Several early voting bills are pending in the SC Legislature, some seek to regulate and expand the right to vote early. Others are an attempt to gut the right to vote early. One bill limits early voting to three days, while greatly restricting absentee voting at the same time. Here are two of the nine bills pending, with links to their text as found on the Legislative Information sytem.
Senate Version of Democratic Early Voting Bill which makes early voting easier
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/369.htm
Republican House Bill which would greatly restrict early and absentee voting in South Carolina
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/3633.htm
This bill is difficult to understand since it outreferences other sections, but it limits early voting to three days before each election. It appears to greatly restrict who can vote by absentee ballot and make that process harder. The net result of this would be to greatly limit early and absentee. It appears that people working on election day, people over 65 and the disabled would have their right to vote absentee eliminated.
The way this bill is written indicates careful checking of referenced statutes is needed to be sure what it really means.
Sometimes a picture speaks louder than beautiful words written in a blog. I think this photo says it all. The image on my iphone, held above my head, was taken right after I cast my vote for Obama in Houston, Texas.
DENVER—The drumbeat to vote early is paying dividends for Barack Obama, especially in key battleground states in the South and West where Democrats have cast many more ballots than Republicans -- and even in states where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats.
About a third of the American electorate was expected to vote before Election Day, largely to avoid long lines at the polls.
"It was so easy. I filled in my ballot with my wife over dinner and then dropped it off on the way to work," said Tony Amadeo, 27, one of almost 1.5 million people who cast early ballots in Colorado, where for the first time a majority of votes in a presidential race will be cast in advance.
More than 29 million people in 30 states have already voted, according to partial state and county data provided to The Associated Press, and that number was projected to rise to 44 million out of 137 million total votes nationally, according to estimates by Edison Media Research and George Mason University political scientist Michael McDonald.
All sources are saying there is going to be a historically humungous turnout on Tuesday. But more than a million people in Ohio have gotten the job done already by voting early. (Now they can devote their time on Election Day to getting out the vote!)
(Above cartoon is from the Kenyon Collegian)
Here are some stories from a few excited early voters:
Robyn from Fairborn: The highlight of this experience was seeing all of the young people who showed up to vote. I'm only 30 years old, however, I rarely see young people voting when I arrive at the polls. This has certainly been a moving experience. Kollin from Columbus: I was very encouraged to see tons of enthusiastic Barack Obama supporters out in front of the veterans building where I voted. I brought my brother along and made him vote as well. Because I was so impressed with how easy it was to vote, I made calls to all my family and friends to go out and vote as well, I even figured out early vote locations and got them directions to these locations. I'm excited about our chances here in Ohio. Jared in South Zanesville: I was so proud to be able to walk in and cast my vote for Senators Obama & Biden (along with a host of other Democrats in state and local offices). I am too young to have taken part in the civil rights movement of the 1960s, but I could not help but think I was doing something important to advance civil rights, end poverty, improve health care, expand civil liberties and make America economically strong again. I actually sat there for a moment after filling out my ballot just to be present in the moment. I then went to the local Obama headquarters and made phone calls to undecided voters for 3 hours!!!!!!
Make the pledge to vote early. Or just find your early vote location using the tool below:
Hungry for change? Why wait?
"Pole" for Obama to Get Voters to Polls
On Saturday November 1, for a final push to get out the vote I decided to use an empty flag pole at Lakeland Farmer's and Flea Market in Lakeland Florida to encourage shoppers to vote early.
Some of the photos in the links below demontstrate how I temporarily transformed the empty pole in a high visibility location at the market to an early vote pole - to remind folks to vote after they left the market.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/africreations/2994175232
SlideShow: http://www.flickr.com/photos/africreations/show
The election is only a few days away! Please do whatever you can to get out the vote and/or make a donation to help raise funds for Obama for America.
Delores
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/Afri
http://my.barackobama.com/page/group/BlackDesignersCraftersandArtistsforObama
I cast my election ballot six days ago. But I just donated again to the campaign -- one more time, to tell them that I want my voice heard through my selected spokesman, Barack Obama.
