I just want to make a quick post regarding my voting experience in West Bend, WI. West Bend is Republican territory. McCain-Palin lawn signs and bumper stickers outnumber Obama-Biden ones by about 10:1 in West Bend. The weather here is gorgeous today, 72 degrees and sunny, which is remarkable for this time of the year in cheeseland. A huge turnout was expected, so I strategically timed my appearance at the polls to beat the morning and evening rushes. Wisconsin has same day registration and I needed to register before I could vote.
I arrived at the city hall/police department at 1:30. Parking was more than adequate and entrances were clearly labeled. I went to the registration area armed with my drivers license and a utility bill, expecting to wait in line. But there was no wait! When I expressed my amazement to the clerk, she mentioned that it was busy in the morning and that she expected things to pick up again after 4pm. I was registered within minutes!
I then went to the ballot line where there was also no wait. I was provided a paper ballot with ovals to darken with a marker for the selections. There is no way that card can be misread by either a scanner or human eyes. Markers and chairs were provided in every cubicle. I made my selections and even took the time to carefully read through the referendums. I was then instructed to deposit the ballot in what appeared to be an optical scanner ballot box. I asked if the ballot had to be deposited in any particular way and the poll worker said it doesn’t matter. I was back in my car at 1:40. Mission accomplished! Total time: less than 10 minutes!
I am sure we are going to hear about long lines and glitches in other parts of the state, especially Milwaukee and Madison. I have voted before in Greendale, WI, Madison, WI, and Brooklyn, NY, but in GOP West Bend voting was quicker and easier that it ever has been for me. I wish it could be like this everywhere. Good luck everyone!
Please post your voting experience in the comments section. Thanks.
This year I voted absentee ballot, but the long lines I saw on TV, from Americans queued up to vote all over the nation, reminded me of voting for Bill Clinton in 1992.
Then, as now, most Americans were suffering from ‘Republican fatigue’ after 12 years of Reagan and Poppy Bush. Generally, there were very short lines at the local church on election day, but in ’92 the line snaked around the block. Talking to other folks on the line, I found we all had something in common — we were voting for Clinton to get rid of Bush.
I waited about two hours to vote that day and checked with others who had voted elsewhere — there were long lines at other polling places, and those people weren’t waiting to keep Bush the Elder in office for another four years.
Comment by RS Janes — November 5, 2008 @ 6:50 pm