• superkret@feddit.org
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    2 months ago

    How the fuck does the US manage to make people stand in line for early voting?

    In every civilized country, you can show up on election day (when basically everyone has a free day cause it’s Sunday), you vote with maybe 3-4 people in line before you, and you’re done after 10 minutes.

    • cultsuperstar@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      This is what happens in some Republican controlled states when they limit the times and places and how people can vote. Trump said a few years ago that if minorities vote, Republicans will never win another election. So Republican controlled states started getting rid of polling stations and changing voting times to standard working hours, etc, knowing that people wouldn’t be able to take time off from work to stand in the now longer lines (due to fewer polling stations) or would want to stand in longer lines.

      Plus, election day is not a national holiday like it is in most other countries, so people don’t get the day off to vote. Though some companies give 3 or 4 hours paid time off strictly for voting.

    • uienia@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It is working as designed, since it is meant to discourage people from voting. The less voter participation the better results for Republicans.

      • Jumpingspiderman@reddthat.com
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        2 months ago

        The people’s will gets in the way of the will of the Oligarchs, religious leaders, and Plutocrats. Hence the effort to make it hard to vote.

    • 【J】【u】【s】【t】【Z】@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Man you see how it happens. You see these Republicans out there trying to fuck everything when it comes to making it easy to vote. In some places you dip your finger in a jar of ink after you cast your vote, that’s how they make sure nobody was twice on election day. In some places, I assume it’s all computerized and still accurate. That, and Nobody wants to run for office and get death threats from their neighbors, the most absolute gullible dumbasses in town. Every person in my neighborhood with a Trump sign have no idea how anything works except their own one particular job, and how to get scared at anything else.

    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I like what california did last election: everyone got an absentee ballot. That way I could fill it out at home and drop it off at my polling location at my leisure. There was a line, but I got to walk past it.

    • Entropywins@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      In the state of Oregon, I just get mailed a ballot and can either mail it back or drop it off…last year, I did a drive-through ballot drop off at the state capital.

    • jubilationtcornpone@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      There are usually way more polling locations open on election day than during early voting. They set up polling at churches, schools, and community centers all over.

      During early voting I have to go to the courthouse which is in the next town over. There aren’t any polling places in my city.

    • Jyek@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      Every election I’ve ever voted in has had at least a 20 minute wait. I’ve mostly lived in medium to high density population centers my whole life. I’ve voted on voting day, I voted by absentee and there was a line for the drop box during COVID, I just did my early voting as a first time Texas voter and there was a 45 minute line to use the voting machines, not even a pen and paper ballot. I’ve never not seen a line at the polls. It’s always been strange to me thinking about the number of folks who DON’T vote vs how many people I personally witness voting every season. But then again, many people don’t like standing out in a heat wave while it’s raining so I guess it makes sense that a lot of them don’t go.

    • Zement@feddit.nl
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      2 months ago

      Same. It’s like a short stop on a Sunday walk… Because we ALWAYS VOTE ON SUNDAY!

    • Buffalobuffalo@reddthat.com
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      2 months ago

      I dont know I live in America, longest it has ever taken me to vote on Election Day is 20 minutes, yet people are still waiting in long lines to early vote this year. Typically few people early vote so there are fewer early voting places. But that is not the case this year, so we have giant early vote lines. I am not sure why my neighbors are waiting in long lines to early vote when it will take 10 times as long as in Election Day.

      • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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        2 months ago

        One of the things conservatives are doing is to limit the number of polling stations per X square miles. This is done in the name of fairness and spending, but it disproportionately impacts urban voters more than rural, and thus impacts areas of more progressive voters.

        I’d guess this is a larger population center of Oklahoma.

        • Buffalobuffalo@reddthat.com
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          2 months ago

          I could have been more clear I guess. I was not trying to question why other people early vote, only why people around me do.

  • 𝕾𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖞 𝕿𝖚𝖓𝖆@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    Hello, fellow Okie.

    I know how this state is going to vote. It’s been a given every year for nearly six decades. But I’m still gonna vote, as I have in every election since I turned 18. Change doesn’t happen if those who want it get discouraged and sit their asses at home.

    What has really inspired me this year is the overwhelming majority of Harris-Walz signs in my neighborhood. I stopped counting, but I reckon there are at least thirty of them. I’ve seen a grand total of five Trump-Vance signs, and three of them are at the same house.

    Also, you get much rain last night? It was so good to finally hear thunder again. I had six tenths in my rain gauge this morning!

