Are you ready? Early voting…

[cuadrado]

Early voting starts tomorrow where I am in NC. I'm excited!

I'm going to try to go out tomorrow or Friday to vote.

[spinnaker5]

President Carter is ready, and has voted: link

(might need some tissues to read this one ❤️)

[neverfstop]

LFG!! Good job Georgia....

300,000+ people cast votes in Georgia on the state's first day of early voting — more than doubling a record set in 2020, Axios Atlanta's Kristal Dixon and Thomas Wheatley write.

⚡ Breaking: A Fulton County, Georgia, judge last night temporarily blocked a new state election rule that requiring counties to hand-count ballots. Go deeper.

[curbsideprophet]

Early voting started today in NC. So glad my county is back to many early voting sites. There were a couple of years where the number of sites was greatly reduced. There was a bit of a line when I arrived shortly after polls opened but it moved fairly quick.

They have a website where you can check wait times. It was busy today. At one point I think all sites were showing a 60 minute wait, with some sites over an hour wait.

[lilac05]

I was excited to see a big construction “Lane Closure Ahead” type sign by our mall with early voting hours on it today. Everyone will take note of it because it’s a big orange lit sign that usually signifies that drivers need to take action.

THEY DO! Surprise America and turn Iowa BLUE!

[fernweh]

I guess this is early voting related…

81 year old woman in Georgia votes for the 1st time after her husband who didn’t allow her to vote died.
people.com/betty-cartledge-81-year-old-first-time-voter-8730028

She didn’t say who she voted for but I like to think after being suppressed for so long she would use her 1st vote to help elect the 1st female president.

[wambam]

Voted today in SW Ohio. It was the busiest I’ve ever seen early voting and I’ve been doing it since 2021. I think that’s a good thing.

[underwaterrhymes]

H and I just voted! 🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️🤸‍♂️

[TR]

Early voting opens on Monday and I can't waaaaiiiiiiittttt.

[scout8]

I was a poll greeter this afternoon for early voting and it was packed. Wait time ranged from 45 min to 1 1/2 hours.

Definitely more people picking up the Dem sample ballot, but that may be more related to the location. We are a blue county in a sea of red.

[atlas]

Got our ballots this afternoon! I've already filled mine out. I love vote by mail.

[EvieEthelGarland]

Just got my ballot in King County WA and am walking the dog to the ballot drop box soon.

[cville]

Voted.

[ZitchDog]

@@@
Nobody knows me here, but my husband and I voted in our purple county in Iowa today. We brought our son (8) with since we were out and about, and it felt good to have him there with us.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Oct 18, 2024 17:52:39 GMT -5 atlas said:

Got our ballots this afternoon! I've already filled mine out. I love vote by mail.

We must be neighbors, or at least neighborly. Ours (Snohomish County, WA) arrived yesterday and I can't say enough good things about Vote By M ail. It's a shame that *some* parties are working to suppress the vote and make VBM seem dangerous and anti-Democratic when in actuality it's quite the opposite. I mean, our MILITARY votes by mail.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Oct 19, 2024 16:32:41 GMT -5 ZitchDog said:

Nobody knows me here, but my husband and I voted in our purple county in Iowa today. We brought our son (8) with since we were out and about, and it felt good to have him there with us.

I think it's wonderful that you brought your son. We live in WA, a caucus state, and in 2016 I brought my then twelve-year-old granddaughter to the caucuses to listen to the debate and discussion about the Democratic candidates (Sanders was hugely popular here but I was a Clinton supporter/delegate.) It helped her to become interested in politics and understand how important voting is to our everyday lives.

[ZitchDog]

Oct 19, 2024 17:18:58 GMT -5 Beeps (WOT?*) said:

Oct 19, 2024 16:32:41 GMT -5 ZitchDog said:

Nobody knows me here, but my husband and I voted in our purple county in Iowa today. We brought our son (8) with since we were out and about, and it felt good to have him there with us.

I think it's wonderful that you brought your son. We live in WA, a caucus state, and in 2016 I brought my then twelve-year-old granddaughter to the caucuses to listen to the debate and discussion about the Democratic candidates (Sanders was hugely popular here but I was a Clinton supporter/delegate.) It helped her to become interested in politics and understand how important voting is to our everyday lives.

@@@
I love it! He has come to rallies for local candidates and I've brought him to vote with me more than once. I want him to feel empowered with the understanding of how it works, and be aware of both how critical it is and how easy it is to participate. I didn't know my parents' political leanings as a kid because they just never talked about it (I don't think they were that invested, sadly). My son will know how we feel. Hopefully that means he'll be invested, too. 

