Early voters overwhelm polling places in D.C., Maryland

Washington comPost ^ | 10/27/12

[markomalley]

Voters in the District and Maryland overwhelmed election officials at several polling places Saturday when larger than expected crowds turned out on the first day of early voting to cast ballots.

Officials said thousands showed up at voting sites, spurred on by President’s Obama plea to vote early — and concern about the threat posed by Hurricane Sandy. Several polling officials found themselves in a midday scramble to install more voting machines.

Long lines and lengthy waits were reported at polling places in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, as well as in several of the District’s wards. Some voters, frustrated by the delays, left before voting.

“We didn’t expect all these people to come out,” said Anthony F. Coachmen, a captain at the Columbia Heights Community Center in Ward 1. “It was a surprise.”

The line to vote there snaked around the gymnasium as residents waited to use one of the six machines.

“I’m guessing they have some kind of big kinks they have to work out inside there,” said Brent Elrod, 51, who left without casting his ballot. “It seems unfortunate there are so few machines.”

Donna J. Duncan, a director of elections for Maryland, said turnout was also heavy at the 46 early voting locations in the state. Duncan said it appeared many residents wanted to vote before the storm.

She said she expects turnout to be heavy on Sunday as well; early voting sites in the state will be open from noon to 6. p.m.

Paul Stenbjorn, a D.C. Board of Elections official, said he too believed some residents decided to vote in advance of the approaching storm.

[bort]

There are 6 “questions” on the ballot (more like an encyclopedia). These 6 questions are lengthy ballot statewide ballot initiatives, including gay marriage, in-state tuition for illegals, and expanded gambling. In 2010, Republicans were nervous b/c of a huge early voting turout by Democrats in Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties. Turned out that this early voting boost was caused by the public sector unions coming out to vote for slot machines (cops, firefighters, teachers). In addition to the 6 questions, there are 7—yes 7!!—local ballot inititiaves on the Prince George’s County ballot. If you did not read the ballot before voting, it would take you 15 minutes to vote. Finally, the hurrican is approaching, so this has upped the early turnout. In sum, don’t get worried about Prince George’s County, Md. turnout.

[Jane Long]

Were 0phones, or other gov’t cheese, being handed out?

[tellw]

the lines of voters looked very SEIU in silver spring md where I live. I have such a low opinion of my fellow electorate I always vote absentee so I don’t have to see them in line. Just depressing.

[JustSurrounded]

spurred on by President’s Obama plea to vote early

Wrong, wrong, wrong. We wanted to make sure we got to vote before Sandy knocks out the power for a week or two. It was on my list of to-do’s for storm prep.

As it's been termed before, this is a ‘crawl-over-glass-to-vote’ election. We were about 125th in line when our polling place opened at 10 a.m. It took us about an hour and a half.

I added to Romney's popular vote count, did my best to get a conservative senator in to replace Cardin, and voted against a number of things like in-state tuition for illegals and gay marriage.

[JustSurrounded]

You're right ... very depressing. One year when I voted in Montgomery county, I got an "I voted" sticker that was first in Spanish, then in smaller letters in English. Sheesh. I'm in Anne Arundel now ... and can maintain a bit more of a happy delusion here.

I voted absentee in 1992 and found out that in Maryland, absentee ballots aren't counted unless it is so close that they're needed. This so angers me that my vote isn't automatically counted in Maryland. They're going to have to stop that if the throw-your-electoral-votes-in-with-the-popular-winner legislation kicks in. How can a popular vote winner be determined if the states don't count the darn votes? (Boy would I like to see that bit of legislation overturned.)

We were complaining to a Bongino worker outside the polls. She's worked elections before. She says if they go to the absentee ballots, she wants to be there because you wouldn't believe the shenanigans they pull counting absentee ballots.

This makes me think I have to get involved as an election worker next time around.

[duffee]

Does the line go in one door and aroud the building and back through the first door?

[duffee]

In Mississippi we don’t have early voting, we do have absentee voting for those in the military, students, those who will be out of town for any reason and those over 65. There are other reasons but I’m over 65 and can’t remember.

We use the same ballot that is used at the polling place, we sign across the envelope flap and then a paper is attached that identifies the precient and they are sent to the proper polling place in a locked box. At the end of the day they record the number of ballots cast and then open the envelopes and the absentee ballots are recorded. At each polling place there may be many “booths “ to mark your ballot but only one machine that records and tabulates the vote and all the paper ballots go into them. Ours is a quick and efficient way to vote and I believe ACCURATE and WE HAVE THE ACTUAL BALLOT THAT WAS CAST. If any problems occur we at least have something better than anumber that can’t be verified that was spit out of a computer, We have the actual ballots. The same absentee process is used statewide but few counties have the machines we have. I live in DeSoto County Mississippi and I’m proud of the job our elected officials here do.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!

[sickoflibs]

I have found the best time to vote here (Howard County) is 7pm election night an hour before the polls close. Its usually empty. The worst time is early on that morning.

[deport]

I voted absentee in 1992 and found out that in Maryland, absentee ballots aren’t counted unless it is so close that they’re needed. This so angers me that my vote isn’t automatically counted in Maryland.

---

From the following:

http://www.elections.state.md.us/press_room/rumor_control.html

snip

Absentee Voting

Rumor: Absentee and provisional ballots are not counted unless there is a close contest.

Fact: In Maryland, all qualified absentee and provisional ballots are counted, regardless of whether doing so will change the outcome of a close contest.

end snip

[tanknetter]

My understanding of how polling works is that with early voting some who says they’ve already voted will automatically pass the likely voter screen.

This could potentially drive a bump in Obamas numbers starting in the next day or two, right?

[FUBO]

We waited about 2 hrs yesterday to vote in Montgomery County. Chose to vote early as we may be gone on election day due to family illness.

The worst part was having to stand in line with so many moronic liberals.

This may come as a shock to some, but there are some conservatives living in blue states. And while my vote for Romney won’t matter Electoral College-wise, the numbers will help the popular vote numbers. I know the popular vote doesn’t matter, but the numbers are reported.

Plus I had to vote against gay marriage and the “dream act”.

[trebb]

D.C. and Maryland? Looks like the freeloaders are getting worried about losing their freebies and handouts. “I’m guessing they have some kind of big kinks they have to work out inside there,” said Brent Elrod, 51, who left without casting his ballot. “It seems unfortunate there are so few machines.”

Or perhaps the more conservative folks taking action in case Sandy messes things up - more likely considering the comment from the guy they talked to - sounded to sane and rational to be a typical Dim.