Tuesday, November 04, 2008

It looked like record turnout, but there was no delay voting before mid-day.

A finished filled out ballot by 10:30 am, and one little red circle saying "I voted."

A full parking lot, some parking on the road, where prior elections that was not the case.

If turnout holds, evening voting might involve a line. Or others might have done as I did, voting early. While waiting to leave the polling place, there were two individuals out of a dozen or more arriving while I sat, who were first time registering voters - one accompanied by his parent.

The precautions on exit polling are reported, e.g., here.

_______UPDATE_________
If you show up before poll closing time you will vote, no matter how long a line is. At closing time election judge practice is to stand one judge at the end of any line and people arriving after that step are foreclosed from voting. That means if you are unsure of your polling place and intend to vote late, use an online resource to assure you attend the proper polling place. Strib's homepage "myVote" selection is one place where you can assure you attend the proper polling place, as well as seeing what your ballot choices will look like. Where I voted they use a marked paper ballot, and they put in extra stations, more than normal, where voters could fill out choices. Google News homepage reports early turnout showings nationwide have been heavy, as expected.