Voting in Georgia today was a nightmare

[Top Cat]

My husband got in line at the polls in Gwinnett County at 9:15AM and did not complete his vote until 3:15PM... He did not even get inside the building until about 1:20PM outside in the cold all morning.

I went to another polling place and the line was all the way to the street could not even see the building for the people. This was around 2:30pm and the polls close at 7Pm. I am going again tomorrow, and will get there about 6:30 to get in line for the 9:00AM door opening. I only hope that I will be through by 11am so that I can get to work. This is way to important not to wait, but my god voting in this election in Georgia leaves a lot to desire.

[writes3000]

1. I am speechless. I don't know what to say. Thanks to both of you. nt

[Top Cat]

7. I am so bother by this nonsense that I'm writing the dept of elections and the campaign

This is going to turn alot of our voters away.... I consider this voter suppression with the limited hours and locations not to mention the limited machines. I heard on WSB radio toda that it was taking about 6 hrs and November 4th probably 7 to 8 hours. There is no excuse for this. The Atlanta metro is way to large for this bullshit.

[skooooo]

36. Maybe you should let the Obama people know.

Maybe there's something they can do to help the situation before next week?

[SharonRB]

Do they have more voting machines on election day itself?

I assume they will and it's just early voting that is so bad, but this is definitely a nightmare. People should never have to wait so long to vote.

[Top Cat]

11. I don't think so I heard on the radio that the problem is the lines going into the election center

[Raine1967]

20. Yes.

All normal precincts will be open. Many schools will be closed.

They are still predicting MAJOR lines on November 4th.

The other reason why -- despite the time consumed with early voting, is that if you have a problem (due to voter purges or other shenanigans) you will still have time to get the papers needed in order to vote.

One guy in line was told he was int he wrong precinct even tho he had moved to Fulton Country, his mailing address was still Clayton county. They told him he had to vote there. We offered him a ride if he needed it.

[colinmom71]

22. According to the local news, a large part of the problem was not enough trained....

poll workers, which slowed down the balloting process drastically. A report I watched showed lines waiting hours on end in Cobb, Fulton, and I think Gwinnett Counties. They showed one particular polling place in south Fulton county that was so short-staffed (looked like only 5 or so poll workers), they were down to only processing one or two ballots per minute, despite having 25 voting machines set up and ready to go... And of course the vast majority of folks in that line were African-American.

But yes, on election day, there will be far more open polling places, poll workers, and voting machines available in all counties. I chose to vote absentee, so as not to risk missing voting if the kid gets sick or some emergency pops up. My husband did the same just in case of a work emergency around election day.

[Top Cat]

23. I'm going to try again tomorrow....

[lebkuchen]

76. I've voted every election year in CA, except one

and have never had the experience you and so many others are reporting from so many other states.

I'm always absentee now, since I'm an ex-pat, but I'm shocked that the US can't provide enough polling stations for its voters. I applaud you and your husband for being so persistent.

PS and I hope Chambliss gets his ass kicked. That is all, from a military base in Germany.

[babylonsister]

2. Wow, that's unacceptable imo. Ridiculous! nt

[BlooInBloo]

3. Would I be correct in assuming it was an area with a lot of black folks...

and Democrats more generally?

[Top Cat]

12. No my husband said it was about 50/50

Gwinnett county is heavy Repub.... McCain/Palin all over the place

[EFerrari]

15. Most places are only about 10%, fyi, so this does qualify as somewhere

with a big black pop. I think that's roughly right.

[BlooInBloo]

18. That counts as "a lot" - thanks!

[CatWoman]

19. I'm DeKalb, and I'm going on Wednesday

I was already warned today about the huge lines.

[Top Cat]

21. Good luck

[stanwyck]

40. Hey, Cat. I'm going tomorrow to the Tucker Fire Station

I think if we get there between 6-6:30am, we'll be OK.

[Top Cat]

48. If you are in line before 7pm they have to let you vote

The polling place I went to at 2:30 was off Jimmy Carter in Norcross. The people in line probably did not get done until afte 7pm that's how long the line was.

[stanwyck]

61. I went this morning

got there about 6:45am. We finished in just over an hour. I voted at the fire station in Tucker, close to Target and LA Fitness. The officials did a good job.