Here's the note I sent along with my donation:
Happy to say I voted for Barack and Joe on October 22! Despite the damage done by Hurricane Ike to our city's infrastructure, early voting was quick and easy at the Galveston Courthouse.
Here's a musical video you'll enjoy...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh9BmNuqeiQ
I became a U.S. Citizen this year to vote in the general election. That was my primary motivation. I am excited to let everyone know that not only I became the U.S. citizen and registered to vote on the same day, but importantly I also voted early for the first time ever.
I was inspired by the CALL FOR CHANGE, and wanted to VOTE FOR CHANGE!!
I will be watching the elections closely on November 4.
GO OUT AND VOTE!!
Today is the last day of early voting here in Reno. Our effort today was mainly to find folks that hadn't yet voted early and try to get them to head out before the deadline.
Thousands of people have voted early here in Washoe County. The Reno Gazette-Journal is reporting that, "As of Wednesday night, 78,403 voters had cast ballots in Washoe County — including 35,051 Democrats and 26,913 Republicans."
I'd like to think that we had some effect on those numbers over the past week. There is actually evidence that canvassing does get people to the polls. I've seen the numbers from Sparks and they're very encouraging. Particularly when we're calling on empty houses -- or worse yet, the ones where people are home but don't answer (I can see you! Just answer the door!).
Just to tip people off, My fiancee and I voted early today and the address for the early polling place was wrong on the Obama website. The website and google map said 108 Milan Avenue for the Board of Elections office, when it is actually in the Huron County government building on 180 Milan Avenue - Norwalk, OH.
And by the way, I went on my lunch break and waited over an hour to vote. Although people are not supposed to talk about the candidates and issues, there were alot of people who kept saying one codeword: "Change".
The early voting initiative seems to be paying off. It seemed that people CAN'T WAIT to vote for Obama - Biden.
I'm excited and I hope we win Ohio.
Jeff
http://www.ercpinellas.org/newsblog.htm?blogentryid=4174770
Watch Video at YouTube
Concern in Pinellas County about early voting sites
Video
Reported by: Keith Baker Email: kbaker@abcactionnews.com
Voters wait in line at a Largo early voting location
PINELLAS COUNTY, FL -- Some voters in Pinellas County are concerned about the number of locations for early voting with only three sites. As a result of the robust turnout, voters are upset, saying they feel their right to vote early is being suppressed.
More than 600,000 are registered to vote in Pinellas County, with many voters opting to vote early creating lines in some cases.
One voter says a woman in a wheelchair couldn't wait for the hour it was taking to move through so she left the line and was joined by two others.
A Democratic National Committee leader is calling for a Grand Jury to investigate Pinellas and Manatee Counties to find out why so few voting locations were assigned for early voting.
The Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections said she didn't feel there was any merit to the need for an investigation and is confident that the current early voting program is in the best interest of Pinellas County.
Manatee County has one early voting location. The other counties with the number of designated early voting locations in the Tampa Bay Region are:
Hillsborough 13
Sarasota 7
Pasco 7
Polk 6
As you all know, it is Nevada Day tomorrow. Many folks in the Reno area will have the day off. In addition to it being Nevada Day (and oh yeah, Halloween) it's also the last day to early vote in NV.
Tomorrow is our last opportunity to connect with voters to get them to vote early. We didn't contact many people today. We had an area in West Reno that was very spread out. Our contact rate was low and the people we did talk to weren't supporting Obama or wouldn't tell us who they voted for.
