Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:07 PM

msongs (30,475 posts)

California, the most voters, the most diversity - and lines at poll places are usually not that long

so whats the difference? California wants people to vote, that's the reason. We have polling places everywhere, family garages, churches (ugh), stores, schools, other businesses. LOTS of places to vote with lots of voting materials for the most part.

What we don't have is republicans in charge of the legislature and the governor's office.

Republicans - don't need 'em and don't have em in positions of power for the most part.

12 replies, 582 views

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12 replies	Author	Time	Post
California, the most voters, the most diversity - and lines at poll places are usually not that long (Original post)	msongs	Nov 2012	OP
Took me 10 minutes to vote and	Lebam in LA	Nov 2012	#1
WTF is a polling place?	tularetom	Nov 2012	#2
I haven't voted at a booth since 2008.	JRLeft	Nov 2012	#5
same here eom	amborin	Nov 2012	#11
We also have a tradition of elections not run in a partisan manner	cally	Nov 2012	#3
Why the hell have to go to a voting place at all?	dballance	Nov 2012	#4
in California you don't have to go to a polling place. are you paying attention?	CreekDog	Nov 2012	#10
And we encourage voting by mail	Retrograde	Nov 2012	#6
Lived in Cali most of my life	marlakay	Nov 2012	#7
And... the last 3 polling places have been within walking distance for me in L.A. proper.	cui bono	Nov 2012	#8
10 minutes max	flamingdem	Nov 2012	#9
Pennsylvania	zebe83	Nov 2012	#12

Response to msongs (Original post)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:11 PM

Lebam in LA (964 posts)

1. Took me 10 minutes to vote and

that includes walking to my polling place. I just cannot understand how these other states have so few locations. Amazing

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:11 PM

tularetom (17,387 posts)

2. WTF is a polling place?

I don't even know where mine is. I've voted by absentee ballot for the past 25 years or so. They encourage this which also helps reduce the possibility of long lines.

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Response to tularetom (Reply #2)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:35 PM

JRLeft (1,952 posts)

5. I haven't voted at a booth since 2008.

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Response to JRLeft (Reply #5)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 11:47 AM

amborin (11,717 posts)

11. same here eom

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:20 PM

cally (20,331 posts)

3. We also have a tradition of elections not run in a partisan manner

our current Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, is awesome. She focuses on integrity of the vote. I know she is a Democrat and is partisan, but she does not run the elections in a partisan manner.

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Fri Nov 9, 2012, 10:31 PM

dballance (3,678 posts)

4. Why the hell have to go to a voting place at all?

I live in Oregon and we vote by mail. That should be the least of the things we do to ease voting.

If we can transact trillions of dollars of trades and other banking transactions securely online I think we could find a way to provide secure online voting.

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Response to dballance (Reply #4)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 11:46 AM

CreekDog (37,053 posts)

10. in California you don't have to go to a polling place. are you paying attention?

you can vote by mail.

you can vote early at the polls.

you can have a ballot sent to you, fill it out at home and walk to your poling place and drop it off.

you can vote in person on election day.

California's handling of elections and options for voting and registration are awesome, probably the best in the country.

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 01:54 AM

Retrograde (3,323 posts)

6. And we encourage voting by mail

My first vote in California was cast in someone's garage. The two I walked past on Tuesday were in a senior residence and a fire station. My favorite polling place - no longer one, alas - was the Starbuck's at 9th and Irving in San Francisco.

I'm a permanent mail voter now, but when I voted in person I don't think I've ever had to wait more than a minute or two.

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 02:12 AM

marlakay (4,211 posts)

7. Lived in Cali most of my life

And never waited more than 5-10 min to vote. I lived all over the bay area in some big cities to. Voted at schools, churches, public buildings etc everyone always helpful and polite. I even lived a few years in Modesto in red country and still voting was easy....

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 04:59 AM

cui bono (7,409 posts)

8. And... the last 3 polling places have been within walking distance for me in L.A. proper.

And that says a lot in L.A.!

No line for me at all this time, in and out in 10 minutes. Went in around 2pm I think.

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 11:44 AM

flamingdem (22,658 posts)

9. 10 minutes max

easy peazy to vote in CA

Though I wish mine was the lifeguard station in Venice, now that would be like party dude!

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Response to msongs (Original post)

Sat Nov 10, 2012, 01:02 PM

zebe83 (143 posts)

12. Pennsylvania

Has many many polling places. We might have lines in the morning before work. You can only vote at one place, but there are probably 100+ in my county alone.

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Politics 2013 (Forum)