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| My early voting experience today |
| 2006-11-02 |
| I voted early this morning in my suburb just outside of Chicago, and thought I'd pass along some observations. Given the controversy about voting this year it was indeed interesting to see how my village handled early voting. I live in Cook County, and early voting for my precinct was done at the village hall. When I arrived I waited in a short line for a minute, and while I did so I filled out the 'early voting' registration form. There were six voting machines (more on that in a moment) and a half-dozen election judges supervising the vote. When I got to the table one judge asked for my drivers license. Drivers license? You mean an honest-to-goodness photo ID? Yep. Early voting in Illinois requires a photo ID. The registration form listed the acceptable forms of ID. Of the half-dozen people in line, not one complained or said that they didn't have a photo ID. Everyone produced a drivers license save one woman who presented her (American) passport. After presenting my license, the judge turned to a computer screen and punched in my license number. My photo and signature appeared on screen, and she carefully compared my license, my signature on the registration form, her screen and my face. I was then cleared to vote, and after a short wait went to an open voting machine. Another judge handed me a plastic card to insert in the machine and informed me that if I needed help she would be there to walk me through the process. The machine was a 'Sequoia' brand touch screen. The screen was bright, the instructions clear, and when you touched a box for a candidate a large green checkmark appeared, so it was easy to see what you just did. I went through about a dozen screeens pointing at candidates. At the end there was, as I expected, a chance to review my vote on the screen. I had deliberately left one office open, and sure enough my deficiency was shown in red on the screen. I went back and corrected that without a problem. Then something happened that was a pleasant surprise. Observant person that I am, I had totally ignored a small, separate device with a window to my right in the booth. When I finished with the last review screen, my vote was presented again on the main screen AND on a paper roll on the device to the right. That was behind glass so you couldn't touch it, but you had the opportunity to see that, on screen and on paper, your vote was as you wanted it. I then checkmarked the 'cast ballot' button on the main screen and the paper roll whirred away into a storage box. While I don't know this for sure, I rather suspect that the paper roll serves as a permanent audit for that particular voting machine. The entire process took 20 minutes. Presenting a photo ID was no problem at all. The touch screen worked flawlessly. The paper trail is visible. How did I vote? Heh, how do you think? |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 Voted early. First time in my life, straight R ticket including the state and local races. Now get out there and help get the local Anti-Pelosi voters to the polls. Call your local republican campaign HQ and volunteer to man a phone bank or hand out pamphlets. If D turn out at Midyear rate and R tuen out at Presidential rates, Congress will hold off becoming a plyaground for Pelosi, Murtha, Conyers and other rats like that. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2006-11-02 17:15 |
| #11 It's only a matter of time. The HR Departments of most large companies are predominately lefty in nature. That has been my experience anyway. Second only to US Gummit Civilian Personnel Offices (CPO). |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-11-02 14:45 |
| #10 When we lose utility companies to the lefties, then we're in deep shit. It's only a matter of time. The HR Departments of most large companies are predominately lefty in nature. That has been my experience anyway. |
| Posted by: NoBeards 2006-11-02 14:41 |
| #9 When we lose utility companies to the lefties, then we're in deep shit. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-11-02 14:12 |
| #8 to compare the validity of a driver's license or military ID, to a utility bill as being just as good is ridiculous. Also in some cases they just need to know the number, not show the license. Check it out: http://www.co.larimer.co.us/elections/votreg.htm |
| Posted by: Jan 2006-11-02 13:43 |
| #7 Good to hear this. Here in Colorado, one of the items listed that says will do to register for an absentee ballot is a copy of a current utility bill. Hell I had to show my driver's license a few months ago just to buy sudafed, because of all the crystal methamphetamine labs cropping up everywhere. I worry about many folks voting that shouldn't be. Illegals come to mind here too. |
| Posted by: Jan 2006-11-02 13:36 |
| #6 What are the deceased voters in Cook County going to show for ID? Death Certificate maybe? Also, are union workers able to bring an "aide" with them? |
| Posted by: Intrinsicpilot 2006-11-02 13:13 |
| #5 This mirrors my experience as well. Straight Republican ticket, ID asked for, machines easy to use...etc. |
| Posted by: NoBeards 2006-11-02 13:00 |
| #4 If some are challenged by technology in the voting booth, I sure as hell recommend staying away from ATM's... or slot machines for that matter. As far as presenting photo ID, if it is such an imposition, better stay away from Costco too. |
| Posted by: Capsu 78 2006-11-02 12:58 |
| #3 Straight Commie ticket? I too, a forced to use the evil Diebold machines to vote. WOOO the torture of touching a screen and CONFIRMING my selections after I am done. |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-11-02 12:37 |
| #2 Go back tomorrow morning and vote again. You *are* in Cook County, after all. It's your Legitimate Right™! |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-11-02 12:21 |
| #1 Green Party all the way ? |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-11-02 12:09 |