I have to tell you, today I voted for Barack, and I cried. After I wrote this, I remembered that there was a wonderful video during the primaries, and I really did not feel the intensity of it until I voted in the general...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBVKsartJFs At the U of A Student Union, I was just a few blocks from where I was when I heard that Dr. King was assasinated, and less then that far away from where I was when I heard that Bobby Kennedy was assasinated. The lifelong friend I was with on both of those days (and actually on the day we got the news about JFK), has since died of breast cancer. We had our children, passed middle age, and I wish she, and my Nana, who took me to my first civil rights march in Oakland, could be here now, and go with me to the polls. There, at the Union, I was right on the Mall where I helped plant 444 crosses for Arizonans killed the Viet Nam war, including several classmates. While walking back to work, I passed a corner where two ROTC students in uniform had tried to take a box of black armbands from me, that I was taking to my department faculty for that Viet Nam moritorium day observance. One of our linebackers, "Bad Brad" who was in my English class, appeared suddenly, put his massive hand on my shoulder, and asked "Do you have a problem with my little friend here?' Brad was as tall as a tree, well over 300 pounds, and very black. Needless to say, these two little bullies scurried back into whatever rat-hole they had crawled out of to shove me up against the wall. I moved back here in 2000. I work for right on the UofA campus. I am so blessed to be able to vote for Barack in a place where I was such an young college student activist, and to walk by these places that are connected to that past. I know Barack is not the perfect progressive candidate, but I believe that he can bring us together, and heal many of the ancient wounds. The odd thing is, that McCain missed all of these years of the American Experience. I had friends and family members on the ground and at risk during the entire Viet Nam war, and prayed for there safe return every day. But two, two-year, tours were the max. John was in the hell-whole when Dr. King and Bobby were assasinated. He missed, through no fault of his own, the terrible shootings at Kent State, the Democratic Convention Riots, watergate and the impeachment hearings - he has failed to connect, and possibly this has a lot to do with it... I also realized, when he seemed so unpreturbed by the horrible crowd behavior at the Palin rallys that he missed the horrible Wallace campaign, and all of the ugliness of those years. He just doesn't get it, because he missed the experience. Anyhow, I started this to tell you how I cried. I have been off-line since just after the primaries, unless I go by a café, or stay late at work...and I can't deal with the negativity of the dem HQ crowds here, as I am more like my candidate in terms of knowing that inclusion and reaching out are only harder after all this division has become entrenched. I hope all the wonderful bloggers that I spent most of last winter, spring, and summer with are well, and I appreciate all you have done. I would like to see a landslide! Every few decades, it seems as though we check into recovery with a democratic slate, and everything gets balanced back, we DO redistribute and life gets better... Presidents FDR, Kennedy, Clinton...and then we always go back to the republican addiction to power and greed, until we get so sick, and have to go back to rehab again.... Having watched this silly cycle for more than half a century I pray that we can cross back to being a great nation again, and finally kick the colonial attitude, and all this false pride that just gets us in trouble. Just to rekindle the hope, and keep us all energized over the next few days, one of my favorite campaign videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBk32JsV9l8
Barack, YES WE CAN! And we all need to, and will take up our part in rebuilding this great nation...
Early voting has long been a Republican strength, with older white voters locking in their votes for Bush by a wide margin of 60% to 40% for the Democrats. With predictions of a historic number voters casting their ballot in 2008, many voters are trying to avoid potential long lines next Tuesday (November 4th) by voting early. This motivation is supported by surveys which estimate about 30% of all voters will cast their vote before Election Day (did I mention that is November 4th?), a much higher percent than in 2004 when 22% voted early.
The Obama campaign has encouraged absentee and early voting for all his supporters (I did!) who can use this option. In this election year, it is the Democrats who opting to seal the deal in record numbers with estimates of 16 million casting their vote thus far, and this number could grow to over 40 million early voters before next Tuesday.
All Obama supporters who are able should vote early so you are available to support your local campaign office all day Tuesday.
NT Times - Early Voting a Success: In the more than 30 states that allow early or no-excuse absentee voting, voters have been casting ballots in record numbers. Early voting has many advantages. The main one is that it makes it likely that more eligible voters will participate in democracy.
NT Times - The Decided Go in Droves to Vote Early: In 2004, 22 percent of voters cast an early presidential ballot, and the number is expected to climb to 30 percent to 35 percent this year. “We have predicted a third of the electorate; I expect that we will meet that,” said James Hicks, research director at the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland, Ore.
