DON'T FORGET TO VOTE: Election Day Thread

[MÇA]

Ward E, District 10 (McNair HS). In at 11:52am, out at 11:56am. Voter # 276. 

[mr.t]

Turnout in Newport is *huge*. My next door neighbor got there at 6AM and found the line waiting for her. It took her two hours to vote. I got in line at 7:45 and walked out at 10. People I talked to in line said they'd never seen so many people voting there.

mr.t

[TheFang]

Q: What do I do if challenged?

A: You may need to sign an affidavit confirming your registration. You should go to Superior Court and call the commissioner of registration if poll workers don’t allow you to vote. Poll workers must advise you that you can go to court.

Also make sure to call 866-OUR-VOTE if you have any problems. I gave a full run down of them here.

[kitten]

A few FYI's for those who aren't sure:

Q: Do I need ID to vote?

A: You should bring identification as a precaution. You must show ID at your polling place if you did not give an ID to the county commissioner of registration when you registered to vote, including registering by mail, or if the information could not be verified at that time. You do not need identification if you walked in your registration to your municipal clerk or county commissioner of registration, if you had ID at the time. You can be asked to show identification if you are properly challenged at the polls. Identification can include any current photo ID, a driver’s license, a student or job ID, a store membership ID or a U.S. passport. Other identification may include a bank statement, car registration, government check or document, non-photo driver’s license, rent receipt, sample ballot, utility bill or any other official document. If you do not show ID, you may vote with a provisional ballot. You then have until the second day after the election to submit identification to the elections board.

Q: What do I do if challenged?

A: You may need to sign an affidavit confirming your registration. You should go to Superior Court and call the commissioner of registration if poll workers don’t allow you to vote. Poll workers must advise you that you can go to court.


Q: Can I vote if I’m in line and the polls close?

A: Yes.

[Woodsy]

We voted this morning.  Got to the polling place about 6:10 am and the line already stretched outside (about 50-75 people in front of us).  We waited about 20 minutes and were numbers 24 and 25 in our district (about 10 districts or so vote at our polling location).  Things moved pretty quickly and it was nice to see such high voter turnout (certainly the most I've ever seen in any election so far).

[jc_insomniac]

How Not To Look Stank At The Polls

[CeeDub]

Find Your Polling Place

[TheFang]

Remember if you have any problems at your polling place, (long lines, not being on the rolls, machines switching votes, being told you have to file a provisional ballot, etc.) that you can and should call 1-866-OUR-VOTE.

From their site:

The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition was formed to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to participate in the political process.

Through our state of the art hotlines: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (administered by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law) and 1-888-Ve-Y-Vota (administered by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Education Fund), this website, and comprehensive voter protection field programs across the country, we provide Americans from coast to coast with comprehensive voter information and advice on how they can make sure their vote is counted.

Made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners, this year's coalition will be the largest voter protection and education effort in the nation's history.

Throughout the election process, our volunteers - more than 10,000 strong - will be entering data and information into OurVote live (developed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation), an interactive environment painting the most comprehensive picture of election irregularities from the perspective of the voter available anywhere. Unique in the excitement of this political season, Election Protection focuses on the voter - not on the political horse race - and provides guidance, information and help to any American, regardless of who that voter is casting a ballot for. 

[Sands]

Reminder most polling stations open at 6am. That is generally when I go, just so I know it is done. Generally no one is around then, but who would really want to wake up that early...

[jennymayla]

Direct line to BOE:  201-795-6030

For queries re: voter registration:  201-795-6557, which has been busy for a while now but the woman at BOE encouraged me to keep trying.

[grovester]

I've voted EARLY (before 7 a.m.) and never saw a line.  In fact, I'm usually the only person there besides the poll workers. 

My advice would be just to avoid that pre-work rush at 8 a.m., and the after work crowds, probably 5-6 p.m. 

Otherwise, it should be smooth sailing.

Remember, vote early, vote often!

[Case]

As I recall there was a long line at my polling place in the morning for Kerry/Bush. That was probably around 8:00 give or take a half hour. People voting before they went in to work. I went back around 10:30 and sailed right through. Still lost the election, though. 

[kitten]

OKAY,

So this will be my first time voting in JC. I'm confused why everyone on tv seems to be talking about "long lines" on election day. When I voted in Queens years ago, there was hardly a line first thing in the morning.

I am around with my son all day, so I am able to vote whenever I want, but I have to bring him with me (well, I want him to be with me and hopefully be part of the historic event which is about to take place (fingers crossed!)). Does anyone have an idea of when it might be slow or the lines not so long?? 

