I love the ID check where I vote.

[JaneQPublic]

At my polling place here in Southern Maryland, this is how the poll workers check voter ID:

================
"Last name??

"First name?"

"Day and month of birth? -- No, you don't need to announce the year you were born!"

"Oh, an early 'Happy Birthday' to you!"

"And what's your address, hon?"

"Please check the printout to see if all your information is correct and sign it."

"Here's your ballot card, and this nice man will direct you to a voting machine."

======================

That's it. No photo ID required. No card of any sort, not even the Voter ID form I've carried in my wallet ever since I registered to vote here 20 years ago.

And I must say, all those people who volunteer to work the polls on election day deserve our heartfelt praise and gratitude. It's a long, hectic day for them, and we couldn't have elections without them!

[MineralMan]

1. Same in Minnesota, except we don't have to give

our birthdate.

[upaloopa]

2. Same here in CA because we are not afraid of the

way minorities vote. And they soon will be the majority so more power to them.

[MineralMan]

6. Yup. My old home town is about 75% Hispanic

now, up from about 40% fifty years ago.

I learned Spanish by osmosis, just by growing up there.

[Jenoch]

37. My rural small hometown in rural Minnesota

was mostly white when I was griwing up. Now, the grade school is 52% 'minorities'.

[MineralMan]

41. My neighborhood in St. Paul is

50% Hmong.

[Jenoch]

44. Did I point out that my hometown is rural? Sheesh...

There are something like 20 some different native languages spoken in the schools. For example there were 70 Karen families, they are a minority people from Burma, that moved to town. I don't know how many stayed. The reason for the influx is that the pork processing plant expanded about 20 years ago and now processes over 20,000 hogs per DAY. they operate three shifts, it is back breaking work and there were not enough people willing to do the work.

[Thor_MN]

21. Just got done with my shift as an election judge here in MN

Actually, I over stayed my shift by and hour and a half because I was having fun and wasn't watching the clock.

If one was registered and in the book it was just what's your name? Find it in the book and ask what their address was. "Nope, I don't need your Driver's License if you are in the book.

The only negative thing I saw was overhearing a woman telling a man "Don't stand so close to me." in a nasty tone. I glanced up to see what prompted the comment and met the glance of the person that had been admonished and we simultaneously rolled our eyes. Probably needless to say is that the elderly woman was white...

[Arger68]

10. I had to give my birth date today

in Freeborn County.

[Frustratedlady]

3. Most of the time I say my name and one of the workers says,

"She's OK." Usually a neighbor or one woman who has worked the polls for years and years.

I never take out any ID.

I don't know how I'd react if they challenged me. Probably faint away.

[merrily]

4. Boston starts with the address, then the name.

As soon as the poll worker finds your name on the list, the worker hands you a paper ballot. Then, you get to go fill it out. After that, you get checked out, also by address, then name. Then you push your ballot through the machine or hand it to someone who does it for you.

Love a blue state. Then again, we won't have an early voting option until 2016. Kind of slow for a blue state.

[FailureToCommunicate]

16. Early voting of a sort has been possible here by getting an absentee ballot and mailing it.

But yes, I do like just showing them my address on the page and getting a ballot handed to me.

And of course the folks we GET to vote for here in the 'lone star state' are usually pretty progressive as well.

[merrily]

53. Most people see absentee ballots and early voting as two different things.

However, at one point, absentee ballots were not all that easy to get in Boston, either.

I fought hard for three consecutive years on behalf of someone in a nursing home. He and his wife had just given up on his being able to vote because they were too exhausted by age, illness and life in general to keep fighting.

The Secretary of State's office would say one thing; the Mayor's Office something else entirely. They whipsawed me.

I don't know if I had anything to do with it, but absentee ballots in Boston are now much easier for a long term sick person to obtain.

As I said, very unusual for a blue state.

[FailureToCommunicate]

55. They don't make it very easy that's for sure.

Life is more challenging for anyone with a disability or illness, but the right to vote should not be one of those difficulties.

I forget which they said last night, but some state mails the ballot out to everyone as a matter of course.

[merrily]

56. When your addess has been a nursing home for years, demanding that you re-apply

for an absentee ballot every election AND include a doctor's letter each time is ludicrous, especially when the doctor specifies there is no hope of the situation changing. That's what was happening. The Secretary of State would tell me City Hall was wrong, but would not intervene. Just kept telling me to call the Secretary of State again if City Hall continued to refuse. No matter how many times I called to tell them that City Hall again refused me, that is the response I got.

I kept fighting because I felt so bad for the man's wife. She was exhausted from trying to live a normal life and visit him and advocate for him every day. As I say, the ballots are easier to get now. I don't know if my fight had anything to do with it. We won't even have early voting until 2016. One of the bluest states in the country, too.

That's why I have to smh when I see posters from red states complaining because Republicans cut early voting by a day or refuse to have it on weekends. I sympathize, but geez! I have not been able to vote early in my entire life and I've never lived in a red state!

