Where Do I Go To Vote?
The guys at Google have been doing a really good job covering the election this time around, and Election Day is no difference. This morning, they’re up with a tool that will tell you where you’re polling place is. I’ve already tried it for my address, and it worked perfectly. Of course, if you live in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy, this information may not be entirely accurate.
Accurate for me as well.
I’ll be voting during the lunch hour.
Not to get all melodramatic, but I have to say I’m sort of wistful today. Dianne Feinstein is on the ballot this year. I first voted against DiFi almost exactly 20 years ago. Back then my head was filled not only with complete nonsense by virtue of youth and inexperience it was filled with complete nonsense (“Palsgraf,” “Hadley v. Baxendale,” etc.) by virtue of the horror show otherwise known as law school. Now it’s 20 years later, I’m less cement headed but a lot more jaded and cynical, and yet I’m still having to vote against DiFi. Shit, I’ve Quixotically been voting against DiFi for so long it’s as if she’s my crazy aunt or something.
Out here in California every election cycle we have direct voter referendums. As always is the case I’ll be voting against all the pork tax and spending measures. I’ll also be voting against labor unions wherever and whenever possible, as I always have done. I proudly will vote today to retain the death penalty for California, but I also will be voting to reform our “Three Strikes” law, to make it more cost effective and less arbitrary and a little less harsh.
I never understood those malcontents out there who are registered and who pay attention to politics but who don’t vote. Our troops fight and die to give us the ability to vote. People in other countries are tortured and killed merely for wanting to exercise self-determination. Yet here in the USA we have a collection of spoiled brat punks who’d prefer to “send messages” or to “prove points.” Pathetic, they are.
Democracy is an interesting experiment. I’m happy to be a part of it.
@Tsar Nicholas: Wait, you’ve heard of Diane Feinstein?
Sorry, I don’t believe it.
Now all we need is the app that slaps election officials for creating 8-hour lines once you DO find your polling place.
Of course, the people in the disaster area don’t have access to Google. So yet another FAIL. Like the insurance companies and help orgs running radio ads telling people to call or visit their website.
8 hour waits at the polls? Ann Althouse reported minimal waiting in Madison Wisconsin.
But the real problem is all those wanting to call the election early. My aunt still goes on about a long ago election where she was in line, on the East Coast, to vote when someone came by telling them the winner. Should be a law, no election count results until all the polls have closed, i.e., the next day.
Early voting last Tuesday in my FL county took one hour in line and 15 minutes to fill in the two-page, double-sided ballot. Lots of state constitution amendments and local initiatives in addition to the local and federal elections and judge retentions.
My result was “Sorry, we were unable to find your election day polling location.” I’m not surprised as WA & OR are 100% mail-in, though I have seen a google map of the locations of all the ballot drop boxes. WA may have another Governor drag-out ala 2004 since ballots have to be postmarked by today and so will trickle in over the next few days (vice Oregon where the ballots have to arrive today if mailed).
In Texas, counties have the option to allow voters to vote at any open polling station within the county on election day, rather than forcing people to go to their specific precint’s station. My county (Travis) implemented that in 2011 and it has been extremely popular. As of now, only about a dozen counties have implemented this method.