[CatWoman]

70. Stanwyck,

that's where I 'm going to vote tomorrow :)

:hi:

[conscious evolution]

45. I hear Dekalb has it together

Several friends said there where huge lines but they moved very fast.

[racaulk]

67. That's good to hear.

I live in Dekalb County and I need to vote early later this week, so I'm glad to hear that Dekalb citizens have it a little easier (relatively speaking) than some of the other horror stories around the state that I'm hearing.

[stanwyck]

77. DeKalb is doing a very good job

I just talked to a co-worker who voted in downtown Decatur this morning. He showed up around 7am and was out in an hour. The lines were long but moved quickly.
Also, another co-worker voted last week at Memorial Dr. The lines there have been very long.

[FLyellowdog]

4. Oh my goodness. That's totally unacceptable!

[Drunken Irishman]

5. .

[Arugula Latte]

6. This is crazy!

Why can't we have simple democracy in this country?

[Joe the Liberal]

8. How horrible, thats one of the reasons im voting by mail in ballot.

Which I just received today :party:

Hopefully things go better for you tomorrow.

[tazkcmo]

9. By design I'm sure

I wonder how many people were on a lunch break or took un-paid time off from work to vote, stood in that line forever and then couldn't wait any longer and had to leave? Maybe to return to work so as not to miss out on more money? Maybe the kids are getting out of school now and you have to be there? Or what ever? How many won't be able to return until election day when turn out is the heaviest? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[Top Cat]

16. My husband said 2 teachers had left school to vote and had to get out of line

They had to get back to school he said everyone else stayed.

[Mike 03]

10. That's appalling, but you are amazing

Thank you for suffering through this. But I am so appalled that it is so difficult to vote their. That is one of the states that was solid red that is now leaning red and, like AZ, might move into being a toss up state.

All I can say is thanks to you and your husband.

[kestrel91316]

13. This is why we need to switch to VOTE BY MAIL, or all absentee, or whatever.

They could mail everybody their ballots, have voting equipment and spare ballots only at the polling places on election day, and have people either mail in or hand carry to the polling place their absentee ballots, and if they didn't get one in the mail, cast a provisional ballot right then and there. It doesn't have to be this damned stand in line all day crap.

[angee_is_mad]

56. Lost in the mail

that would be my biggest fear with mail in ballots.

[TK421]

71. I was just thinking the same thing n/t

[kestrel91316]

72. They should allow for the option of dropping the ballots in a box

at the polling place. I can do that now. I don't have to put my absentee ballot in the mail (though I did so this time). Normally I march it down and stuff it in the box. And you CAN put them in ANY ballot box at any polling place, not just your own.

Los Angeles has got it together.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

75. That's what they do in Oregon, too

You can mail your ballot, or you can leave it at drop-off points set up by the Board of Elections in major public places and all public libraries. For example, when I lived in Portland, I used to leave my ballot at the booth that the Board of Elections set up in Pioneer Courthouse Square.

[Raine1967]

14. In Fulton County, it took us a little over an hour.

I saw last week on CNN the lines from Gwinnet. It's crazy, and yet some how inspiring.

But I am glad that people are out there doing it. I heard on a local am station that they are predicting lines to be up to 6 hours on Novemeber 4.

PLEASE fellow Georgians, VOTE EARLY!

[Top Cat]

17. I moved to Gwinnett from Sandy Springs today I wish I had not changed my address

[Raine1967]

25. you husband changed his addee just like you right?

I ask only because I want to make sure you have no problems when you actually GET to vote. If he voted I suspect you can too. I am concerned for ALL Georgia voters right now.

[Top Cat]

27. Yeah he changed his address to gwinnett

[jezebel]

24. I tried to vote in Dacula (Gwinnett) today and couldn't. The line had to be at least 1000 people.

Many many hours of wait.
I had to pick up my baby from the sitter so I couldn't stay, but tomorrow I have made plans to have all day available to wait in line if needed.

[Top Cat]

28. I know how you feel but this is to important not to let our vote count

[jezebel]

30. I agree. That's why I'll be out there all day tomorrow if needed. I'm voting.

[Top Cat]

29. I know how you feel but this is to important not to let our vote count

[Top Cat]

31. I'm glad you have made arrangements for tomorrow

This is to important for our vote not to count

[ecstatic]

26. That's really bad. I voted last week--90 minute wait

so glad I got it out the way!

