2020 Voting Has Begun! Registration Deadlines Begin Oct. 4 (Pro-Rail and Non-Partisan)

[Devil's Advocate]

Any remaining ballots should be delivered in person to an official drop box to avoid getting stuck in a postal system that now struggles to deliver First Class intrastate mail in less than seven days. There have been credible reports of fake drop boxes, arson attacks, sudden removals, overt surveillance, and other suppressive actions so take care to confirm your intended destination is officially sanctioned and located in a safe area (if you have a choice).

Early voting will soon be wrapping up so if you plan to vote in person be sure to confirm locations and schedule.

Link to Early Voting Schedules By State: State Laws Governing Early Voting

 

[Bob Dylan]

Here in Texas,currently experiencing a Huge Surge in Cases and Hospitilizations( Were #1!!) a Fededal Judge has overruled the Governors exemption for the wearing of Masks @ the Polls.

Our Attorney General is appealing this ruling to the 5th Circuit in New Orleans,which is SOP for him when it concerns all Health and Safety Orders in the Lone Star State.

Vote ( early Voting ends on the 30th in Texas),and stay Safe, it's a Jungle out there!.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Texans who are COVID positive now require a doctor's note to vote by absentee ballot. A positive test alone is not enough to qualify. This rule nudges infected citizens to vote in person. It also makes it more difficult for high-risk citizens who lack insurance or are saddled with high deductibles to play it safe. On the other hand refusing to wear a mask is still allowed without any notes or tests. Excluding high-risk voters from easy absentee voting while giving infected citizens the option to vote in person without a mask creates an unnecessary risk where none needs to exist.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alison...-a-doctors-note-to-vote-absentee-court-rules/

 

[Amtrakfflyer]

Iowa voted early last week. In and out in 5 mins, very friendly and efficient. For a red state Iowa and especially Scott County (Quad cities) do it right. Now if we could just get our train to Chicago

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Five Days Until the Election - Last Day to Register in Nevada

Link: https://www.registertovotenv.gov

Many states will finish their early voting period tomorrow so act now if you want to vote early.

Iowa voted early last week. In and out in 5 mins, very friendly and efficient. For a red state Iowa and especially Scott County (Quad cities) do it right. Now if we could just get our train to Chicago

I'm glad early voting went well. With the pandemic, wildfires, ice storms, hurricanes, and power outages voting sooner is better than waiting. Speaking of passenger trains Austin has included metro rail funding on the ballot for the third time but I have no idea how it's polling and passage seems unlikely. Oil frackers, refineries, distributors, ranchers, dealerships, and airlines have done an amazing job lobbying Texans to kill new passenger rail projects and I would expect their success to continue well into the future. That's not to say building more passenger rail is impossible, but you can easily double or triple the construction estimate fighting endless battles with more established adversaries.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/new...rd-time-be-a-charm-for-an-austin-rail-system/

 

[neroden]

There's no polling on Prop A. I would support it if I lived in Travis County. The only person I know who does has already voted.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Five Days Until the Election - Last Day to Register in Nevada

Link: https://www.registertovotenv.gov

Many states will finish their early voting period tomorrow so act now if you want to vote early.


Austin has metro rail funding on the ballot but I don't know how well it's polling. Oil frackers, refineries, distributors, and dealerships have been lobbying voters to kill metro rail funding in Austin. These same interests managed to ban metro rail in San Antonio by altering the city charter and are trying their best to kill metro rail in Austin as well.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/new...rd-time-be-a-charm-for-an-austin-rail-system/

They're pouring a ton of anti-Rail $$$ into Austin using the old scare tactic of your Taxes will go up Biggly!

Austin has defeated Light Rail Props twice after passing the Red Line Prop, which turned out to be a Fiasco costing over a Billiion Dollars due to mismanagement by the Keystone Cop Operation, aka Cap Metro.

I voted for it, but the odds seem to be against it passing.

The hope is that the Huge Early Vote, and Austin's large percentage of Newcomers and Young Voters will overcome the anti-crowd that always votes against anything or anyone progressve!

 

[caravanman]

 

[Asher]

That's one problem voting by mail, NO I Voted decal. THE
I can deal with that, one thing that bothers me is, people who are way past legal voting age, complaining about issues and then bragging about, this is the first time in my life I've voted.

