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ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:10 AM Oct 2016

I voted this morning, Southern Cook County, IL. Here is my report:

Because our Teabuggered Governor filed suit to keep turnout low in Cook County (chicago), and won, today is the first day of early voting in suburban Cook County. They even cut down on locations, meaning that people could not just go to their city halls as we have in previous years.

I got there at 9:15. The line was to the door.

12 electronic voting machines, all with a printed secure paper trail. Every booth filled. Four intake stations, which both signed you in and allowed for early registration. All four stations in use, with a long line of people waiting. Finally got to vote by 9:40, and by the time I was done, the line had actually grown.

There was one technical glitch in that the voting card they program with a unique number (prevents voter fraud) was not programing in one prep station. They had to clean the cards' computer chip with an eraser, and it worked fine.

By 9:45, I'd guess that 50-60 votes had been cast. The judges commented that they had never seen it so busy, so early.

Not one red shirt to be seen (if that is still Trumpenstein's idea to intimidate other voters).

This is southern Cook County. With a few pockets of red, pretty uniformly democratic. I am getting a feeling that this will be a blowout election. For the good guys' and gals' side. (That is not sexist. If they could name a musical that way, in which all the good songs were not assigned to Frank Sinatra, when he was in his prime, I can use it here).

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I voted this morning, Southern Cook County, IL. Here is my report: (Original Post) ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 OP
" The judges commented that they had never seen it so busy, so early." PearliePoo2 Oct 2016 #1
Seeing the wide range, from elderly folks to many yute, ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #4
I'll be voting in Northern Lake today ILFightinDem Oct 2016 #2
October 24 thru November 7 in Illinois, folks ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #7
Going today or tomorrow in the city. Neema Oct 2016 #3
That piece of shit Ruiner cut off a shit load of locations. I'm only seeing 1 for the city of Guy Whitey Corngood Oct 2016 #5
Yeah. ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #10
One can hope. 2018 can't come soon enough. WTF were people thinking? nt Guy Whitey Corngood Oct 2016 #11
What do you mean by PoindexterOglethorpe Oct 2016 #6
Yup. ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #8
Thanks for clarifying. PoindexterOglethorpe Oct 2016 #9
Thanks for the view into your area, Chair. Hortensis Oct 2016 #12
Voted in Kankakee County on Friday. Ace Rothstein Oct 2016 #13
I waited about 45min to get into the voting booth. Other things I noted... ILFightinDem Oct 2016 #14
is ID checking legal in IL? can't believe I don't know that. nobody has asked for ID in over forty Gabi Hayes Oct 2016 #15
Only for the change in registration or initial registration ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #17
thanks! where are you? I lived in Chi Hts/Homewood til I was 16 Gabi Hayes Oct 2016 #18
Palos area. ChairmanAgnostic Oct 2016 #19
Paper trails, long may they wave. oasis Oct 2016 #16

PearliePoo2

(7,768 posts)
1. " The judges commented that they had never seen it so busy, so early."
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:20 AM
Oct 2016

Whoo hooo!
I love hearing first hand reports like this! Thanks for posting!

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
4. Seeing the wide range, from elderly folks to many yute,
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:34 AM
Oct 2016

of voters actually brought a tear to my eye.

The best part was not one red shirt to be seen. Assuming that Trump's folks got the message out to wear red while voting. Purportedly, not all his voters have the capacity to read, so the message may have been lost in the noise.

ILFightinDem

(56 posts)
2. I'll be voting in Northern Lake today
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:21 AM
Oct 2016

Off work today for some other business. Wanted to vote this last weekend and was surprised to find today was the first day. Thanks, Gov Ruiner...

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
7. October 24 thru November 7 in Illinois, folks
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:46 AM
Oct 2016

Thanks to our governor.

Still, they are allowing registration today, too. Several people in line in front of me told the election judges that they had moved from the city and wanted to register today. All were allowed to register and vote.

Honestly, the only time I have seen such energy was when Barack announced his campaign and when he held a rally at Chicago's lakefront.

Guy Whitey Corngood

(26,481 posts)
5. That piece of shit Ruiner cut off a shit load of locations. I'm only seeing 1 for the city of
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:40 AM
Oct 2016

Chicago where I live. We had a shitload for 2012. Unless I'm missing something:

http://www.cookctyclerk.com/elections/earlyvoting/Pages/EarlyVotingLocations.aspx

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
10. Yeah.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:53 AM
Oct 2016

Interestingly, I think this is backfiring on Brucey. People liked the convenience. Having access limited seems like an attack on our voting rights. And that pisses off and energizes voters.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
6. What do you mean by
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:45 AM
Oct 2016

"Four intake stations, which both signed you in and allowed for early registration"? Can you same day register in Illinois?