[atlas]

Oct 19, 2024 17:14:29 GMT -5 Beeps (WOT?*) said:

Oct 18, 2024 17:52:39 GMT -5 atlas said:

Got our ballots this afternoon! I've already filled mine out. I love vote by mail.

We must be neighbors, or at least neighborly. Ours (Snohomish County, WA) arrived yesterday and I can't say enough good things about Vote By M ail. It's a shame that *some* parties are working to suppress the vote and make VBM seem dangerous and anti-Democratic when in actuality it's quite the opposite. I mean, our MILITARY votes by mail.

Neighborly! I'm in Oregon. I think we have been VBM for like 25-30 years. I can't remember exactly when it was but I think it was the 90s for sure. 

[Jalapeñomel]

I did something so dumb: I mailed DH’s ballot…without the envelope. I saw it on the table, and I was bringing things to the mailbox anyway, so I thought I’d be helpful. I came back and DH was like, “wait! Here’s the envelope!”

So I’m guessing that invalidates his vote, and he needs to go in person?

[Saudade]

I was going to but I feel really strongly that I bring my @@@ kids with me so they can experience the process. I’ve done it since 2016. I know I could do absentee but I like that they get to experience the whole thing. I’m antsy!! I am also incredibly anxious and not doing well

[jene]

Oct 20, 2024 12:05:35 GMT -5 Saudade said:

I was going to but I feel really strongly that I bring my @@@ kids with me so they can experience the process. I’ve done it since 2016. I know I could do absentee but I like that they get to experience the whole thing. I’m antsy!! I am also incredibly anxious and not doing well

You’re in MN now, right? Can you go early in person with them?

[Saudade]

Oct 20, 2024 13:49:16 GMT -5 jene said:

Oct 20, 2024 12:05:35 GMT -5 Saudade said:

I was going to but I feel really strongly that I bring my @@@ kids with me so they can experience the process. I’ve done it since 2016. I know I could do absentee but I like that they get to experience the whole thing. I’m antsy!! I am also incredibly anxious and not doing well

You’re in MN now, right? Can you go early in person with them?

I am! Good thinking, I just looked and there is a Saturday coming up that I can take them with me to do! 🥳🥳

[underwaterrhymes]

Oct 20, 2024 15:36:37 GMT -5 Saudade said:

Oct 20, 2024 13:49:16 GMT -5 jene said:

You’re in MN now, right? Can you go early in person with them?

I am! Good thinking, I just looked and there is a Saturday coming up that I can take them with me to do! 🥳🥳

@@@
We took our kids when we went and they liked seeing how the process worked. They got “I voted” stickers, too, which delighted them.

[stuffandthings]

@@@@@@@
Our city has special “Future Voter” stickers for kids!

[klee23]

Oct 20, 2024 12:00:10 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I did something so dumb: I mailed DH’s ballot…without the envelope. I saw it on the table, and I was bringing things to the mailbox anyway, so I thought I’d be helpful. I came back and DH was like, “wait! Here’s the envelope!”

So I’m guessing that invalidates his vote, and he needs to go in person?

In PA this would mean going in person and voting with a provisional ballot (so only would be counted when the confirmed there wasn't a valid mail in ballot received). Clearly not helpful for NY buy may be similar.

[basilosaurus]

Oct 20, 2024 9:11:24 GMT -5 atlas said:

Oct 19, 2024 17:14:29 GMT -5 Beeps (WOT?*) said:

We must be neighbors, or at least neighborly. Ours (Snohomish County, WA) arrived yesterday and I can't say enough good things about Vote By M ail. It's a shame that *some* parties are working to suppress the vote and make VBM seem dangerous and anti-Democratic when in actuality it's quite the opposite. I mean, our MILITARY votes by mail.

Neighborly! I'm in Oregon. I think we have been VBM for like 25-30 years. I can't remember exactly when it was but I think it was the 90s for sure. 

Oregon voter here. I've only ever voted by mail there, first as a military spouse, then on my own as overseas voter.

There's a reason they have highest turnout which of course magats want to suppress.

Iirc 1999?I registered in 2007 so it was long established. My first vbm was 2000 in Florida (uni absentee) so most likely it was tossed out, fuck you very much scotus

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Oct 20, 2024 12:00:10 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I did something so dumb: I mailed DH’s ballot…without the envelope. I saw it on the table, and I was bringing things to the mailbox anyway, so I thought I’d be helpful. I came back and DH was like, “wait! Here’s the envelope!”

So I’m guessing that invalidates his vote, and he needs to go in person?