Washington Post - Early Voting Breaking Records:
"The aggregate number was shocking," said Michael McDonald, an associate professor at George Mason University who compiles early-voting statistics, who added that his running total of early voters now tops 16.5 million. "Looking at them, they're defying all the trends we've seen in early voting."Paul Gronke, director of the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland, Ore., said that "typically early voters have been older, whiter, higher-income, better educated. This year, they've been younger, African American and more Democratic." "It's hard," he said, "to spin these numbers in any way that looks favorable to the GOP."
"The aggregate number was shocking," said Michael McDonald, an associate professor at George Mason University who compiles early-voting statistics, who added that his running total of early voters now tops 16.5 million. "Looking at them, they're defying all the trends we've seen in early voting."
Paul Gronke, director of the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland, Ore., said that "typically early voters have been older, whiter, higher-income, better educated. This year, they've been younger, African American and more Democratic." "It's hard," he said, "to spin these numbers in any way that looks favorable to the GOP."
FYI... Director Steven Spielberg and his pals made a video encouraging you to (not) vote:http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/10/5-more-friends.html
... Harrison Ford, aka Jack Ryan, says get off your ass and vote!!!
"...We need your service, right now, in this moment - our moment - in history. I'm not going to tell you what your role should be; that's for you to discover. But I am going to ask you to play your part; ask you to stand up; ask you to put your foot firmly into the current of history. I am asking you to change history's course. And if I have the fortune to be your President, decades from now - when the memory of this or that policy has faded, and when the words that we will speak in the next few years are long forgotten - I hope you remember this as a moment when your own story and the American story came together, and history bent once more in the direction of justice..." Senator Barack Obama "A Call to Serve" Iowa 12/07Change can only happen when we make it so. During this last week we hope to give you inspiration, a place to share, and ideas to make your mark on history.
********We issued a challenge last week- to make it to 115,000 calls as a group. We knew it would require a commitment and wondered if that was too much to ask. And as of this Monday morning - Moms we made 6161 calls in one week bringing us to.... 115,369!!! When did anyone think that talking on the phone would payoff ;) ?? But why stop now? So lets commit to making it to 118,000 by the end of Wednesday night! I am committing to 25 tonight after the kids are in bed.Need some tips? They have everything you need online. *******9 ways to make a difference in 9 days1. Donate2. Call3. Knock on doors (even if with little ones!. see From the Roots below)4. Travel to another state to help5. Wear your OBAMA gear6. Watch someone's kids while they voteAt a local office:7. Volunteer 8. Give (PAPER and FOOD!)9. And join a moms for obama rally near you on Saturday! List of locations: http://www.obama-mamas.com/rally.html AND http://www.obama-mamas.com/blog/?p=93
*****Did you know?Remember the 9 year old we told you about in Georgia that is going as a Ballot Box for Halloween? This kid does have an ear to the ground after all. GEORGIA, according to a recent poll, is a Toss Up! So if you live there (vote early!!!) or near please consider helping out. You can read an article about it here- http://www.ajc.com/services/content/news/stories/2008/10/25/gapres.html
Clear your schedule for a half hour on Wednesday evening at 8 ET (not sure about other time zones). Our campaign will be on TV...CBS and NBC and Fox! We have no clue what they are doing with the time but maybe they will model it after Hillary's townhall meeting on the Hallmark Channel?*******From the Roots*Jenny in Ohio responded to our last email with this: Along the Halloween theme. Two other moms and I hosted a pumpkin carving for Obama...entitled Carve a pumpkin, change our country. We invited friends and neighbors, had a fabulous time and raised, through small donations, over $1400.00! Even the ordinary can be extraordinary when we put our minds to it. *Kids and Canvassing CAN go together. From member Anne -http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/public/xqfMHXK
