sticker with the ballot! Hopefully my state does that! I was thinking more about the candidate stickers... walking out last time I got a cute one from my candidate and a donut!! woohoo!
21GS, my boss had them made at some local graphic arts/Signage place.
I could probably make some money selling them....
22You probably could! It's genus!
23lol that's *genius
24Not fair. I want a sticker! I just get that little slip of paper that proves I voted when I'm done. Although, I did end up going out on a date with someone I met at my polling place last time, so, hey, voting: good for your social life!
25Me and all six of my personalities are registered to Rock the Vote. Haha!
26Me and all my nine Sugar identities voted in this poll!
27I have been registered since the hour I turned eighteen years old! I have no idea what the absentee/early voting policies are in my state (Washington), because I love the thrill and fun of going to the polls on Election Day, especially for a presidential election.
28Hope2be, the Obama campaign is trying to get drivers all over the US to take those that aren't able to get out on election day. We're in Missouri and my husband is already taking election day off to drive people to the polls.
Also, I'm registered in OH and I've already sent for my absentee ballot. It does make me nervous that it might not get counted, but I'm doing it anyways. And I think people are recommending voting by absentee because of how crazy the polls will be, like TrueSong said.
29Also, the USPS is more reliable than poll workers.
30I'm so excited to vote!! I'm glad no one's picked the "not interested" choice - every vote is so important!
31"Hope2be, the Obama campaign is trying to get drivers all over the US to take those that aren't able to get out on election day. We're in Missouri and my husband is already taking election day off to drive people to the polls."
That's nice, I may look into that but I got school. So I'll have to rework my schedule.
32Yes I'm registered. I have my registration card in my wallet and ready to go!
But I went on the site you directed us to, Citizen, and it says I'm not registered. So does the Obama site that you can check on.
I have my card... so I'm confused
I just recently registered in my town ... b/c I didn't get my absentee ballot for the primaries and I was pissed. So I decided not to take that chance on the Presidential election. I registered in June... could that be why it doesn't show it with my new address?
33Well, whatever the case is I am calling my county election board today and making sure I am registered in the county I want b/c our deadline is the 10th.
great. I just checked with my old address and it says I'm registered under that one!
34So my brother is the black sheep in our family.
My parents are very informed voters, having grown up in the 60's and witnessing firsthand the importance of being politically active. They've instilled that importance in me, but my brother seems to have missed the boat. He just doesn't care. He's in his late 30's and I'm not sure he's ever voted. Ever. It's so frustrating! Every election year we talk to him about why it's important, and we get the same response. "Eh."
My mom offered him $50 last month to go register. But she'd only pay him if he showed her his registration receipt.
35Locked and loaded down here in Columbus, OH! This election will change history!
36That's really funny about your mom, Sarah!
Hey Haus... you're in Ohio, right? I was too in the last election. I completed an absentee ballot but seem to recall that they were never even counted. Do you recall that at all?
Hypno... can I call you hypnotoad? There's a character on Futurama that I'm obsessed with called hypnotoad.
37amy - nope, not Ohio but another swing state! i lived there last election so i didn't worry about absentee ballots, but i will be casting it from afar this election so now i'm a bit worried.
i sort of feel bad for the non-swing states, it must be really discouraging to live in a state that consistently goes one way... esp. if its not your way.
38
39I'm registered, I just can't seem to get it switched to where I actually live! I moved almost 3 years ago and I've tried twice to change my voter registration and both times it has not worked! (It took them to the 2nd time to change my drivers license address) Very frustrating! I kind of gave up on it for the time being, but maybe I'll take another stab at it this week.
40I have only lived in very red or very blue states until somewhat recently. Personally, I never felt frustrated, because even though my states electoral votes were a foregone conclusion, I could still make a difference. For one thing, even a solidly red state like North Dakota would make headlines if the Republican won it with, say, only 55% of the vote instead of 65% (which would have been a difference of less than 20,000 votes, I think , in 2004).
For another, I could still donate, make phone calls, and make other contributions to the campaign.
Third, and most importantly, and this is a big issue with me, there's usually a ton of other stuff on the ballot! It's easy to get wrapped up in the presidential race because it's everywhere and you can talk to your neighbors and coworkers about it, but local elections are much more likely to affect your daily life and, on the flip side , you are much more able to have a say in them. I get as wrapped up in the city council elections as I do in Obama and McCain. Probably more, to be honest, since while I gave John McCain due consideration as a candidate, it's no real surprise that I settled on Obama, whereas with the city races, and to some extent house races, it can be trickier to id the candidate that shares most of my values.
41CaterpillarGirl! Will you be my new Sugar BFF?!?!
42True Song and Jill, I always take a cheat sheet when I vote. It makes voting much easier. It gives me time to look up information on judges up for election or re-election or find info on people I'm unfamilar with. At my old address I voted almost right in across the street from my house. I would have walked but that could be dangerous. Now I'm right down the road. Some of my neighbors even work at my polling place.
43amy I only wish people could hear the sound that hypnotoad makes!!
44If I vote early, will the calls stop?!?!
45hypnotoad!? LOL! Oh no. I've got to hold myself to some standards.
46Hypno that's a really sweet picture
47Thanks that's me and big Momma, so now everytime I say "well like my Momma used to say..." that's who it was.
48haus,
49I am majorly craving cupcakes now! Wow that looks delicious!
it's a hard thing to register to vote when you're from out of state since they ask for so many resident documents, but i'm going to take care of it. i do think that it's an interesting thing that you can start voting so early - although i'm not sure that i'm decided yet. i still don't know who will be a better team to lead the country.
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