post your early election experience(s) here....

[Claire Beth]

I drove by Bordeaux library over the weekend the place was packed with voters (mostly for Kerry) going to vote. There were Kerry/Edwards signs everywhere. I know the Bordeaux area will overwhelmingly go with Kerry but I'd like to hear from other areas of the county (Davidson) and state as well...please post what you are seeing and hearing from around your area. Also, this past Saturday a man who is extremely conservative came in the store where I work part-time and was bashing Bush. He said he and his son voted for Bush in 2000 but neither of them are voting for him this time. Coming from him, this is a GREAT sign.

[TN al]

1. I voted on the 13th...

...and posted my experience in a different forum. It didn't seem to have much interest there but maybe you will find it more interesting. I voted in Mt. Juliet and while in line I heard a man telling his wife that it was good that the voter's registration cards were being checked closely because 68,000 people voted in Florida in 2000 and also voted in their home states absentee. I asked him where he had heard that and he told me "Fox News." By the way, his wife was decked out in a Bush t-shirt and had a bush button on her purse. Anyway when I heard him say Fox news I kind of chortled and said, "well, if you believe them I guess you will believe anything." He looked me straight in the eye and said loud enough for all to hear, "Bullshit." To which I responded in the same tone, "Bullshit." He held eye contact with me for a moment then turned to follow the line. His wife quietly said that the figure had come form the Florida Governor's office and I asked if that had come from Fox as well. They didn't say anything to me for the rest of the wait, 45 minutes.

Afterward I went outside and held the Kerry sign for five hours greeting people as they went to vote. I took two of my four boys with me, aged 15 and 12. The younger one had an astute observation: He said that if we were holding Bush signs he didn't think the Kerry people would have been flipping us the bird like the Bush people were flipping it at us for holding Kerry signs. I told him that that was one reason why we were democrats.

The next day I returned to the polls to hold the Kerry sign again and took my other two boys, also aged 15 and 12. A lot more people were flipping us off the second day. I guess it really hurts when you are oh for four in debates, counting the veep debate, and the bushies were pretty ticked. One guy yelled at me as he was waiting to make a left turn and was pretty animated. He wasn't at all coherent in his attack and I didn't want to argue there since my job was only visibility, by the way there were no bush people there on either day, so I started singing God Bless America. He made his left turn and went in to vote without further harassment. But twenty minutes later he was driving out and yelling again so I sang the star spangled banner.

Later that day a man beckoned for my younger son to come over to him and started talking to him. I quickly went over too and he asked me if I knew where he could get a bush sign. I told him he was welcome to any of the bush signs that were there on the grounds. Overall on both days I would say we had more signals of support than signals of disapproval and Mt. Juliet is pretty conservative. We even had two people separately come and hold signs and stand with us for over an hour. Lots of others asked how they could contact dem hq so they could volunteer as well.

[Mr Switters]

2. Mt. Juliet surprised me!

My wife and I just took a trip from Knoxville to Memphis and back for a weekend wedding. We frequently stop in Mt. Juliet for gas/snacks as it's convenient and about 1/2 way for us. I was VERY surprised to see K/E signs all over the exits and entrance ramps, and NO bush signs! Go Dems in Mt. Juliet!!!!

I do visibility a LOT as part of my "community's" volunteer work, so we spend a fair amount of time at public events and at busy intersections carrying K/E signs, wearing T-shirts, passing out stickers, literature, ect.

By far the most negative reactions come from those when we are standing by the side of the road and they can yell really awful things to us as they drive by. If I had a dime for every time I've been yelled at and called either "Baby killer," "Faggot" "Faggot Lover" "Piece of Shit Liberal"..... I'd be a very weatherly baby killer ;). Your son's observation of being doubtful that K/E supporters would be flipping the bird if you were holding Bush signs is pretty astute. I can't speak directly to it, because I've never held a Bush sign and seen the reactions one would get (nor would I ever do such a thing even in scientific curiosity), but this is one of many reasons why I'm proud to be a democrat. I think we tend to take the high road more often than not and even if I don't like Bushies standing on my street corner holding their signs, I'm not going to give them the bird and call them ugly names, especially with children present.

At the same time we get a lot of positivity, lots of peace signs, honking, thumbs up, hollers (good kind) ect. Positive vs Negative reactions has been a pretty consistent 5-1 (depending on the event), so it's still very encouraging.

