I just got back from the polls (Florida)

[Sean of the Thread]

And I was really annoyed with the process this year. It was fast as hell no problems there.. had like two people in line before me.

However the ballots are fill in the ovals with a black ball point pen like the tests we take in school. Two sided ballot. Then when you're finished you just pump it into a scanner and it's gone *poof*.

So easy to make a mistake filling in the damned little ovals as well.


Overall an easy process I just didn't like the filling in the bubble and popping it into a double sided scanning machine.

[Alfster]

Ours was basically the same, except that instead of ovals...you just had to complete the line.

[Sean of the Thread]

There was no privacy blinders either which was annoying... old bag kept looking over at my ballot.

[nub]

There was no privacy blinders either which was annoying... old bag kept looking over at my ballot.

Yeah the guy who was watching the machine just stared at my ballot as I it into the machine... I almost cried.

[g++]

My experience was a nightmare. In my precinct voting is electronic, you register with an official and then they hand you an electronic card. I got to be the shmuck who got a broken card. 30 minutes later two voting cards and after signing 8 pieces of paper that may as well have said I wanted to donate my spleen to McCain and after assuring every election official and judge that I am not an alien and it was actually their fault I got to vote.

[Some Rogue]

We had the ovals in our last election and they didn't give pens. We were using markers which means they'd bleed through to the other side of the ballot. I wouldn't be surprised if half the ballots ended up no good because of reading errors with the machine.

[Tsa`ah]

We had the ovals in our last election and they didn't give pens. We were using markers which means they'd bleed through to the other side of the ballot. I wouldn't be surprised if half the ballots ended up no good because of reading errors with the machine.

I saw the new ballots ... they suck. I'm not exactly sure why the early voting ballots and the current ballots were different, but it reminded me of the lazy form of tests in HS.

On a side note, if the machine can't read the ballot at the point you insert it ... it will reject and the judge is to issue you a new ballot.

[Sean of the Thread]

On a side note, if the machine can't read the ballot at the point you insert it ... it will reject and the judge is to issue you a new ballot.

Ah that's good to know. I was concerned about that and when I asked some questions they just rushed me out the door.

[Tsa`ah]

Ah that's good to know. I was concerned about that and when I asked some questions they just rushed me out the door.

That statement didn't include you Florida boy ... you are fucked. It's just for those in IL that have the "fill in the oval" ballot. We feed our own ballots because of Florida.

[Sean of the Thread]

Lol I don't live in palm beach and I'm not 80 years old. Blame them.

Although the old punch card system did suck I liked the touch screens.

These fill in the oval with a ball point pen sucks ass.

[Malvadere]

I just voted in Florida too and I don't understand what is so hard with the simple act of filling in an oval. Not directing this at you, but why do people all of a sudden become even more retarded when in a voting booth?

[Sean of the Thread]

I have no idea but I think the old people were painting by number or something for as long as it took them.

Took me about as long as it took me to take my American History II midterm... 3 minutes.

[Gallows Thief]

Lol I don't live in palm beach and I'm not 80 years old. Blame them.

Although the old punch card system did suck I liked the touch screens.

These fill in the oval with a ball point pen sucks ass.


I was surprised to see the fill in the oval ballots... I asked the old lady working there what happened to the touch screens...she said "old people like me couldn't figure them out"...least she was honest...

[Sean of the Thread]

Why ovals tho. Wouldn't circles be easier for the old people?

[nub]

Why ovals tho. Wouldn't circles be easier for the old people?

You have so much to learn...

[Gan]

We use computers. Walk in, provide photo ID or registration card. They match you up with the paper rolls and you sign on the line by your name/address. Then they give you a computer code on a slip of paper.

Then when a computer frees up you walk to it, dial in your code, and start reading/selecting the ballot. Hit the big red vote button after the confirmation screen showing you your selections. And walk out.

Each computer is tied to a primary CPU which stores the votes until they are taken to the election HQ and downloaded.

My only issue is what happens if the primary computer takes a dump. There is no paper backup or redundancy protecting from data loss. At least none that I'm aware of.

[nub]

In Palm Beach we used "connect the arrow" and were provided with a marker

Looked like this...

Mccain/Palin >==.................==>
Obama/Biden >==.................==>

[AnticorRifling]

We use computers. Walk in, provide photo ID or registration card. They match you up with the paper rolls and you sign on the line by your name/address. Then they give you a computer code on a slip of paper.

Then when a computer frees up you walk to it, dial in your code, and start reading/selecting the ballot. Hit the big red vote button after the confirmation screen showing you your selections. And walk out.