[rebel with a cause]

32. I guess it pays to live in small town country when it come voting time.

I went to vote at 6:30 p.m. and was done in plenty of time to be out before the 7 p.m. closing time. I walked straight in, checked in and then voted. There were three or four people came in after us.

It is a shame that more people cannot vote in places where there are not crowds waiting.

[TheKentuckian]

33. I'm sorry but I'm very thankful for you guys sacrificing

I guess we're lucky here. I don't think I've ever had to wait any longer than 15-20 minutes.

[RiffRandell]

34. It was.

I apologize I didn't see this thread. I started another post about voting in GA today. I waited for 7 hours.

[RBInMaine]

35. GREAT at least to see so many people voting.

[Beregond2]

37. Why do people put up with this?

Back when we still had polling places, I can't remember ever waiting in line here in WA. There was one at every school it seemed like. It is just incredible to me that in a so-called democracy, people allow this to happen.

[beachmom]

66. This is EARLY voting. I am not sure what to think. Election Day

will bring more people but there will be more polling places. There are not that many early voting places -- like maybe 5 per county. So it means standing in line for hours in SOME places.

[Beregond2]

74. I see, thanks.

[polichick]

38. Oh my God - that's NOT democratic! A giant THANK YOU...

...to you and your husband!! :patriot: :patriot:

[progressivebydesign]

39. Our election system is broken, which is bad. But the turnout is record-setting, which is good.

This is why I vote absentee and encourage everyone else to do so, if their state allows it.

For all of the waiting and discomfort, I guess we can feel good that the higher the turnout, the better Obama does. Obama has the motivated voters turning out for him. Hope you have a thermos of hot cocoa or coffee to take with you tomorow.

[yellerpup]

41. You and your hubby are double tough patriots.

Thank you for standing in line and holding your own for Change in America. It's dedication like yours that inspires us all to do what we must so we can have the kind of country we want! Thanks! :dem: :dem: :dem:

[Laelth]

42. I voted on September 22 in Bibb County, GA.

You can confirm the status of your vote here: http://sos.georgia.gov/cgi-bin/locator.asp

My wife and I waited about 20 minutes to vote, and we voted on the very first day possible. Last week, when had to drive by our early-voting location on an errand, I noticed that the lines are much longer now than they were on Sept. 22.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[madmax]

43. .....

:hug: Soon our long national nightmare will be over.

[Top Cat]

50. I cannot wait this has been a long journey..... But well worth it

[tblue37]

44. I remember long lines that people tolerated because they so treasured their right to vote,

won after generations of apartheid in South Africa:



We are coming in from the wilderness, too, so no matter what, we have to stand there and wait to vote. We have to vote.

But it's criminal that our country can't get voting right.

[Fly by night]

46. In addition to being insecure and unverifiable, DREs are the slowest way to vote.

We've done simulations of voting on DREs vs. paper ballots/opscan and DREs are consistently 10 to 15 times slower than paper ballots/opscan. In one simulation, we compared 21 voters on each method. The 21 voters on paper ballots/opscan took 13 minutes. The 21 voters on DREs took a bit longer --- 2 hours and 48 minutes. (If you want the simulation, PM me.)

The people behind vapor-based ballots ought to be horse-whipped and run out of town.

[Doug_Orlando]

47. Pic from Atl - waiting in the rain...

[Top Cat]

49. That why I'm getting there at 6:30 in the morning because I want my vote to count

[Jacobin]

51. The United States is a fricking banana republic

I'm so sick of this country and its pretend democracy.

But, I am so proud of people who will brave six hours in the cold to vote. I only hope everyone who wants to cast a vote will be able to do so.

[Top Cat]

52. I agree...... But the reality is that not everyone who wants to cast a vote will be allowed to.

I'm not talking about the felons but those who have been purged and worst.

[paparush]

53. This DUer posted that she waited 7 hours in NE Georgia today

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7630454

Thank you for persevering!

[angee_is_mad]

54. God Bless Him

and all the others who refuse to step out of line. Like you said, "this is too important."