 

[TinCan782]

That's one problem voting by mail, no I Voted decal.

Los Angeles County provides an "I Voted" sticker with their mail-in ballot.

 

[Asher]

UT e
	Los Angeles County provides an "I Voted" sticker with their mail-in ballot. Thanks, I found it .

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Many states will close voter registrations and early voting windows Today. I've always had a better experience voting early rather than waiting for election day and I recommend this option to those who can.

Almost everyone knows that younger people are less likely to vote than older people, but the details of how and why this happens have rarely been considered beyond a vague presumption of political indifference. A new survey challenges that notion by recognizing that younger people are often hindered by a lack of knowledge, formal documentation, and personal time. Implementing automatic registration for babies (like SSN) with government managed updates should help overcome several hurtles. Fewer restrictions on voting locations, no-cost identification, more opportunities for early and absentee voting, and moving elections to weekends or national holidays would also help improve younger participation. Many countries already do this and enjoy higher voter participation as a result.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-younger-americans-dont-vote-more-often-no-its-not-apathy/

 

[AmtrakFlyer]

No sticker this year in Iowa due to covid. As little contact as postive.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I agree "day of week" can be a problem for many. Our polls have been open from 7 am to 8 pm for as long as I can remember and I usually got in line by 7 am so I could get to work on time - and avoid the long lines that occur after 5 pm. This year, we are able to mail in our ballots or drop them off at a few sites. Unfortunately those drop boxes are only available during "office hours", so many can't use them either. Since I'm unemployed I was able to drop mine off and I also dropped off a friend's for her since she had to work. I believe early voting is only available by appt and then, again, only during "office hours".

 

[caravanman]

Here in the UK, we don't need any I.D. to vote, we just tell the folks our name and address, get a voting form, and job is done. (Northern Ireland has different rules.)
Our polling booths are open until 10pm also.
We have the option to vote by post, or proxy, but 99% of folk (who do vote) vote in person, to the best of my knowledge.
It's a bit like that when we buy our train tickets or ride the trains, no I.D. is required.

 

[Dakota 400]

Los Angeles County provides an "I Voted" sticker with their mail-in ballot.

Ohio does the same. It was a different design this year from the sticker that had been used in the past.

 

[jis]

After the incidents at Vote Drop Boxes in some other states, I noticed that in our county the Supervisor of Elections has posted a guard cum help person at each of the ballot drop boxes. Yesterday when I went to drop off a ballot the gentleman was very helpful in pointing out the slot which I knew the location of since I had dropped off my own ballot a week back. I was doing this for a friend who is extreme high risk for COVID and is confined to home.

 

[Katibeth]

I did early voting in person a week ago Monday in Illinois. Something wasn't working properly, so we stood close to an hour in a line that went out of the building and down the road a bit. Once fixed, everything went very smoothly. They had hand sanitizer in about 4 places. They sanitized the pens after each use for signing your name. They sanitized the booths and screens after each use. If you did not wish to use your hand on the screen, they offered numerous disposable straws that reportedly worked to tap the screen. Everyone wore a mask. I felt very safe. Many people delivered their mail-in ballot to the locked receptacle inside the same area where everyone was voting. I am a senior with Type 2 Diabetes, but I felt very safe voting in-person.
Oh, and in response to Caravanman, I'm only asked my name and address. No one requests an ID. And we received an I Voted sticker.

 

[jis]

Here in the UK, we don't need any I.D. to vote, we just tell the folks our name and address, get a voting form, and job is done. (Northern Ireland has different rules.)
Our polling booths are open until 10pm also.
We have the option to vote by post, or proxy, but 99% of folk (who do vote) vote in person, to the best of my knowledge.
It's a bit like that when we buy our train tickets or ride the trains, no I.D. is required.

UK is also different in that any citizen of a Commonwealth country that is a resident of UK can vote.