Each computer is tied to a primary CPU which stores the votes until they are taken to the election HQ and downloaded.

My only issue is what happens if the primary computer takes a dump. There is no paper backup or redundancy protecting from data loss. At least none that I'm aware of.

I'm going to say you're not aware of it because you say each computer is tied to a primary CPU. :)

[g++]

I'm going to say you're not aware of it because you say each computer is tied to a primary CPU. :)

Well that could technically be possible, it would only be able to store like 64 votes per computer though and you could never turn them off...but its possible.

[Malvadere]

The only thing I could think about in the booth was I wonder if the order the names are listed has anything to do with the outcome, even in the slightest. Obviously not so much with the President or congressional seats but when you trickle further down to the finer details where someone might wing it.

My retarded aunt waited some five hours in Ft. Lauderdale for early voting. She is crippled and the whiniest most pathetic thing you can imagine so this was huge. She then tells me that she didn't like either presidential candidate so she voted for everything else but left that one blank. Five hours to vote for a congressman and some judges... I can guarantee you she is part of the problem with voting blunders.

[CrazyEyesMcKinney]

If you didn't vote for me.. THE FIERY VENGEANCE OF THE EARTH SHALL CONSUME YOU!

[DeV]

In Palm Beach we used "connect the arrow" and were provided with a marker

Looked like this...

Mccain/Palin >==.................==>
Obama/Biden >==.................==>Same for my polling place.

My girlfriend voted at the library which was not too far from where I early voted and they had an electronic setup with the card and code.

[Tsa`ah]

I hate you and your fancy big city voting.

[DeV]

Don't hate, country boy.

[Tsa`ah]

In three hours I get to sit at the end of a table filled with people emptied out of the nursing homes.

This is the process.

You walk into the polling area. An old lady/man hands you a pen and a judging form. They're going to tell you one of 1000 variations of how to fill it out, even though you just print your name and address, and then sign your name. They will then spend five minutes explaining why you shouldn't fill out anything below the judges info only.

Next you're going to stand in line ... a line that normally would only take two minutes with a dozen or more people ... for 20 minutes while any number of elderly check your card and flip through the roster to find your name ... and then spend another couple of minutes double checking that the info is ok and then write in the code for the ballot you are to receive.

Then you're going to stand in another line for the judge, who is going to do the same thing, because old people are largely useless (but we have to give them purpose today), log your card and ballot number ... and give you your ballot.

Now, because it took you soooooo damn long to identify yourself and get the correct ballot (getting your ballot from the judge only took 10 seconds of your time) ... you're going to stand in line for an open booth.

After complete, you're going to take your ballot to another old person standing at the receptor/reader. She'll take your privacy jacket, spend about 45 seconds making sure your ballot isn't in there ... and then have the judge chuck off your ballot. And then you'll feed the ballot yourself. But I forgot to mention there's a line for this, it's going to take 20 minutes, at best, after the ballot.

[Audriana]

Do you think there should just be a nationalized voting machine?

I mean voting in my state was so easy. You walk up, give your ID, they look you up (my name was mis-spelled in their system, so it even took a minute). Got my little card, put it into the voting machine (with blinders on it), pressed on the screen who I wanted to vote for, said finish, a little ticket printed that I could see through a window, I approved it, and gave my card back.

Easy as pie. Why does it have to be so complicated with punch holes and scantron machines with no pencils and bleeding markers?

[Parkbandit]

My wife said it took her a total of 5 minutes to vote.. and this was at 10:45am my time.

I hope that stands when I get to the poll at 4pm.

[Tsa`ah]

Do you think there should just be a nationalized voting machine?

I think each state should be able to handle local and state elections in any way they want ... so long as it adheres to the constitution.

I think US elections should be standard in method and rule.

[Audriana]

I just voted in Florida too and I don't understand what is so hard with the simple act of filling in an oval. Not directing this at you, but why do people all of a sudden become even more retarded when in a voting booth?

I work in tech support. In my work, you have to get into the head of the mindset of the least intelligent person in the building. What do I have to say or write down so I don't get any questions...

Now I work in a building with 500 people in it. The least intelligent person is pretty dumb. But we don't have to worry about mentally challenged or old people. If you increased that pool to include millions, you're talking about a very stupid person.

I'm confident that any voting system devised, at my current mental capacity, I could easily figure out and vote. But in 50 years, when my mind is gone and the technology changes, that may not be true.