My polling place is PS 8 up here on Franklin in the Heights. Any advice is greatly appreciate. I am getting anxious/excited/worried/hopeful about Tuesday. :bitesnails:

[Case]

I have a whole BUNCH of forever stamps!

Hang on to those. Forever stamps are the best performing asset in my portfolio.

[TheFang]

I've voted absentee the last few years. Great way to guarantee a paper trail. 

[bdlaw]

GREAT!

I have a whole BUNCH of forever stamps!

[MÇA]

NJ elections officials tout vote-by-mail option
October 16, 2008

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - New Jersey Election officials are touting vote-by-mail as an option for citizens who want to avoid lines at the polls next month.

At an event in Jersey City on Thursday, Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells reminded voters that under New Jersey law they do not need to be out of state to vote by absentee ballot. Nor do they need to provide a reason for requesting one.

Registered voters can get an absentee ballot application online at the Division of Elections Web site, http://www.NJElections.org, or apply in person at their county clerk's office.

Applications can be mailed to the county clerk up to seven days prior to the election on Nov. 4 or delivered in person to the clerk's office up to 3 p.m. the day before the election. A list of county clerk addresses is also available on the Division of Elections Web site.

New Jersey has a record number of registered voters this year – 5.2 million.

[MÇA]

Jersey totals record 5.2 million registered voters
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
By SUSAN K. LIVIO
NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Even before the voter registration deadline passed yesterday, New Jersey had already set a record.

More than 5.2 million people are signed up to vote in the Nov. 4 presidential election, according to statistics from the Secretary of State's Office on Monday morning, the most recent available. The final number is expected to climb higher next week, after procrastinators who filed at the last minute are counted.

The early counts say 500,000 people have registered to vote since last year's general election - including 400,000 people added since the primary election in February, according to state data.

New Jersey set the previous registration record four years ago when George Bush defeated John Kerry. Some 5 million people were registered to vote then.

Party leaders agree the keen interest over the contest between Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain is driving the voter surge, with each predicting the boost will help their candidate.

"There is a real surge in new voters being fueled by the public that wants to bring the Bush era to an end" and support Obama, Richard McGrath, spokesman for the state Democratic Committee said yesterday. "There is a recognition of the importance of this election."

"People are paying attention in a way they haven't in a long time," said Tom Wilson, chairman of the State Republican Committee. "This is a very serious time for the country and they want to be a part deciding the future."

"When the dust settles, Barack Obama will be a risk people are not willing to take," Wilson added.

Of the 5.2 million people registered to vote, 2.4 million are not affiliated with a political party; 1.7 million are registered Democrats and 1 million are Republicans, according to Monday's data.

Since 2005, state residents have been allowed to vote through the mail using an absentee ballot without having to provide a reason why they can't make it to the polls in person, she added.

Registered voters who want to vote by absentee ballot may go to the Division of Elections' Web site (www.njelections.org) to print out an application. Once completed, the ballot can be mailed to the county clerk up to seven days prior to the election, or presented at the Clerk's Office until 3 p.m. the day before the election.

[Robocub]

This is such an important election. If you're not registered to vote,
today is the last day you can register in New Jersey before the election.
Don't let this opportunity pass.

http://justvoteorg.googlepages.com/home?gclid=CIenxLmHm5YCFQJNagodlUpe5g

[alb]

VOTE TODAY! POLLS ARE OPEN TIL 8PM!

Vote in the primaries for the NJ Senate and Hudson County Freeholder races.

Around 8:45 a.m., I was voter number 14 in Ward E 14. During the school board election (which started in the afternoon) I was voter number 7 around 7 p.m. I think that means the turnout might be about two to four times what it was for the school board election.

[MÇA]

VOTE TODAY! POLLS ARE OPEN TIL 8PM!

Vote in the primaries for the NJ Senate and Hudson County Freeholder races.

[pinky]

Where would I check, exactly? I mailed my registration form and threw away the sample ballot from the Nov election.

Help?

and i would follow up on your registration.. first time i went to vote they had no record of my registration and i had to vote provisional ballot or something like that.

JC~ call the board of elections: main number 201-795-6000 ask to be connected to the B.O.E.

[jc_insomniac]

Where would I check, exactly? I mailed my registration form and threw away the sample ballot from the Nov election.

Help?

and i would follow up on your registration.. first time i went to vote they had no record of my registration and i had to vote provisional ballot or something like that.

[T07302]

and i would follow up on your registration.. first time i went to vote they had no record of my registration and i had to vote provisional ballot or something like that.

[T07302]

I voted No on both questions 2 and 3. 

I am all for stem-cell research and open space, but the damn state is 33 BILLION dollars in debt already and this would've added nearly 3/4's of a BILLION dollars more to that debt.

are we really33 *B*illion in debt? why?