[peacebuzzard]

3. Hi Claire_beth! Voted today at Knoxville's Downtown West, the

place was lively, lots of Kerry signs, this was about 2:30 pm and I drove into a bustling scene in a usually boring deserted strip mall in suburbia. It had more cars parked than I have ever seen in my 16 yrs in Knoxville. (at this particular mall). The voting hall was in an abandoned business location. They had a long table set up with about 10 voting card verifiers. After standing in a 3 deep line, my verifier cleared my card, I signed the form and she brushed me toward the curtained booth. I waited for the person ahead of me to step out and there I was! My Kerry/Edwards straight democrat moment. Done. I have voted early in previous years but this was the most bustling scene yet. You could feel the energy. P.S. I have to go out of the country in a few days, and even tho I plan on an Oct 30 return date, I wanted to leaving nothing, nothing to chance!! My vote has been cast!

[Claire Beth]

5. cool!

I felt elated once I had cast my vote for Kerry/Edwards. :hi:

[tnlefty]

4. I think I had a Vote-gasm!!! I voted this afternoon and it felt sooo goood

I'm a chicken so I went to my county election commission office 'cause I figured there would be less chance that anything could happen to my ballot since it wouldn't be moved, etc.

I was #10,491 on the ballot counter and that's just for that office. I didn't have to wait long, but there was a steady stream of people going in, voting and cars were pulling into the parking lot by threes, fours, and fives as I was leaving. It actually took me longer to leave the parking lot because of the incoming traffic than it did for me to vote. From what I've read in the local paper (Chattanooga) and seen on the news, the lines and the wait seems to be longer at the other early voting locations, although I'm sure this one is busier when people are leaving work, etc. I was there around 2:15. Have volunteered to give people rides tomorrow and to do what is necessary between now and Nov. 2nd.

It felt sooooo gooood to vote for Kerry/Edwards, John Wolfe and James Carpenter. I've been elated.

[Tippy]

6. Yesterday we had

a record number of early voters, cast their ballots...in Putnam County..

[NashVegas]

7. Edmondson Pike Branch

Had to wait in line about 5-10 minutes.

Just outside the Meeting Room (where the machines were) door, on a low table, was laying the library book, Profiles in International Terrorists. Fun shit, huh?

[Claire Beth]

8. were you able to tell...

if there were lots of people there voting for Kerry? Like, did you notice a lot of Kerry/Edwards bumper stickers on cars in the parking lot?? Edmondson Pike early voting branch has a HIGH early voting turn out according the election commission website. I am hoping that there is a lot of support for Kerry.

[NashVegas]

9. hard to tell

didn't really notice much by way of bumper stickers.

it's an interesting voting area, with the Demographics ranging far and wide (Woodbine to Brentwood line).

[Claire Beth]

10. I was out through the....

Woodmont Blvd, Green Hills area a couple of weeks ago and was amazed to see all the Kerry/Edwards signs in the area, a place where you would expect to see a lot more for Bush.
There are also a lot of Kerry signs over near the Nashville Tech area.

[dbackjon]

11. Voted Yesterday Morning

Belleuvue Center - not a lot of people there, but poll worker said it had been busy after 10 most days.

[Zorbet55]

12. I voted last Thursday in Memphis

No problems at all at 157 Poplar. There were a few folks ahead of me but no more than 5.

[Tippy]

13. The people we are calling are

Democrats who ocassionaly vote...also Reg Democrats who have never voted in National Election...getting great resonses....

[Zorbet55]

15. That sounds great, Tippy

I am leaving town until Sunday and will be checking the political climate in Fla. I appreciate your efforts and others. We've all done well this time around. I hope for a rewarding election day.

[tnlefty]

14. Spouse just voted at the election commission.

It was busier than when I had been there earlier this week. Steady stream and a police officer was there to direct traffic in and out of the parking lot.

I hope that this is good news!!!

[Claire Beth]

16. So far most places are reporting....

HUGE traffic flow in all early voting locations. I wish so bad for Tennessee to go for Kerry. I think it is VERY possible we can turn this state BLUE!

[tnlefty]

17. I heard a radio news blip this morning that featured the election

commissioner, who sounds exhausted, stating that turnout has been heavy and has increased during the last 3 days as the deadline for early voting approaches!!! I'm going to call the K/E office and put my name back in the hat for driving, phone banking, etc.

I have to make some signs today for a MOB rally Sat.! Busy time indeed.