In case of high turnout on 11-2-04, would officials extend hours?

[Lauren2882]

NPR is reporting today that election officials in Venezuela were compelled to extend voting by 4 hours because of extraordinarily high voter turnout.

I'm wondering what to expect in the event that turnout in our elections this fall is much higher than expected. Is it true that voters in all states who *show up* before polls are scheduled to closed are required by law to be able to vote? I think this is the law in all states, but I seem to remember that there were problems with enforcement of this law in Missouri (namely St. Louis) in 2000 - can anyone verify? Also, what happens if, say the polls close at 8 P.M., you arrive at the polling place at 7:55, but because of lines don't reach the sign-in point until 8:01?

Just another thing we ought to watch for, I think... I intend to vote early in the morning if my schedule permits, and I would advise all Democrats to employ this strategy.

Fortunately, I think in this election Democrats will have a much greater level of fortitude to stand long lines than Republicans will, as long as there is assurance that they will eventually get to vote.


*Edited to correct two egregious grammar mistakes

[4morewars]

1. Vote early.....

and vote often !!!!

[rocktivity]

2. Your scenario is correct, Lauren

If you are on line at a U.S. polling place BEFORE it is scheduled to close, it CANNOT close until after you have cast your vote, no matter how long it takes.

:headbang:
rocknation

[David Dunham]

6. Those are the rules. No after hours voting unless you are on line before

[bluestateguy]

3. I wouldn't count on it

Several black precincts in St. Louis ran out of ballots the turnout was so high. People were waiting out the door when the polls closed. A US District Judge ordered the polls open for another 3 hours, but Missouri Republicans (white people, who never much liked the idea of blacks voting) went to an appellate court, which ordered the the polls closed at 8:45. It likely did not swing the outcome of the presidential race, but a similar occurrence could do so in the future.

I advise anyone concerned about their ability to be able to vote on election day to take advantage of early voting or absentee options. Especially if you are a person who has no other time to vote on election day but an hour or two before the polls close.

[Lauren2882]

7. Yep

That is the situation from Missouri that I was trying to recall. Even if it didn't sway the state, an equally grave tragedy that it causes is the disenfranchisement those individuals... When your community basically says to you "It is too much of a hassle for us to accomodate your need to vote," can you really be surprised when people drop out of the system?

[olacan]

8. In response

to bluestateguy I was not in St. Louis I am to west by one state. As I recall you are correct that they tried to keep select polls open. I do not recall it was because they ran out of ballots, wish I could remember all the details. If indeed the only problem was a lack of ballots then the poll workers should have been aware of that and called for more. Maybe they did but I do not remember hearing that. Even if they did not discover the lack of ballots until just before closing there still would not be a need extend the hours. As the rule is if you are in line at closing time you are allowed to vote. There were a number of things going on in St. Louis in 2000 that were of question.

[buycitgo]

4. can you wear ANTI BUSH clothing to the polls?

probly not....I know signs, written matter can't be shown within a certain distance

what about clothes, tho?

[cally]

11. No,

Most states won't allow it.

[buycitgo]

5. how bout a shirt with a picture of Bush/Alfred E. Neuman?

[Missy Vixen]

9. If you can afford it

TAKE THE DAY OFF. I can't stress this strongly enough.

My business will be closed. I will be holding a Kerry/Edwards sign the prescribed number of feet from the local polling place that won't get me arrested that morning. When I'm done greeting the morning commute traffic, I'll be volunteering at the local coordinated campaign headquarters, doing whatever it is that they need done.

Again. If you can afford it, take the day off, and get out the vote. You'll be happy you did.

Julie

[NoPasaran]

10. I'll be taking the day off just for those reasons

Also the day after to recover from the celebration that I anticipate Tuesday night!

[powergirl]

12. In Texas, if you are inside the doors of the polling place by 8:00

you can vote. I've been an election judge and we had a line at the end of the election period, so at around 7:55, we told everyone to pile in the building so they could vote. Since the election judges are volunteers, there is absolutely no consistency on this but that is how its supposed to work - in theory.

[Name removed]

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