Posted on 11/02/2004 9:31:59 AM PST by UsnDadof8
However, I saw something interesting I'd love some comment on.
I'm standing in line with about 40 other people. There is a mom and her 2 teenage daughters passing out sample ballots and pointing out to people that there are two lines -- 1 for A-K and 1 around the corner sorta for L-Z. They are kind and polite. No sign of anyone for the democratic side, but there was a table set up with sample ballots. Up walks this man in a dark blue suit with Kerry buttons on each lapel, a briefcase in one hand and a cell phone in the other. He announced, LOUDLY "I'm here to make sure there is no voter intimidation or disenfranchisement!" Everyone turned to look at him. There was NOTHING going on! The mother looked at him and said, "we are handing out sample ballots." One of the teenage girls said, "And pointing out there are 2 lines so that people don't stand in the wrong one and then have to go to the back when they get to the door." The suit GLARED at this girl of about 15 and said, "WHY ARE YOU DIRECTING VOTERS TO OTHER DOORS!!!" About that time, a man stepped forward and said, "Sir, if you will look up ahead, there are 2 doors marked A-K and L-Z. These ladies are just offering a courtesy to people." "Well then!! I will have to look into this because we simply CANNOT have voter disenfranchisement!"
He stalked inside and was still on his cell when I came in about 10 minutes later. I heard him say to whomever he was speaking, "Well, yeah, there was a slight problem with some Bush supporters, but I put them in their place....... Well you know how it is in these little towns....... I'll call you as soon as I see something wrong."
Those of us in line were just stunned and shocked beyond belief. The utter arrogance and outright lying! What is wrong with these people?!?!?
James City County/Williamsburg is seeing very heavy turnout. Very polite crowds, normal campaign folks outside but nothing untoward going on other than the Bush/Cheney signs at at least two polling places (Clara Byrd Baker E.S. and Jamestown H.S.) being stolen before sunrise.
I voted at 8 a.m. at a rural school in western Virginia. This year there were four voting machines available instead of the usual two, so a long wait in line was not a problem. Looks like a record turnout is shaping up here. My precinct usually goes Republican in a 3 to 2 proportion.
Go Bush/Cheney, Triplett (for Congress)!
Has anyone seen polls on the Virginia Congressional races?
Hey Mud, the Virginny thread's over here...has Mrs. Edwards started a riot near The Fan yet?
It was still kind of dark as I walked down the street to the Fairfax County Government Center and arrived at 6:30. I missed the sunrise while I waited in a long, orderly line for 90 minutes to vote on one of seven touch-screens.
The I.D. check table to receive a "voting pass" was divided into three lines, according to last initial. "A" through "G" (me!) moved briskly. "H" through "O" had a backlog of patient citizens.
Three people sporting "Democratic Poll Watcher" nametags with the ass -- I mean donkey -- symbol hovered over each I.D. checker, scrutinizing every action, checking and scrawling on pieces of paper in their hands.
There was another guy there with a nametag, and I guess he was a Republican poll watcher. He just seemed to be keeping an eye on the proceedings.
One of the election officers monitoring a voting machine was a former Marine.
Beautiful weather here; Election Day is never this warm. I love it. Maybe I'll wash my car today.
Chesapeake, large turnout and I vote in every election right down to the Council ones so I'm surprised.
Still say this election will be a landslide to Bush.
I am kind of nervous about VA. Bush will win it, right?
They're totally desperate. Luckily in Arlington we didn't have that, but we did have a bizarre foreign film shoot going on:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1266283/posts?page=17#17
Old Dominion FReepers...check in and tell us how voting was in yer area...MUD
Old Dominion FReepers...check in and tell us how voting was in yer area...MUD
Old Dominion FReepers...check in and tell us how voting was in yer area...MUD
Hubby and I voted around noon. I had been to our precinct twice already this morning because it happens to be our elementary school, and we had parent/teacher conferences today. The lines were rather long every time I was there. When we put our punch cards into the machine on our way out the door, a person in line by us noticed the number of ballots cast was at 1200+. That was at noon. Hubby would remember the exact number. The woman remarked that it was the highest voter turnout at that precinct ever. (this was our first presidential election here.) A friend who has lived here all his life told us that he had never waited in line before today. A teacher at the school told me that the only other election she remembered with this sort of turnout was the 1976 presidential election. I don't know what any of this means because I didn't poll the folks waiting in line with us. Folks were very quiet and respectful.
Also, a retired school official who was visiting the school said that his precinct was hopping at 6:15 this morning with a long line out the door. The machine that takes the ballots broke, and the poll workers began putting ballots in a black bag. He was REALLY uncomfortable with this because "how do we know it is secure?" Hopefully, that precinct has honest poll workers.
Sorry about the triple-post...FR's acting up a bit today...MUD
Proud of the Mrs. She is coming down with the flu, not feeling good at all. However, she pulled herself out of bed at 5:30, and announced "No flu's going to keep me from voting for Bush!" Luckily there were chairs all along the line towards the voting machines, and she was able to sit most of the way.
Went to Manakin fire station to vote around 8:25, but there was a 45 minute wait and I had to be at a different polling place to help out at 9. I'm getting ready to head back now to finally vote. The line was long at lunch time according to my wife. Hopefully it's not as long now.
Voted for the Prez about 730 AM in Dem-Heavy Alexandria (old town). the Fellow at the door said there was a long line right at 6 am. took me about 45 to get through and vote.
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