It may depend on your state. In ours it won't necessarily invalidate it. In my state, for example, his ballot won't be counted, but will be set aside to be "cured", meaning someone from the elections department will call the people who have "questionable" ballots  (those not in signed envelopes or have questionable signatures on the outer envelopes, for example) to confirm that the ballot is how they voted, and it is in fact their ballot. This can initially be done over the phone or if they can't be reached by phone they will send someone in person to the home.
Often this curing won't even need to be done because the number of uncured ballots won't be enough to make a difference in a race. However, in our primary last March we *did* have to do this for our Commissioner of Lands race because it was so close, and curing the questionable ballots actually made a difference. There were several thousand uncured ballots statewide, with the difference between the candidates in second and third place being about 50 votes...STATEWIDE. Volunteers called and went to homes to confirm ballots and in the end, those efforts changed the results of the race, so that the candidate in third place (the Democratic candidate) actually pulled ahead. The race was so close that the ballots had to be HAND-COUNTED even after the machine counts and ballot curing. The second and third place actually switched, so that the candidate in third place (Democratic) actually pulled ahead after curing (ahead of a MAGA Republican) and won statewide, after the hand count, by FIFTY-THREE VOTES. STATEWIDE. That's how close some of these votes can be, and why every vote counts.

In other states, they may want him to come in and vote in-person, which will invalidate his mail-in ballot. (Ballots are designated for each individual voter so records can be kept as to who votes and confirm they vote only once. In our state they use a bar code and bar code reader; I don't recall which route out state follows but I believe they create a duplicate ballot with the same bar code. Since it was "perfected" by being done in the Elections office and so the employee would have confirmed it was sealed properly and won't need follow up, it will be the first one read and if they do put the second one through the bar code reader it will come up as a duplicate and not counted.)

Call your local Elections Department (or Secretary of State) to confirm what he needs to do.

[underwaterrhymes]

Oct 20, 2024 17:12:18 GMT -5 stuffandthings said:

@@@@@@@
Our city has special “Future Voter” stickers for kids!

I love that!!

@@@

Ours were designed by a local 8th grader.

[eb777888]

Early voting in Texas starts today and goes through November 1st. Me and H are going Thursday before heading out to an event.

[Jalapeñomel]

Oct 21, 2024 2:38:57 GMT -5 Beeps (WOT?*) said:

Oct 20, 2024 12:00:10 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

I did something so dumb: I mailed DH’s ballot…without the envelope. I saw it on the table, and I was bringing things to the mailbox anyway, so I thought I’d be helpful. I came back and DH was like, “wait! Here’s the envelope!”

So I’m guessing that invalidates his vote, and he needs to go in person?

It may depend on your state. In ours it won't necessarily invalidate it. In my state, for example, his ballot won't be counted, but will be set aside to be "cured", meaning someone from the elections department will call the people who have "questionable" ballots  (those not in signed envelopes or have questionable signatures on the outer envelopes, for example) to confirm that the ballot is how they voted, and it is in fact their ballot. This can initially be done over the phone or if they can't be reached by phone they will send someone in person to the home.
Often this curing won't even need to be done because the number of uncured ballots won't be enough to make a difference in a race. However, in our primary last March we *did* have to do this for our Commissioner of Lands race because it was so close, and curing the questionable ballots actually made a difference. There were several thousand uncured ballots statewide, with the difference between the candidates in second and third place being about 50 votes...STATEWIDE. Volunteers called and went to homes to confirm ballots and in the end, those efforts changed the results of the race, so that the candidate in third place (the Democratic candidate) actually pulled ahead. The race was so close that the ballots had to be HAND-COUNTED even after the machine counts and ballot curing. The second and third place actually switched, so that the candidate in third place (Democratic) actually pulled ahead after curing (ahead of a MAGA Republican) and won statewide, after the hand count, by FIFTY-THREE VOTES. STATEWIDE. That's how close some of these votes can be, and why every vote counts.

In other states, they may want him to come in and vote in-person, which will invalidate his mail-in ballot. (Ballots are designated for each individual voter so records can be kept as to who votes and confirm they vote only once. In our state they use a bar code and bar code reader; I don't recall which route out state follows but I believe they create a duplicate ballot with the same bar code. Since it was "perfected" by being done in the Elections office and so the employee would have confirmed it was sealed properly and won't need follow up, it will be the first one read and if they do put the second one through the bar code reader it will come up as a duplicate and not counted.)

Call your local Elections Department (or Secretary of State) to confirm what he needs to do.

This is really helpful, thank you!