[Gan]

I'm going to say you're not aware of it because you say each computer is tied to a primary CPU. :)

Most likely. I dont know the component makeup of the tabulation box that each booth/computer is tied to. I've helped set up the room so I know how they are connected, but thats it.

Some suggestions were setting up a print location in a secured room where each ballot is printed out into a sealed container that is taken along with the tabulation CPU's to the HQ for downloading.

That being said, if they can pull off info from 'black box' setups on the airlines from catastrophic plane crashes - one would think the powers that be could retrieve info off of the drives in the tabulation CPU should anything catastrophic happen to it. The only caveat would be making sure the information made it on there in the first place.

[Gan]

Do you think there should just be a nationalized voting machine?

I mean voting in my state was so easy. You walk up, give your ID, they look you up (my name was mis-spelled in their system, so it even took a minute). Got my little card, put it into the voting machine (with blinders on it), pressed on the screen who I wanted to vote for, said finish, a little ticket printed that I could see through a window, I approved it, and gave my card back.

Easy as pie. Why does it have to be so complicated with punch holes and scantron machines with no pencils and bleeding markers?

State elections can be held to however that state chooses. National elections (Congress/Presidential) should have a uniform method (standardized voting mechanics and standardized national voting ID).

[Audriana]

We should vote on it... har har har.

[Alfster]

I didn't even have to give them an ID or anything. They just had me say my name, flipped to a page in the book where my name was.

Then they asked me my address...which I could read in their book.

[g++]

Most likely. I dont know the component makeup of the tabulation box that each booth/computer is tied to. I've helped set up the room so I know how they are connected, but thats it.

Some suggestions were setting up a print location in a secured room where each ballot is printed out into a sealed container that is taken along with the tabulation CPU's to the HQ for downloading.

That being said, if they can pull off info from 'black box' setups on the airlines from catastrophic plane crashes - one would think the powers that be could retrieve info off of the drives in the tabulation CPU should anything catastrophic happen to it. The only caveat would be making sure the information made it on there in the first place.

The issue is that central processing units generally do not store information at all, they execute programs and direct information. Your CPU has a few general purpose registers where it might store information but its pretty unlikely anything would sit there for longer than a nanosecond, your actually storing data on a hard drive somewhere. Your CPU actually can dump out if theres a severe error but the likelihood of a raid of hard drives on a server catastrophically failing to the point where it could not be recovered is very very very low.

[Tsa`ah]

Removable HDs or flash drives, threat of treason, secured print out, highly trained, armed, and pissed off military vets.

[Moist Happenings]

I dunno about a single national voting machine.. I mean.. First we tell them they can't have slaves, then we tell them they have to use a specific voting machine. State's rights are important. If we tell people they've gotta use a specific machine, the south might try to secede again.

Srsly though, it baffles me now that we've had all these voting issues in past elections that we DON'T have one concrete method nationwide for voting. The current systems can change slightly every election too. If we had the same thing every four years with the same system, computerized or not, chances are even the old people who can't read the ballots would get used to it and be able to do it.

[Atlanteax]

Oval Circles here too with double-sided scanning machine

Required photo ID (though there was an exception that you could sign swearing that you are whoever if no ID)

.

Process took 10 minutes total (I wish these elderly election officials work for the DMV!) ... I think I was #418 (can't really say if higher participation as I voted in the afternoon this time) ... but people were constantly streaming in and out of the parking lot for voting.

Voted for:
McCain
Yes to legalize marijuana (was surprised it was on the ballot) for medical purposes
Yes to add MI amendment allowing for stem cell research

Noticed:
That on the local level for board chairman, treasurer, (3x) trustees, etc... only one name was listed for each position (3x for trustees) and were all IDed as Republican
On the state level, saw 1-2x Libertarian and 1-2x US Taxpayers for the various choices (Senator, Representative, regent for college boards, etc), so the diversity *was* there.

[Paradii]

My experience this year was pretty sweet. Walked in and no one questioned my out of state license, voted, and I was back in the car in 5 minutes.

It was the first time I've been in a church in like 10 years though. The streak is over!

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Circles/double sided scanner was what we had.

Had to show ID with our address on it, or we had to provide ID (birth certificate, passport, etc) as well as an official piece of mail (work stub, utility bill, anything that the government sent you) with your name and registered address on it.

Didn't take that long once you got inside, the wait outside was a bit though.

I voted for Obama, then I voted on the MA state stuff:
- No on lowering the state income tax
- Yes on drastically lowering penalties for marijuana possession
- Yes on banning dog racing and betting on dog racing

[Sean of the Thread]

Reminded me. They didn't take a valid form of ID from me either. I used my concealed weapons permit which does not have a signature on it as required.


