I voted for Barack Hussein Obama for president! (Correction: Actually, I voted for the eight men and one woman under the heading Democratic Party “Electors.” Why the quotes? Are they not really electors?)
Our polls opened at 6AM. At 5:55, the line wrapped around the Terpsichore side of the International School of Louisiana and half a block up Camp St. The outside line moved very quickly and we got in the short inside line for our small precinct, when D was told that he is not listed in our precinct. Funny, I am. After I voted (ha ha, beat my husband to it), D told me that his printout from the online polling place locator placed him in Precinct 1. Why? If we live in the same house, why are we listed in two different precincts? Welcome to the wild and wacky world of Louisiana Motor Voter registration! On asking friend and El Grande Jefe Poll Commissioner, Ellen, to check the roster for Precinct 1, we found that D was indeed listed there. Unfortunately, since Precinct 1 is much larger than most other precincts in our ward but was still awarded only two voting booths like all other precincts, D was forced to go to the back of a long, tightly-wound line inside the building. What a pain!
So, what’s a Maitri to do when standing around while someone else waits to vote? Play temporary poll helper, of course. While Ellen walked around the tables putting up the zero tally (proof that all the voting machines started at 0), I helped incoming voters find their lines. If I didn’t have to work today, I’d still be standing there matching voters with their precincts. Yes, I’m a dork, find stuff like this enjoyable and am all for Election Day becoming a national holiday so we can give back by taking the time and effort required to exercise our right to vote or to work the polls.
Lessons learned:
1. If you can help it, please go to vote with knowledge of what ward and precinct you are in. With the huge turnout this year, people wondering what line they’re supposed to stand in soon turns into a giant goat rodeo. Your prior preparation will greatly help the poll workers.
2. Even if you know where you are supposed to vote, don’t be surprised if you are kicked into another ward or precinct. As we learned this morning, Motor Voter isn’t perfect and doesn’t necessarily place your address in the correct voting district. Talk to the poll commissioner, find out where you belong and fill out a (pink) change of ward/precinct form as soon as possible.
3. Be prepared for long lines and for voting machines to be broken. Regardless, please stay in line!
4. According to Cade Roux, there is a text message going around New Orleans which says, “Due to
exceptionally long lines today, all Obama voters are asked to vote on Wednesday.” You probably know this is false, but just in case, THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT THE CASE. The polls close at 8PM for ALL VOTERS and that’s that. The message came from a local number. This was reported to the Election Protection Hotline at 800-432-4427. “They said this is indeed going around and they will report the person to the local, state, and federal authorities. If you get this or any other type message regarding voting that is or appears to be fraudulent, please report them at the above number.”
In Middleton: smiling people, short lines, paper ballots marked with pencil, helpful seniors making sure everyone is in the right place/line, seventy-two degrees and sunny. Why be any other place?
Voted Friday on the way home from work – 30 minute wait, lovely weather, people already in costume in preparation for the evening’s festivities (or because they have awesome workplaces). Only complaint is that the paper scan machines we had for the primaries were replaced with ye olde touch screens. Suspicion, suspicion.
Dallas Morning News is reporting that after heavy lines at the opening of polls, many places are without waits or have only very short ones.
Your nice :)
I voted absentee, so I mailed it weeks ago. I miss the human touch of the polls, but it’s very convenient.
I’m a veteran of the first gulf war. I voted Democrat for the first time with Kerry because Bush was so bad. I wasn’t excited about Kerry, just didn’t want Bush to win again.
I voted Obama this time… I’m excited! GOBAMA!
Ah, but how does one find out what ward and precinct they are in?
Each polling place has (should have) a map with a ward and precinct numbers overlay. If you tell the poll commissioner your address, they can locate your W&P.
Ya got a link? That’s news we can use.
Varg, here’s the polling locator link, I’m sure you already knew about it. Here’s a page with links to ward and precinct maps for each district.
There were old grandparents, aunties and uncles in there who couldn’t even read their ID cards (bad vision/old age) much less go online. They had family members or helpers with them. If that latter party went online and happened to come across this post, I wanted to warn them to stay at the polling place and find out their W&P because the poll commish should be able to tell you that.
Hell no I didn’t know about it that’s why I was asking. :)
Damn Maitri. You beat me to the punch! I took the same photo in the booth that day and was gonna post it. Now I’ll just send them all over here and say, “What she shot!”