 

[Jean]

Here in Australia, there is a significant difference in voting - it is compulsory. Folks who do not vote and do not have an adequate excuse are fined. I think the fine is $50, don’t know for sure as I have always voted. Even if overseas, we have requested a postal vote and mail that in from wherever. There must be a cut off date, but I know postal votes are counted for days or even weeks after polling day, which is always a Saturday. Early voting is available for about a week before the official day.
Another difference is that we don’t vote for judges and other public officials. These jobs are filled in the way all other jobs are filled, by application and interview or government appointment.
Very occasionally there is a referendum, a vote on a particular issue, but this rare. I can’t remember when the last one was.
The vast majority of Australians would not dream of not voting. Although we take it seriously, I always feel there is a mildly festive air, many polling places have charities running a BBQ, selling what we call democracy sausages - a sausage, sauce, usually fried onions, in some sort of bread. Or there may be a cake stall to raise money for a charity. Not sure if COVID would prevent this. If a religion prevents a person from voting on a Saturday, like my neighbour who was a Seventh Day Adventist, postal voting is used, although this may be a valid excuse.
I read previous posts relating to what appear to be attempts by various forces to prevent citizens from voting. This is surely serious enough to warrant major complaints. The right to vote has been won with much pain and effort over many years, it is so hard to believe anyone could try to break down one of the main rights of any citizen.

 

[Asher]

Here in the UK, we don't need any I.D. to vote, we just tell the folks our name and address, get a voting form, and job is done. (Northern Ireland has different rules.)
Our polling booths are open until 10pm also.
We have the option to vote by post, or proxy, but 99% of folk (who do vote) vote in person, to the best of my knowledge.
It's a bit like that when we buy our train tickets or ride the trains, no I.D. is required.

God save the Queen!

 

[Barb Stout]

I read previous posts relating to what appear to be attempts by various forces to prevent citizens from voting. This is surely serious enough to warrant major complaints. The right to vote has been won with much pain and effort over many years, it is so hard to believe anyone could try to break down one of the main rights of any citizen.

It's part of our heritage.

 

[Dakota 400]

Although we take it seriously, I always feel there is a mildly festive air, many polling places have charities running a BBQ, selling what we call democracy sausages - a sausage, sauce, usually fried onions, in some sort of bread. Or there may be a cake stall to raise money for a charity.

I like those ideas! A church where I once was a member would hold Election Day Dinners which was a fund raiser.

In 2020, The Washington National Cathedral and my local church are holding pre-Election Day Prayer Vigils and Services. Not to pray for any specific result to the election, but to pray for a peaceful election for those who work at the polls, for the voters, and for our Country.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Election Day is Here - Our Last Chance To Stand Up and Be Counted!

Regardless of the eventual outcome this election has already broken records for participation and hopefully signals a change in American attitudes toward taking political issues more seriously and recognizing that elections truly matter.

There have been numerous examples of hostile and dangerous behavior by partisan thugs on roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and polling sites in several states. If you see voter suppression or intimidation be sure to alert someone.

https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_pdf_file/kyr-voterintimidation-v03.pdf
Anyone who is in line when the polls close is guaranteed the right to cast a vote.

If turned away do not react aggressively but calmly demand a provisional ballot with a receipt as required by law.

Do not expect a quick and obvious result on election night.

Expect a thorough and complete counting process that respects the will of all Americans who voted in good faith.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Election Day is Here - Our Last Chance To Stand Up and Be Counted!

Regardless of the eventual outcome this election has already broken records for participation and hopefully signals a change in American attitudes toward taking political issues more seriously and recognizing that elections truly matter.

There have been numerous examples of hostile and dangerous behavior by partisan thugs on roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and polling sites in several states. If you see voter suppression or intimidation be sure to alert someone.

https://www.aclu.org/sites/default/files/field_pdf_file/kyr-voterintimidation-v03.pdf
Anyone who is in line when the polls close is guaranteed the right to cast a vote.

If turned away do not react aggressively and calmly demand a provisional ballot with a receipt as required by law.

Do not expect a quick and obvious result on election night.

Expect a thorough and complete counting process that respects the will of all Americans who voted in good faith.

But sadly, look for squads of Lawyers running to Courts all over the Country as the meter runs while we wait for a resolution to the Election.

The Supreme Court has no business settling elections like they did in 2000 in Bush v Gore!!

Shakespeare was right, " ..First we kill the Lawyers..."