[liberal from boston]

36. Martha Coakley

Merrily exactly what happened when I voted in Dorchester. I voted about 2:30 PM & a good number of voters at that time. Crossing my fingers that Martha Coakley wins. Lawrence's Rewrite nailed Charlie Baker & also Republican Candidate Foley running for Governor of Connecticut. http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/-out-of-touch-republican-rich-guy--352217667875

[ellennelle]

46. baker schmaker

did you see where he called duval patrick to set up a transition meeting for tomorrow??

the cajones!! sheez; between that stunt, and his tears of shame, i'm glad he won't win.

[liberal from boston]

48. Charlie Baker

No I did no know that Baker called Gov. Patrick to set up a meeting. Did you watch Lawrence's Rewrite about the out of touch rich Republican Guys.- What a fake--Baker now backtracking from all his lies. Sooo nervous about tonight--hope Martha Coakley wins. Baker is another Romney.

[merrily]

54. Someone said that the last Democratic Governor before Patrick was Dukakis.

I have not yet double checked that for accuracy, but it stunned me, even though I know that Massachusetts still loves it some Governors with WASP-y looks and surnames.

Thing is, the legislature can, and does, override Republican gubernatorial vetoes (sometimes Dem vetoes, too) at will. So the state does not ever suffer the full pain of a Republican Governor. No one seems to push the idea of Supreme Judicial Court appointments here as they do on the national level. And, when Kennedy passed, it should have hit home who appointed his replacement in the US Senate and the power an incumbent has. But, apparently, it didn't.

[jaysunb]

5. Exactly the same here in California, except for the birthday thing.

No fuss, no muss and very few Republicans to worry about.

[arcane1]

7. My polling place is the rec room of the building where I live

So we ALL have the same address

[monmouth4]

9. Me too. Take the elevator downstairs and turn to the right...LOL..

[Warpy]

8. Same in NM

except on the reservations where they all know each other.

In fact, the tribes were the ones who managed to educate local Republicans enough to get voter ID shot down in flames. I'm grateful to them for that.

[alarimer]

11. I was informed that Voter ID begins in 2016.

And I had to sign a form acknowledging that I'd been informed of this and that I had a photo id, although I didn't have to show it.

There was also a space to sign if you did not have a photo id. I guess they would send you info on how to get one.

I sure hope that law is thrown out, but at leas they have 2 years to get one. I just shudder to think of the chaos that's going to cause in 2016, a big election year.

[tk2kewl]

12. Name and signature.

That's it here

[PotatoChip]

39. Name only in Maine. Nothing more. (nt)

[Baitball Blogger]

13. First time that I voted in this county I handed my voter's card to a white

haired lady that had to find my name on the registry. She looks at my card and says, "What does NP stand for?" And the older lady next to her cackles, "Not Republican."

[UTUSN]

14. Congrats to you and similar posters. In my Red state with Draconian ID

There are 5 or 6 allowed/permitted photo IDs, including Weapons permits (but NOT student IDs). I choose to use my passport and have had the pleasure to say in front of HOSTILE poll watchers (vote suppressors), "I'm using my passport because I feel like I'm in a foreign country.&quot A friendly poll worker who had the Suppressor behind her a few feet said, "Now, don't get us in trouble!1"

[adirondacker]

17. "Weapons permits (but NOT student IDs)"

YIKES!

Well Done though!

I have to enter a pit of pure hell and shame up here where everyone is republican, knows your name and knows that I am the one of the 7 people that voted D. People up here have been voting against their self interest for decades and now we are getting an influx of right wing gun nutz from NYC and NJ enjoying their retirement shooting up every living thing in the woods.

[JaneQPublic]

15. Are all of you from Blue states?

I'm so glad so many had the same positive voting experience I had.

That said, the first thing that came to mind after reading your comments was that, clearly, none of these folks live in Texas or Georgia or Kansas or Mississippi...

[spanone]

18. not here in tennessee. voter i.d. law. have to prove who you are.

[KamaAina]

19. "And what's your address, hon?"

I thought "hon" was just a Bawlmer thing. Didn't know it had made it to southern Md.

[JaneQPublic]

40. Ha! Maybe she was a Bawlmer transplant. (nt)

[H. Cromwell]

20. For me, signature required. (in PA)

Tell them my name, They open large book, find my name with my signature, I sign my signature in a space opposite the sig. on record. I'm handed the electronic voter card.
Note- in this small town 4000 population, somebody on the poll crew knows me or knew my parents/grandparents.

[Liberalynn]

22. Same way in NY State

and usually someone asking me "hey are you one of Ken's daughters? I just loved Kenny!"

[catbyte]

23. We've had to show our drivers license or state ID in Grand Rapids, MI for years.

They even scan it. Creepy.