[Top Cat]

55. I must say I am very proud of him

He is not the most patient person when it comes to waiting in lines...

[calmblueocean]

57. What the hell is wrong in Georgia? A wait like that to vote is unconscionable.

I just don't understand. Voting is not that freaking hard! Why should it take so long?

[Top Cat]

58. Georgia is run by the repubs I think they are trying to turn us away

A lot of the big state are allowing people to vote on the weekend but not here in Georgia

[autorank]

59. Inefficiency by design

This isn't hard work that these elections people do. They sit around most of the time and only
have to perform on big games. They have an idea where the crowd size is headed by the polls, but
more importantly by the primaries. So what's the deal? They have an incentive to turn people away
from the polls in states with high black and other minority populations. Election fraud is first
and foremost a race crime. Watch the precincts with the longest lines, the most surprised voters
who've been purged and can't register. Then watch at what they do with the lines at closing time.
They'll send them away if they can.

Georgia got this way due to a Democratic Secretary of State who wend to work for an e-voting
company after she left the position.

There is not one single election related problem that can't be solved easily in about 90 days
or less. Mostly they just have to stop trying to keep people from voting. Then they have to
figure out how to do hand counted paper ballots, but that's been done already (Kucinich had
a great bill for this).

The fact that these problems even arise is proof of bad faith on the part of the state legislature
and most directly is proof of intentional attempts to deprive people of their vote by the election
officials.

[GrizzlyMan]

60. Mark it down: The streets will run blue in GA on election night

Call it a hunch, a prediction, a gut feeling whatever.

[madfloridian]

62. Long lines mean healthy Democracy...FL Sec. of State.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2974

He is serious. FL has the long lines to prove it. He thinks it's fine.

[RebelOne]

63. I did an absentee ballot.

I downloaded it off the Internet, filled it in, faxed it and received my ballot within 2 days. That sure beat standing in line for hours.

[renate]

64. I thank you and your husband very very much

:loveya:

It is absurd that in the United States of America voting is made to be such an ordeal. Those lines make it impossible for many, many working folks to vote.

I don't understand why the entire country doesn't go to voting by mail. It is so easy and so fun, and sitting at home with the voters' pamphlet you can really take your time deciding which way to vote on ballot measures. No time off work, no standing in the rain, no accidentally voting for a cleverly worded but no-good ballot measure. We are really, really lucky here in Oregon.

Thank you very much to EVERYBODY who has to stand in line, take time off work, drive or bike a long way, find a babysitter, etc just to cast a vote. :patriot:

[beachmom]

65. I read in the AJC about this. Of course, it is only an hour wait in deep red Forsyth Co.

Gwinnett it said was 3 hours.

[tosh]

68. SUGGESTION to Ga voters:

you can check your registration here: http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/polllocator/PollLocator.aspx

rather than find a snafu after a long wait.

[BronxBoy]

69. Gwinnett is horrible

I got to the polls are 7:45 figuring there would be a long but manageable line. Boy was I wrong. Had to leave to get to work because we are getting ready to have a layoff.

I'm going to have to bail out of work early and just wait it out until I get in.

[SeaLyons]

73. I voted in Forsyth County yesterday....it only took 30 minutes.

do they have enough machines where you're voting? what is the problem??? be sure to report it.

[Citizen Jane]

78. I'm going to vote on election day

Hubby and kiddo went to vote in Decatur yesterday evening, but the line was waaaay too long to wait with a hungry 5 yr old. I just checked and my precinct has only about 2100 people and is across the street from my house. I'll risk it for the excitement. There is a good bet that many in my precinct have voted early and there are usually plenty of machines. I sure hope so because turnout for our district last presidential election was close to 80%.


Meanwhile, I have checked my registration about 20 times. They have my race wrong (B instead of W or Caucasian or whatever they say), but since that does not matter for ID according to all the officials I have spoken to, there is no problem. Shoot, for all they know I AM a very light skinned black woman and who are they to question me, right! Ha! Worse comes to worse, one of us can take the kid home or trade off!

Can't wait until Tuesday.

[Citizen Jane]

79. As of today 1.4 million have voted in GA n/t

Edited to say...that is roughly 25% of RV in Georgia if the SOS website is giving correct numbers!