Early voting begins in Texas today 10-18-2004 - BUSY polling place this morning!

[MeekOneGOP]

Early voting begins in Texas today 10-18-2004
BUSY polling place this morning!

That pretty much sums it up. I went to my local polling place early and got there about 2 minutes after they opened and there were already 5-6 people in there ahead of me. I commented to the election official about how I was surprised there were already folks there and he said he was expecting it to be a "mad rush" or to that effect.

Anyway, I gave him my voting card and he asked if that was still my correct address on the card. It is, of course, and he said "Oh, great! You are the perfect voter!" haha!

I had to wait a couple of minutes for the lady to finish up another "customer" at the computer and then they input my info. She also saw my card and commented that I was the "perfect voter." I take it they prefer the card because all they have to do is scan the bar code and it autofeeds the info into the computer. Well, the printer jammed and they had to close that terminal and were going to get a tech to look at it, but they printed my form off the other computer's printer.

I was in and out in ten minutes nonetheless.

Go, Dubya, go !!!!

[js1138]

Gotta watch those "straight tickets". In some states the straight ticket does not include a presidential choice, since you aren't actually voting for the candidate.

[Liberty Valance]

"Palo Dura Canyon is a beautiful part of Texas. I grew up below the Caprock."

Cool. I was born in Post :o)

[MeekOneGOP]

Oh, you're out in the panhandle? Yeah, I BET he'll get BIG votes there.

I tell ya, I have seen only TWO Kerry bumper stickers this year. I think Dallas county will go with Dubya big time, too!

[SueAngel]

I also went to the polls in Texas this morning (Plano), and got there at 8:15. I was the 42nd voter, and there were at least 50 people behind me in line when I left! My precinct is probably 90% Republican, so theoretically, voting Republican doesn't make much of a difference because so many candidates run unopposed and all Republican candidates who are opposed are still a shoe-in. So such a large crowd of voters this early makes it all the more surprising! I told my family that I'm voting early because if I die in the next 2 weeks, I want to make sure my vote still goes to Bush.

I voted straight-ticket Republican. Yay Bush!!

[hispanarepublicana]

I'm in a medium-sized W. Texas city, and I'm going to "early vote" at a polling place in a predominately democrat, very minority, lower socioeconomic area of town today. I'll report back.

[MeekOneGOP]

In Texas, we can vote in our county at ANY voting place, just show the voter card or Tx DL. It started this morning and will go through October 31st. They'll count the votes on November 2nd with the votes that day. It allows people the opportunity to vote with more convenience so you don't have to fight the crowd on election day.

Florida has an early voting period also, and it began today as well.

[Texagirl4W]

My brother died on 11/5/2000. His funeral was 11/7/2000. If I hadn't voted early, I would have been in Louisiana on election day and not able to vote. Additionally, Louisiana doesn't have early voting. His wife and family had to go vote after his funeral. We just never know.

[MeekOneGOP]

Yay! Two more votes for Dubya!

Go, Ralph Hall!

[MeekOneGOP]

What's the advantage to voting early vs waiting until 11/2?

The short answer is CONVENIENCE.

The BIG advantage for me is that I can get in and out fast.

For many people, those that may be out of town on election day can go early and still go out of town per plans already made.

It's really convenient to vote when you can pick a day within a two week period (early voting ends Oct. 31st I think), instead of fighting the crowd on election day.

I still recall having to wait in line for up to TWO HOURS on election day. I have taken advantage of early voting ever since they started it.

I think that it probably leads to higher voter turnout ? Those that are turned OFF by long lines will more likely vote when they can do so without the long wait.

If you're in Dallas County (or nearby counties), this will help maybe:

Elections

[CindyDawg]

Yeah. Sorry to hear about your brother. I voted early last time. It's just...strange stuff going on .

[MeekOneGOP]

haha! I love it. :^D

[deport]

What exactly is "early voting"?

---

It's an opportunity to vote in person prior to election day... There are several locations scattered around the county and you can vote at any of them.... Some are in government buildings, schools, libraries, or even retail outlets with some of the locations being open on Sat and Sun... It's main feature for me is convience. I can vote when I'm near one of the locations and don't have to fight the crowds on election day. The process runs this time for us from Oct.18 through Oct. 29.

Also the early voting feature makes it much harder to get an absentee ballot. You have to meet some very limited criteria in order to qualify because of the additional days made avialable with in person early voting. In Texas some elections will have upwards of 40% of the vote cast in the early voting stage.

[MeekOneGOP]

Way to go! bump!

[MeekOneGOP]

HEB? haha! I went to Trinity HS my sophomore year (1969-70).
It was a brand new school back then.

[MeekOneGOP]

I understand. Glad you're voting.

[Sadie789]

There are two types of Presidential Candidates:

Kerry, he cannot handle the ads by the Swift Boat veterans which criticize his Vietnam war record. Kerry has been crying and whining over these ads and the movie "Stolen Honor" and can’t handle it anymore, he has even filed a complaint. What type of Commander In Chief would he make if he can’t handle the heat?

Bush, he can handle the heat from moveon.org, Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9-11 movie, war protestors, terrorists, and the world. He is a tough strong Commander In Chief and a fearless warrior who keeps on standing tall, positive, and strong. Nothing fazes President Bush.

On November 2004 I will vote for President Bush. I would like to see a real man as our President and not a rich spoiled crybaby Gigolo.

http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff_3.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff_5.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff_4.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff_6.html
http://boortz.com/more/funny/right_stuff_2.html

[GraniteStateConservative]

We need all those votes. Texas is the major 2004 battleground I hear...

[Dog Gone]

What's the advantage to voting early vs waiting until 11/2?

Well, if you get hit by a truck between now and then, your vote will still count.

Convenience and short lines are probably the main selling points, though.

[MeekOneGOP]

HEADS UP! Just read on another thread (earlier this AM) about the potential for FRAUD in voting 'straight ticket' .....

Thanks for the heads up.

In my polling place we use computer touch screen voting. I hit "Republican" and then it goes to the first page. ALL the "R" candidates had an "X" by them. I touched "Next Page" for all four pages and ALL the "R" candidates had the "X" in the appropriate boxes. The last page had the "Uncontested" races, ALL Republican candidates and I clicked the box to vote for all of them as well.

[CindyDawg]

Uh Huh. Yall make good points. I just need to put the foil back in the pantry and go vote.