Got a little one at home? Please canvass together in the remaining days. It can seem weird to ponder going door-to-door with a little one, but it can be REALLY effective. The following sums up the great experience I had this evening in my home state - the battleground of Virginia. The campaign is focusing on the 5-7 pm time slot in many areas - so I decided Sunday at 5pm was it.I took my 1 year old son with me to a canvassing event - just the two of us. I said I wanted to go out with another volunteer (it's more fun and safer in pairs). The person I got paired up with had been canvassing four times already. After knocking on twenty doors - with a whopping 14 or so answered, the other volunteer said that people were far more friendly and open due to seeing a little one than any of his other volunteer experiences. A few even asked if we'd bring my son back to trick-or-treat! It didn't hurt that I made sure he was visible. He was in my backpack carrier, just the right height to peer into those tall thin windows that often flank a front door and, well, be seen. We joked about how people think when their doorbell rings. One person = "selling something." Two people might = "selling religion." An older kid = "selling something for school." But a mom and child, or two parents and strollers? Well, it just disarms people, so they open the door wondering what to expect. And that's a great thing when your on the campaign trail.Having my son with me was a real plus. And he enjoyed seeing people and their Halloween decorations on a beautiful, crisp fall evening. I just showed up at the closest campaign office and they sent me to a private home "staging location" a few minutes away and not all that far from home.Juggle young kids & campaign? YES WE CAN!
*Reach out to people about early voting the EASY way.On the headquarters blog - http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog , last night two community members shared ideas on how to get the word out on EARLY Voting.We love this one from fellow Mom Dkbella - http://my.barackobama.com/page/dashboard/view/public/g4ycS I went online and found all the early vote info for the county where my office is as well as for all the counties in the metro area (Atlanta). I listed the locations/dates and also put links to each counties' elections website. I sent this info in an email to our HR guy and suggested that he send it out office-wide--to help our employees (over 500) and the company--by not having EVERYONE out on the 4th, and by saving folks time from standing in line less hours by early voting than waiting until the 4th. He sent it out with an intro about "Due to the overwhelming interest in this year's election . . ." !!! I was so proud!!! Obamakim - I Voted Early shared: When I was at the campaign office today I asked if it would be OK if I went off of regular canvassing and put an info sheet on our early voting here in Franklin County (Columbus, OH) on everyone's car in the huge apartment complex near me. They said that sounded like a great idea and they gave me a flier with all of the info for me to copy!*********MoreDid you notice that we feature a song on the group profile page? (We just took down this one- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJW67YfLWgs). Some of that music came our way by a fellow Mom! You will hear more about her in a series of blogs we have for you this week called "Lost in the economy noise". The first installment is here - here
Are you counting the time until a new President takes office? We are! You can do it literally with this clock widget - http://amyloo.com/obamacount/obamawidget.htm
*****No matter who you areor where you areYou can be the ChangeMid America Momand the Moms for Obama
submitted by keepitmovin411@wordpress.com
The early voting process is going strong; yet, not without its challenges. This post contains a concise overview of where and how you can early vote. Just click on the links provided below for state-by-state voting information from each of the 31-states participating in this early election process.
Find out ... how you vote; where you vote; ID requirements; in some cases what to wear; ballot issues; other democratic candidates who need your vote; as well as direct state contacts for VOTING CHALLENGES you may experience.
EARLY VOTING vs. Mail-In ABSENTEE VOTING All states offer voters the option of voting prior to the election. In some states, the ballots are returned by mail. This is referred to as absentee voting.
Other states permit voters to vote in person at the offices of county clerks or at other satellite voting locations. This is referred to as early voting OR in-person absentee voting.
EARLY VOTING/In-Person ABSENTEE VOTING Early voting differs from absentee voting in that voters may visit an election official's office or, in some states, other satellite voting locations, and cast a vote in person without offering an excuse for not being able to vote on Election Day. Satellite voting locations vary by state, and may include other county and state offices (besides the election official's office), grocery stores, shopping malls, schools, libraries, and other locations.
