IMO, a BIG concern for the election with all the new registrations

[bobbieinok]

WILL THERE BE ENUFF BALLOTS/MACHINES AND POLLING PLACES FOR THE 1000s of new voters???

And what about the people that registered but haven't gotten their cards?? or the SOS said the forms weren't right?

THE BIGGIE FOR ME is are the polls going to be prepared? Especially since from what I've read many of the new voters are in urban areas amd other areas that are heavily democratic.

Remember St Louis in 2000 and the fight over extending the closing time because of long lines?????

And in 2002, there were huge afternoon ballot shortages reported in AR and TX.


States with large numbers of new registrations, are there plans in place to deal with possible shortages and other problems????

[Lefta Dissenter]

1. I volunteered to work the polls

for just that reason. They were delighted with my offer! :) That also gives me the opportunity to watch the system and learn more about how it works.

[gmoney]

Well, there should be...

...not to say there WILL be, but they'll know ahead of time how many people are registered in each precinct, so there should not be an excuse for being short staff or resources.

That said, I suppose if turnout is 60% instead of 50%, that could throw them off, or as you said, do they have enough booths and little old ladies to do the job?

Maybe we should consider volunteering to work at the polls. I think it pays $100 for the day in Ohio.

[NMDemDist2]

2. hopefully the county election boards know how many registered

voters they have in each precinct

[elperromagico]

3. I show up as soon as the polls open.

Helps to avoid the crush. Of course, I realize some can't do that. But that's how I deal with it.

[endnote]

4. Good point

Show up early...

[Lars39]

5. A family member registered by mail and deadline, Oct 2.

His voter registration card has the registration date as Oct 5. He's been assured that this will be OK. We'll just have to wait and see.

[nonconformist]

6. I helped some people get registered in Kentucky on Oct 4th

We were told that they probably wouldn't get their voter registration cards before Nov 2nd, but that they would be on the list and they looked up their polling place for them. A few days ago I checked on a couple of those registrations online, and they're in the system successfully.

*crosses fingers*

[necso]

7. If people wait until after work to vote,

many may be turned away.

If you are in a "battle" state -- take the day off -- or at least some time off. Worst case -- vote before going into work -- if you get fired there is legal recourse.

I expect polls to be moved and "consolidated", a shortage of machines, delays, etc etc.

Last time there were lines when polls closed, and we can expect no "extensions" this time around. So vote early!

Be sure to know the laws in your state, ask for a "provisional" ballot if you need to, and appeal to outside help if there are any problems.

If you have any suspicions about your registration, find out now.

And do not worry about phony penalties threatened for exercising your rights.

[nonconformist]

8. I thought that employers were required by law

to let employees have time off (not a whole day, I'm talking an hour or so) to go vote? Seems like I've always heard that, although I've never ran into it personally. I had always just voted before work.

[necso]

9. Yeah,

I think so too (time off to vote). But I have never explored it, since I have never had a problem. I know that I have seen other employees roll in like ten or eleven (or noon!) and claim that they had delays in voting.

But what is law and what happens (or is threatened) are two different things sometimes.

And I wouldn't want to go to work and then march up to the boss and say that I was going to leave work and go vote.

Lunchtime (if you are even close enough to your poll) promises to be busy.

So, worst case, go vote before work, even if means that you will be hours late. The boss may be pissed, but most will be afraid to do anything about it.

Heck, you can even make your plans clear ahead of time if you need a little CYA -- I am voting before work and there is a chance that I will be late, sorry, but it's my right and my duty.