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
8. Yup.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:47 AM
Oct 2016

From now to November 7, we have early voting.

From now to another date (I am not sure what it is), we have early registration. I saw at least 4 people register this am.

The registration stations do NOT check IDs unless you are changing your registration. Then, they want an ID and some mail to your current address. They ask for your name, look you up on the registration computer, plug in a voting card (credit card sized, with a computer chip). Once programed, you stick the card in a voting machine, and your set of candidates pop up. This way, they can handle multiple municipalities and voting districts, all with one machine. (or 12 voting machines, in this case). The Sequoia Machine is a touch screen. Once you have voted, it allows you to confirm your vote, and a paper result is printed and slowly scrolls by to allow you to confirm your voting choice. You can even change your vote if you wish.

Once done, the scroll of paper moves your voting out of sight, and leaves it blank for the next voter. Secure, safe, easy to use, and NO BLOODY VOTER FRAUD, Mr. Trump. The only fraud is you.

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
9. Thanks for clarifying.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 11:53 AM
Oct 2016

Not sure it should be called early registration at this point, since voting has begun.

In any case, I am totally in favor of same day registration.

Often, brand new voters are intimidated by the registration process, as they perceive it to be more onerous than it is. I know I thought that when I was a young, first-time voter.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
12. Thanks for the view into your area, Chair.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 12:28 PM
Oct 2016

Didn't occur to me to look for red shirts in my small city, all very civilized and pleasant, but then I don't think people worry about finding any Democrats here.

Ace Rothstein

(3,099 posts)
13. Voted in Kankakee County on Friday.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 12:37 PM
Oct 2016

Went for my class to be an election judge and voted after since I won't be able to vote on election day.

ILFightinDem

(56 posts)
14. I waited about 45min to get into the voting booth. Other things I noted...
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 02:19 PM
Oct 2016

No Sequoia machines in Lake County...still paper ballots and electronic readers.

The ballot boxes now look like the garbage carts that you put out on trash day (with a feeder on the 'lid'). Not the best messaging, IMO.

This was the first election I know of that the paper registration books were NOT used (maybe because the early voting sites cover the entire county, not just your local township). Being an IT guy, I would always chuckle at the anachronism of paper registration books, and the election judges paging through them to check registration.

Speaking of registration - ID's *were* checked here in Lake Cty. The judge also checked my signature against his printed record 8 ways from Sunday - and even asked for verification from the other judge (who told him "oh, yeah - no mistaking that&quot . My signature hasn't changed *that* much in 14 years!

As with other places we've seen - the wait isn't for a voting station to open up - it's to get through the gatekeepers. And the Trumpsters are worried about voter fraud? I'm worried about everyone getting tired of waiting and leaving the lines!

I saw women of all ages voting today. Most of the men were older than me (I'm early 50s). Probably 65%-35% women / men. Many of the men were there with their wives / partners.

I wouldn't say the line to vote took 'longer' this time - I remember early voting in 2008 for Obama-McCain, on a Saturday, and it was about the same wait back then. Today was for the really motivated, I suppose.

This time, I took a picture of my ballot. I can't remember if I had a smartphone in '08, but I know I didn't think to take a picture.

I thought of my mom as I was marking the oval for Clinton/Kaine - she passed away about a year ago, and wanted to be able to vote for a (Democratic) woman to become POTUS. I voted for both of us today

 

Gabi Hayes

(28,795 posts)
15. is ID checking legal in IL? can't believe I don't know that. nobody has asked for ID in over forty
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 02:56 PM
Oct 2016

years here. glad I saw this

they also changed my polling place

 

Gabi Hayes

(28,795 posts)
18. thanks! where are you? I lived in Chi Hts/Homewood til I was 16
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 07:58 PM
Oct 2016

mom was a Bircher, took me to see Goldwater, had Ed Derwinski at our house

ChairmanAgnostic

(28,017 posts)
19. Palos area.
Mon Oct 24, 2016, 08:38 PM
Oct 2016

Lotsa GOPer here, but they drop off at the borders.


Funny, So many of them, usually GOP stalwarts, are not happy with Teh Donald. Some even admitted to me that they will vote for her, because he is such an ass.

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