Thinking about just getting voting over with and chilling for two weeks

[Guest]

I'm not a citizen so I can't vote. But, if I were to vote, this is how my thought process would go:

As nobody can possibly completely align with my principles, I ask the question: Which of the things I like about this candidate has a high likelihood of getting passed through Congress and/or executed? Which of the things I don't like has a high likelihood of getting passed through Congress and/or executed?

Chances are, I will find the candidate whose things I don't like about are not really executable in the next 4 years, but whose positive things are more likely to get executed.

The 2nd question is... What do we need most in the next 4 years and which guy has a higher chance of filling that need?

Just my 2 cents.

At least we're not deciding the fate of pregnant pigs in Florida this year...

[pam]

Sorry- I know my post was kind of toeing the line there, but just couldn't think of how to say why I'm not voting early without expressing my little connundrum. I probably could have gone without posting it here at all though... I know this isn't the place to get into political discussions, especially about voting.

Your post was fine. It was just a general warning. Not directed at you. I know people are just chomping at the bit.

[pam]

At least we're not deciding the fate of pregnant pigs in Florida this year...

I must have missed that story.

[Guest]

I must have missed that story.

Florida has a strange habit of putting up really whacked up ballot measures...

Back in 2000, a ballot measure was put up to make it illegal for pregnant pigs to be put in a pen. Interestingly, it passed.

2004 was the doctors versus the lawyers year. The doctors sponsored a measure to limit the lawyer's share of the contingency fee awarded by tort cases in the hopes that it will limit frivolous torts. In retaliation, the lawyers sponsored 2 measures designed to make lawyers more inclined to settle instead of go to court so they won't even have to worry about the contingency fee limitation. Voters got hoodwinked and all 3 passed. Yeah, you can't out-lawyer a lawyer, I guess.

Okay, also in 2000, the voters passed a law to require the State to build high speed rail connecting the major Florida cities. They woke up after the fog of the elections faded to realize, whoop, Florida can't afford it, so they'll have to raise sales taxes by a lot... so in 2004, they took it back. It is comical how Floridian voters just fly by the wind.

This year, there are 12 measures on the ballot. In my opinion - too many for the average Floridian voter to muddle through - when most of them really just want to go there and vote for the President.

Edited October 24, 2012 by anatess

[Sharky]

I don't know about anywhere but in my state but a WONDERFUL BENEFIT to voting early here .....

Once you vote (computerized @ early voting or your mail-in ballot is scanned), your Voter Registeration is listed as "Inactive" for 2012 - - - A preventative feature so you can't vote twice.

Anyway, so when all the organizations calling for your political opinions .... well when they get the list of Registered Voters, if you are "inactive" your name & number are left off that list!:lol:

I wondered why it was that all of a sudden the number of such calls seemed to drop off drastically within a week of the mailing ballott coming.

That also explains why the robo-calls about "conference call meetings" & reminding me to vote or telling me why a YES vote on a certain State Constitution Amendment is a "bad" thing, have been non-existant too!

[Wingnut]

Once you vote (computerized @ early voting or your mail-in ballot is scanned), your Voter Registeration is listed as "Inactive" for 2012 - - - A preventative feature so you can't vote twice.

Bummer. I was always taught to vote early and often.

[dahlia]

I never voted early in Seattle because there was always an issue of ballots getting 'lost,' especially Republican ballots. I feel safer doing so in my current small town and voted the other week. The town also has early voting locations around town so that you don't have to vote in your precinct if you want to vote physically. I've never seen that before, but I guess there's a lot you can do in a smaller environment compared to a big city.

[Sharky]

The town also has early voting locations around town so that you don't have to vote in your precinct if you want to vote physically. I've never seen that before, but I guess there's a lot you can do in a smaller environment compared to a big city.

That is normal in my area. There are a few "early voter" locations in the more rural areas though the vast majority of them are in more populated ares. Anyhow, with advent of computerized voting they have pretty much done away with the "local precinct" requirement, they are all "statewide voting locations", at least around these parts.

In my state, state law requires that In-Person voting be offered for Presidential Elections, so in future years they will be going to all mail-in ballots except every 4-years, & even then they will only have very limited in-person voting locations .... essentially doing away with the local precinct voting booths.

Kind of puts a little different sentiment to the meaning & action of voting.

[john doe]

Bummer. I was always taught to vote early and often.

I didn't know you were from Chicago.

[Wingnut]

I didn't know you were from Chicago.

Nope -- just a Democrat.