Early voting generally is conducted on the same voting equipment used in the regular election, as opposed to absentee voting, which is conducted on mail-in paper ballots.
Early voting varies from state to state, and generally ends on the Friday or Saturday immediately preceding the election.
The following (31) states permit in-person early voting/in-person absentee voting.
Alaska Indiana North Dakota Arizona Iowa Ohio Arkansas Kansas Oklahoma California Lousiana South Dakota Colorado Maine Tennessee Florida Montana Texas Georgia Nebraska Utah Hawaii Nevada Vermont Idaho New Mexico West Virginia Illinois North Carolina Wisconsin and ... Wyoming
All other states permit day of election voting on NOVEMBER 4, 2008 or ... Accept mail-in absentee ballots!
For additional information, visit a KiM411 information source website: National Congress of State Legislatures
NOW, get up offa that thang ... VOTE and you'll feel better! Share this message ... Keep it Movin'!
You Got Next!
♥KiM … brown
KiM’s suggested listening music for this message: Get Up Off-a That Thang - James Brown
A good article by the Washington Independent concerning Republican claims, and attempts to suppress American voter rights. Of course being a minority party, voter suppression is a pillar of Republican campaigning.
http://washingtonindependent.com/15217/voter-fraud
Two months ago I put an Obama sign in my yard. Many of my previously friendly neighbors became not so friendly.
It first started with two other neighbors putting up multiple McCain signs which is fine of course it is their right. One of these neighbors initially faced her signs at my front door rather than the street. Odd, but whatever, right?
Other neighbors were more subtle. Not waving back as they used to, dirty looks, you get the idea.
Then the emails started. The one neighbor with the signs facing my house started emailing me all the bogus lies about Obama as if fact and told me to listen to Glen Beck among other things. At first I would research each comment and send her the link that debunked her comments. The emails kept coming so I started to just address the non-political topics brought up.
The emails stopped for a short while and then today I got an email about Ashley Todd and other issues. The email was quite long and to be honest I didn't read it all. I emailed a link showing Todd had confessed to making it all up and expressed my hope she get the help she needs. That was just a few minutes ago.
Last Sunday I woke to find my Obama yard sign gone and another damaged. My fiance and I promptly donated $200 to the campaign and made a new sign saying, "someone stole our Obama sign so we donated $200 to the campaign. Obama for President." I doubt this neighbor did it. In fact another neighbor told me he saw the theft late Saturday night by someone in a black Jeep Liberty. I made a police report and called back today to give them the additional info but they haven't called back. Frankly I'm supprised the sign lasted as long as it did in this bloody red state (KS). In '92 my Clinton sign, the only other sign I have ever planted in my yard, lasted only three days.
Today we advance voted and the place was hopping! Now I park my vehicles in the garage. I will probably remove my Obama sticker on election day. It could get ugly around here.
Because of my support of Obama I have lost two 'friends' (and some squirrelly neighbors) but met two new wonderful friends. I'd say it was a good trade!
Namaste.
I requested an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk. She required a written request which included my name, address and signature. It arrived in plenty of time.
Following the directions on the inner envelope, I used a #2 pencil (not really crazy about pencil) and made my mark next to the Obama/Biden line. After completing the rest (in my Ward there weren't many decisions to make), I sealed the envelope and asked my husband to witness my vote (he did not see my selections).
I dropped my ballot off at the Town Clerk's office this morning. It can also be mailed, it came with postage on it. There was only one person in the voting room. I didn't have to go into the voting room since my ballot was already completed. They stamped the envelope (probably date and time stamp), and I was on my way. Took about 5 minutes from parking my car to leaving the lot.
If you don't have an absentee ballot, the procedure is almost as easy. In my Town, the Town Hall is open from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. You can walk right in, get your absentee ballot, and vote immediately.
How easy is THAT? No waiting in line 4 hours on a work day. Call your local municipality to see how it's done in your voting place. http://www.wisconsin.gov/state/core/wisconsin_cities_towns_and_villages.html