Oops.

[Some Rogue]

Walked in, they asked where I lived (since it's a small town and the dividing line is the train tracks hehe), didn't ask for ID, they looked my name up in the book and gave me my ballot. It took longer for me to decide who to vote for than anything else.

[Keller]

Reminded me. They didn't take a valid form of ID from me either. I used my concealed weapons permit which does not have a signature on it as required.


Oops.

I can't imagine why they didn't argue with the guy who presented his concealed carry permit as his form of ID.

[Some Rogue]

I can't imagine why they didn't argue with the guy who presented his concealed carry permit as his form of ID.

He was sexin up the old ladies of course.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

He was sexin up the old ladies of course.

Just the ones in the wheelchairs.

[Sean of the Thread]

I can't imagine why they didn't argue with the guy who presented his concealed carry permit as his form of ID.

Well it's a state and federal ID but it has no signature. The law requires a picture ID with a signature to vote. /shrug

Unless they thought Charles Bronson's (rofl) signature was mine who is the commissioner that signs the permit.

[Stanley Burrell]

I used my concealed weapons permit which does not have a signature on it as required.

http://img396.imageshack.us/img396/7462/redneckiw1.jpg

[Sean of the Thread]

http://www.channel4.com/video/images/mb/Channel4/video/clip%20images/Banzai/Banzai_001_001_001_001_1.jpg

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

http://www.channel4.com/video/images/mb/Channel4/video/clip%20images/Banzai/Banzai_001_001_001_001_1.jpg

:lol:

[Stanley Burrell]

I'm for wheelchairs and sexual relations if you're the crippled dudeguy, as I marked off on my voting scantron. I should probably try getting a wheelchair. Sympathy card and blow-me-and-ride-me ftw.

[crazymage]

Circles/double sided scanner was what we had.

Had to show ID with our address on it, or we had to provide ID (birth certificate, passport, etc) as well as an official piece of mail (work stub, utility bill, anything that the government sent you) with your name and registered address on it.

Didn't take that long once you got inside, the wait outside was a bit though.

I voted for Obama, then I voted on the MA state stuff:
- No on lowering the state income tax
- Yes on drastically lowering penalties for marijuana possession
- Yes on banning dog racing and betting on dog racing


Same here except i voted no on banning dog racing.. taunton track = cheap alcohol and cheap betting+good food.

[Paradii]

Same here except i voted no on banning dog racing.. taunton track = cheap alcohol and cheap betting+good food.

If they got rid of dog racing, chinese food would have to charge more for the beef lo mein, which would directly cause the local college kids to not have enough money for beer, destroying the townships' economy.

Crazymage, you saved the day

[Sean of the Thread]

Same here except i voted no on banning dog racing.. taunton track = cheap alcohol and cheap betting+good food.

Dog tracks here = poker rooms.

[Sean of the Thread]

And for Drew and Drew2's benefit I voted against marriage being between a man and a woman only in Florida.

You're welcome Drews.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Dog tracks here = poker rooms.

I mostly take issue with the animal cruelty aspects of it (there isn't a lot of federal regulation), not really the betting/gambling. I'm all for gambling, heh!

[Sean of the Thread]

Yeah sadly with any animal sport you've got good owners and bad. It seems to occur more often with the dogs because they're significantly cheaper than horses but growing up on a ranch and my father being a horse trainer I've seen it on that end as well.

[Vesi]

I voted early last Thursday. I had my crutch with me because my knee is messed up and standing in long lines makes it worse. We got there and the line was super long (last day early voting... last hour early voting too), so my niece (who went with me) went to the front of the line and told them her aunt is walking with a crutch so they take me and her to the actual room and have me sit in a chair. Then they looked me up... had to show ID to two people, signed my name and then this guy inserts some supervisor's ID thingy into the machine I was voting on and up popped the selections and it was a touch screen. So, I had a fairly easy time voting this year. We were in and out in like 10 minutes. Yay!

[Kembal]

Took my parents to vote, along with doing my own vote...oddly enough, one side of booths was empty and the other was completely full, but they could only direct us to the full ones because of our last names being in the first part of the alphabet. In any case, took about 10 minutes for me to vote, which included the checking in part.

It was the first time my father got to vote, since he became a citizen only last year. Grabbed a picture with my cell phone to save for the family album. :)

[Drew]

My precinct has had 3 hour lines all day. I'm gonna head over at about 6:30, hopefully the snowbirds and seniors will be in bed by then.