dagblog - Comments for "Election Day, 2012. It's Up to Us Now"

I did not--thanks for letting

AmericanDreamer — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 03:13:54 +0000

I did not--thanks for letting me know. Our AG is a kook I have zero confidence in. It's possible there wasn't enough time to get the necessary information prior to the election. It also seems possible to me that, if there had been enough time to do so, this AG would have made sure it was slow-walked until after the election, after which hardly anyone gives a shit about any of this stuff.

Just got back from working a

AmericanDreamer — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 03:07:25 +0000

In reply to I'm guessing I might get some

Just got back from working a poll shift and then helping our precinct captain close down our polling place. Here in northern Virginia (suburban DC) one has a choice of using paper ballots or voting electronically. The majority of those voting chose to do so electronically.

If you vote electronically there is no paper ballot to serve as a backup. So in the event that a need for a recount is declared, what exactly is it that they will recount? And what was going through the minds of the elected officials--or the people they appointed--who made the decisions to do voting in this way?

I chatted up one of the official election workers while the closing up procedures were going on. She mentioned to me that many voters declined to vote by paper because they had received misinformation that their vote might not be counted immediately. There were well-meaning people who were advising people not to vote provisionally. I asked her if she thought some might have declined to cast a paper ballot because they mistook that with a provisional ballot and she thought that was quite possible.

The final tallies seem reasonable and legit, Obama winning a precinct that was redrawn to become more Republican than it was and evidently pretty close to a tossup, by a narrow margin, and a larger one drawn as much more Democratic by a solid margin. These results are in the ballpark of what Obama needs in northern Virginia to have a shot at carrying Virginia. Tim Kaine bettered George Allen narrowly in the more evenly divided precinct.and walloped Allen in the more solidly D precinct.

Turnout was very high--between those voting today and the projected count for those who requested absentee ballots (we were told by an official election worker that roughly 50% of those requesting an absentee ballot end up voting absentee, based on the recent history in this area) around 700 voted out of 900 registered.

Ramona - CNN IS ALREADY

Aunt Sam — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:31:37 +0000

In reply to Election Day, 2012. It's Up to Us Now

Ramona - CNN IS ALREADY RELEASING DATA AND DECLARING.

I thought they couldn't do that until all the polls closed. What's goin on?

I LOVE that guy!

Ramona — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:49:02 +0000

In reply to (No subject)

I LOVE that guy!

I agree, Ocean-Kat. They've

Ramona — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 23:48:19 +0000

In reply to I'm guessing I might get some

I agree, Ocean-Kat. They've spent way too much time being wimps or being oblivious. Wouldn't you think after 12 years of voter fraud and manipulation it would be way up there on their to-do list? Makes me angry, too.

AD, did you notice that

erica20 — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:32:39 +0000

In reply to For me the act of voting has

AD, did you notice that prosecutors canceled Colin Small's grand jury testimony to expand the investigation in VA?

(No subject)

Elusive Trope — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 21:44:00 +0000

In reply to Election Day, 2012. It's Up to Us Now

I'm guessing I might get some

ocean-kat — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:42:39 +0000

In reply to For me the act of voting has

I'm guessing I might get some negative feedback for this but what pisses me off more is our democratic leaders letting it happen. I don't expect much from spineless democrats but at least they should be able to work up the gumption to protect their own voters and votes.

Amen and bravo, AD. You bet.

Ramona — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:33:31 +0000

In reply to For me the act of voting has

Amen and bravo, AD. You bet. I'm always shocked when voter suppression tactics get more and more creative. You would think I would take it in stride already, but my parents taught me honesty is the best policy and, silly me, I think everybody's parents did the same.

But for all it's warts, including the electoral college and the gerrymandering of districts, voting is such a precious honor I too tend to believe it should be elevated far beyond the usual dirty tricks.

Thanks, Auntie. Yes, your

Ramona — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:26:39 +0000

In reply to Ramona, This must be what it

Thanks, Auntie. Yes, your voter day sounds a lot like mine. Except ours only has cookies, but they're all home made. I live in crimson country up here so it's chit-chatting and small talk and hoping nobody starts getting political. (So far so good in past years)

Your mix-up with the old grocer is a hoot! I'll be he looks forward to it as much as you do. (Sounds like a bit out of "Northern Exposure". LOVED that show.)

I'll be here tonight. I've already had one anxiety attack. Or it might have been gas.