    Update: I stood in line for an hour and a half and cast my ballot. Next time around, I’ll remember to request my mail-in ballot on time lol

    • Crozekiel@lemmy.zip
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      2 months ago

      I’d be very happy just to see Oklahoma actually wait until the polls close to declare the republican presidential win…

      I swear every year, they decide it so early I am convinced the electors don’t even care what the vote counts are. There is no fucking way backwards as fuck Oklahoma figured out a way to accurately track and count votes faster than any other state - and voter turnout would need to be so high they know it can’t possibly turn around in the last 2 hours of the polls still being open? Yea right.

    • kyle@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      Wow another Okie!

      Crazy storms in the Tulsa area for us btw. And probably why I also see Harris Walz signs. We’re about to get a Democrat for a mayor!

  • ZealousSealion@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 months ago

    It’s weird seeing queues for voting.

    When I vote, I walk to my local voting place, chat with people I know, vote, chat a bit more, then walk home. Perhaps half an hour, if I’m feeling chatty.

    • neuracnu@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      2 months ago

      This is what voter suppression looks like.

      I grew up in Missouri before moving to Washington state. When I reached voting age, it was (and still is) ridiculously common to see polling places in rural and suburban areas with no waiting to vote. Meanwhile, in the cities (which happen to vote more democratic), you’ll see loooong lines extending outside. When voting facilities and staff are not proportionally distributed to accommodate voter density, you get shit like this; voters in different districts receiving different treatment. And people who live there never know any better to ask for something different.

      This all blew my mind after living first in a suburban area, then an urban one, and now living in a state that has done voting my mail for decades. I love voting by mail. It’s unconcionable to me at this point for people to stand for in-person voting anymore.

    • Ultraviolet@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      It’s probably a blue area in a red state. They intentionally open fewer polling places there as a voter suppression tactic, hoping people will see the line and figure their vote doesn’t have enough weight to justify the time.

      • OmnislashIsACloudApp@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        exactly this. I’ve moved around a bit and the only places I’ve had to wait any significant amount of time have been near cities in red states.

        really wish we just had universal vote by mail

    • NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
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      2 months ago

      I came here to say the same thing. Like I’ve waited behind a few people before in Cananda but a line going out the door and down the street is insane

    • CluelessLemmyng@lemmy.sdf.org
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      2 months ago

      Where I live, we had early voting for a whole month now. We went during the second week - 0 minute wait. It took longer to walk into the building and follow the signs than it was to get my ballot, vote, and walk out.

    • copd@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I just mail my vote, mail comes in fill in form and mail goes out.

      It takes 5mins out of my day tops

      • Semi-Hemi-Lemmygod@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I also vote by mail and it usually takes me longer in non-presidential years because there’s more offices to vote for and zero local campaigning. So I have to creep on people on social media to know if I’m comfortable with them having the powers of prothonotary.

        • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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          2 months ago

          That’s so much “fun” with all those tiny local offices. “Okay who is this person?”

          Zero public web presence about them at all.

          It’d be nice if there was something like Ballotpedia but public owned. “You want to run for an office? You need to fill out this profile.”

          I imagine lots of people are just like “Eh, this name sounds pretty.” Lol

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          zero local campaigning

          That’s usually true here as well. This year is the only time I have seen someone campaign. I know him and he’s an amazing guy, so I hope he wins, but I have just never seen local politicians willing to go out and press the flesh.

          He works for one of the local TV stations as a “one-man-band” (someone who goes out with a camera and gets the story and the interview and such themselves, but doesn’t get a reporter credit), so he knows how to talk to people, likes to talk to people, and he’s well-known in the community.

          That’s it. Him. No one else ever.

          Probably why we had the same Republican mayor for four terms.

  • style99@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Don’t worry. Either way, there will still be elections. The real question is whether we start to see candidates “accidentally” falling out of windows or drinking poisoned tea, etc.

    • gibmiser@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Well they better be careful how far they push it, or else the super PAC leaders, the thinktanks, and the 1% are going to start dieing in interesting ways.

    • ninjabard@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Same. In my conservative and low income county it took me longer to drive to and from the location than it did to actually vote.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              2 months ago

              Did you even look at the post? Does that look like a “big cybercafe” to you?

              Libraries are the only place in this country where everything is free and you can stay as long as you want with no one giving you any shit for it as long as you follow some basic rules.

              Go look at my post and then come back here and tell me about how things like a free shower and washer/dryer for homeless people, a commercial level kitchen for anyone to use and a tool library where you can take home power tools you need are a bad thing that shouldn’t exist.

              • DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social
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                2 months ago

                No, because Jerboa can’t find the post.

                And no, that’s not a library. That’s a community center.

                That those have been eradicated is a separate issue from libraries being eliminated as places for readers.

                • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                  2 months ago

                  What the fuck are you talking about? It’s literally a library.

                  Do you have a degree in library science or are you just talking out your ass because you don’t actually know what a public library is and think it’s just a place where you get books even though that’s never been true?

                  Because I’m guessing it’s the latter, but feel free to tell me where you got your degree from.

  • PetteriPano@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    I’ve never stood in like for early voting in the EU. I’ve done it at my supermarket while getting groceries.

    Grab a ballot and envelope, enter booth, do the thing, walk to desk, flash id, get crossed off list, watch volunteer put your envelope in another envelope and drop it in the ballot box.

    In-and-out, three minutes.

    Come to think of it, voting on election day has always been just as smooth. I just have to go to the library or some school, so it’s not as convenient.

    • vxx@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I never had to wait for longer than 5 minutes to vote and I never voted early. Mostly because it takes 10 minutes of my time on voting day, which is always a Sunday.

      Polling places can’t be further away than 1,5km I believe, so wherever you live, it will be close enough to just walk there.

      I have voted in schools, kindergardens, a community center and a church.

  • zephorah@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    The press has already walked back at the threat of Trump, so the autocracy has already begun. It’s happening, pre election.

    • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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      2 months ago

      “Walked back at the threat of trump”, can you explain what you mean by this a little more? Sorry I’m just not sure what it means.

      • 31337@sh.itjust.works
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        2 months ago

        He’s probably talking about the media capitalulating to the Trump campaign by agreeing not to fact check during the Vance/Walz debate. And most recently, the WSJ blocking the Harris endorsement. I.e. a lot of the very rich and powerful people seem to be acting like an authoritarian Trump administration is inevitable, and they’re trying to avoid his wrath or position themselves to be favored oligarchs.

  • DarkCloud@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    It will be the last election in this version of America. The problem is that Trump may legitimately win this election. Voters, a majority, may he causing this.

    What then? What if it is the last election in this version of America, and Trump wins legitimately? What does the left do if this happens? How much will you watch the country change? Will you be strong enough in your convictions to resist passification? Mental, and or physical passification, and/or political deactivation?

    There will be forces at play trying to make you forget. Move on. Adopt the new normal. Go with it, just for now - because it’s not that bad for you. Will you be strong enough to resist that urging?

    What will the future hold under Trump? Who knows. But I do know, this is a terrifying comment to have to write.

    • Fredselfish@lemmy.worldOP
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      2 months ago

      I will stock up ammo and be prepared, but I want just sit back and watch it happen. I will fight. I have LGBTQ kids no fucking way will I sit back and let Trumps world become the norm.

      To be honest if Trump wins its really going be JD Vance as president. They will remove Trump and Vance will in act Project 2025 on day 1.

      I.do hope with the huge turn out that this filps and Harris wins. There was a lot of women in line to vote. I hope a lot of them are secretly voting against their mega husband wishes.

      • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
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        2 months ago

        A gentle reminder that the Socialist Rifle Association is a thing! No personal experience with them, but I like that they’re an underdog foil to your typical “American gun culture” stereotypes.

        I should really be more active about this. I don’t have the money to dump a ton of brass on the regular but I enjoy the freedom to do it while keeping my ideals!

        • SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net
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          2 months ago

          I vote absentee, as do most of the people I know, and after 2020, none of us are mailing our ballot back. We are taking them to the in-person voting areas and dropping them off with staff.

          In 2020, there were reports of ballots being dumped, and so far there have been reports of drop boxes set on fire and stuff… it’s hard to trust, because of republican stooges seeding chaos, and enough of a pain in the ass to fix if it gets messed up that we aren’t taking chances.

          Edit: seeing to seeding

          • Itsamelemmy@lemmy.zip
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            2 months ago

            I mailed mine. But I also got a text that the ballot was coming and another a few days after mailing saying it was accepted and counted. I imagine it would be annoying if I had to get a new ballot because some ass caught it on fire, but probably not any more so than having to vote like in the pic.

  • Steal Wool@lemm.ee
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    2 months ago

    Well, ya know what Grammy always said:
    Hope in one hand, shit in the other, and see which one fills up faster…

  • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
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    2 months ago

    Why does it look like your voting location is just a random house? Voting here happens in school buildings or things of that scale usually with at least 20+ booths in parallel.

    Or do you just have many locations?