[Fred Friendlier]

24. Hear! Hear!

"And I must say, all those people who volunteer to work the polls on election day deserve our heartfelt praise and gratitude. It's a long, hectic day for them, and we couldn't have elections without them! "

I always thank the nice ladies for this, as they are part of the backbone of our American Democracy.

The funny thing is, as I was musing on the drive home after voting, for forty years they have always been twenty years older than me. At some point, we sixty year old kids need to step up and take responsibility.

[JaneQPublic]

42. "backbone of our American Democracy"

They are, indeed! Election poll workers are unsung heroes.

I was glad to see some young people added to the poll-working crew at my polling place. They were obviously raised right!

[Snarkoleptic]

25. Just voted in deep red McHenry County Illinois.

Just gave my name, signed the card to match signatures, then voted. No ID, nothing...
Several offices had only a single candidate, a Republican, so I did an undervote on all of those.

They were doing a brisk business, but around half of the number from 2012.

[Tree-Hugger]

26. In PA

Corbett has been trying for voter ID, but failed.

They just ask for our name and we sign a boon next to our signature.

[femmocrat]

34. I didn't even have to tell them my name.

The poll worker next to the lady with the big signature book told her my name. LOL All I had to do was sign, and they directed me to the voting machine.

I was # 143 at noon. I don't know what that means. I was the only voter there.

[Dont call me Shirley]

27. Same here, NM

[gopiscrap]

28. Excellent

[turbinetree]

29. Louis Black and the ACLU

Did early voting last week and it was great, DID NOT have to jump through any hoops to vote for my party in Maryland, just registered through my DMV. And I also would like to thank the election volunteers of Maryland.
And did not have to show ID, just verify my address, my birth month and year and I felt like a human being----YEAH, and it was all done verbally, called TRUST.
How's it going in the suppression states? PISSED OFF YET? Did you get your name scrubbed by some list in another state like Texas.
How does it feel to be NOT part of the republic and some of your citizens died so you can vote and then have your legislature and governors of your state turn around and deny your fellow citizens of your state the right vote it is not a privilege?
Please tell all of us what its like to have that attitude that a citizen that died for your country and your state now must jump through hoops so its citizens cannot vote without an ID or some other litmus test.
Please don't tell us the right wing talking points to stop voter fraud---come up with something better.
Must be NOT nice to live in state controlled by elected officials electing there cronies, pretty close to fascist state.
Louis Black and the ACLU got it right

[Phentex]

30. Two people checked mine and the form must match...

3 tables before I am given an access card.

[Nite Owl]

31. They have a book with

our signatures so all you need to do is sign in to the proper precinct. That's it.

[Purrfessor]

32. No photo ID required in Ohio but the workers at my

precinct ask specifically for a driver's license. And plastered on the wall behind the voting machines was a big poster asking if one's address had been updated and the procedure to do it. And in very big text the words Secretary of State, John Husted. That asshole is on the ballot. His name should not appear where voting is taking place IMHO. I live in a very Republican part of the state, by the way.

[elleng]

33. Great, JaneQ!

Where in southern MD? I'm in Lusby, only for 1 year, so will re-register (from Hagerstown) for '16.

[JaneQPublic]

45. I'm on the other side of the Johnson Bridge, elleng.

In St. Mary's County. Nice to meet, ya, neighbor!

[elleng]

51. Hi!

[drm604]

35. Not even that much here in PA.

Just "what's your name?", then they find the image of your signature in the book, and you sign next to it. The courts nixed the photo ID nonsense.

[caraher]

38. As it should be

I'm in Indiana, pioneer of the current wave of vote suppression via ID laws. At my polling place I gave my driver's license to a poll worker who could barely see well enough to read it. I had to tell him what the name on it was. I could have said I was Elmer Fudd and he would have just nodded in agreement and handed back my license. It's a good thing I don't believe voter impersonation fraud is real, otherwise I'd be out pushing my legislature for stringent eye exams for poll workers...

[rocktivity]

43. I usually get a sample ballot with my ward number on it

but I didn't this year. I'm guessing it's because a new mayor took over in July, and there was only enough time to mail them to the newest voters -- my neighbors got theirs.

The faces at my polling place were all new. I was asked for my address at the door and was directed to one of three tables. I displayed my driver's license and gave my name. They found me in their book and had me sign in -- that was it.


rocktivity

[Hissyspit]

47. That's the way it was here in North Carolina today, but

it changes in 2016, unless something is done.

Blatant Jim Crow tactics.

[KatyB2U]

52. I worked NC polls for 5 years - NEVER had a problem...

This is a fabricated story by the REPUBS. We never had a fraud problem.

[MadrasT]

49. SE Pennsylvania they just asked my name.

"Sign here."

As it should be.

Thank heaven our dumbass voter ID law was struck down.

[Avalux]

50. They ran my driver's license through a scanner. And compared it to my voter ID card.

After they were sure I was the person I said I was, they handed my stuff back and ushered me into a voting booth.

If one little thing had been inconsistent between my cards, I would not have been allowed to vote.