My voting experience in Johnson Co. (Warrensburg) MO

[naturalselection]

Just had to give my two cents coming from a rather "rural" area.

To start, I had a hell of a time sleeping last night.

My wife and I voted around 11am here in our precinct in Johnson Co.
Now the history (since we moved to MO, we have voted in this precinct for past 4 years) of this precinct is that it is in the basement of a church in a town with about 200 people.

When we arrived there were more cars parked around the church, as I commented to my wife this was the most cars I have ever seen at this time. I tend to vote at the same time regardless.

When we entered, there were two tables set up right at the door (unusual I thought, never been like this before?). At the table were three high school students (never before in 4 years), but nevertheless I thought it was cool to have them there to see the process. There job seemed to be to check to make sure you were at the right precinct.

After the "check", we moved to another set of tables and went through the usual routine. Sign name, get a sticky note with voter number, pick up ballot, vote, etc.

What was disconcerting to me was they had rearranged the room, everything seemed out of order. Now to you that may not seem like a big idea, but really made me nervous initially.

I was voter 377. Which to give you perspective, I have never been that high of a number voting at the same time (I am kind of nerd keeping track of this). So, I am assuming turnout is higher than average.

The Diebold machines were back (also present during primary). Our precinct had 3. One man was using it while I was there, EVERYONE else (approximately 8-10 people) while I was there were requesting paper. Oh ya, I voted on paper too, as did my wife. They did ask her if she wanted to use Diebold, and she declined. Being next in line, they never asked me, just gave me a paper ballot. Maybe they recognized me from the primaries (I kind of raised a stink about the machines).
I talked with one of my coworkers prior to my voting, and I asked her if there were machines at her precinct, and she said "no" only paper. So far, in JOCO, the only precinct that I know of with machines was mine.

We were out in about 15 minutes overall.

I hope everyone else's voting goes this smoothly.

I was ready, like I told my wife, to raise a stink (had phone numbers via Skinner, and the MO SOS election office phone number just in case) about the drivers license issue, but they did not ask.

Cheers to everyone voting today. I did my part to deliver McCaskill!

[rodeodance]

1. cheers. thanks

[deadparrot]

2. Another vote for McCaskill here!

Straight Dem ticket. AND I voted out Rush's cousin. :D

[Neecy]

3. thanks for the update!

I've been checking in with family members in Jackson county today, and the turnout looks pretty heavy in KC. Not one of them chose to vote on the Diebold machines - all requested a paper ballot.

Buh-Bye, Jimmy.

[IndyOp]

4. Thanks NS! (n/t)

:hi:

[Frances]

5. Thanks for the info

My husband and I filled out our absentee ballots and turned them in at a voting spot near our home per California instructions. I did my part to get Arnold out, but I don't have much hope of being in the majority.

[Pugee]

6. I voted here in Randolph County (Missouri)

We vote at the VFW hall. There was a big sign against the stem cell issue out on the sidewalk by the parking lot. I was surprised that it was allowed so close to the building. It was about 900 and there were a few people there, maybe a 3 minute wait to the table to sign in, show some ID (not photo required)and get a paper ballot. However, the paper is fed into a machine that supposedly reads it, even though you can put it in however you want. I was number 108.

The poll workers were the usual older ladies (in their 70's up). There were 2 young women, perhaps 20 years old, but it seems that the older ones had put them off by themselves doing nothing. It was sad that they were not letting them work the public and feel useful! Unfortunately, that is how it usually is around here, the older folks don't want to lose any control.

I was in and out in 10 minutes.

[naturalselection]

7. Thanks Pugee!

Did you have Diebold machines there?

[Pugee]

8. We did not have touch screen voting.

We used a special pen to color in dots on a 2 sided paper ballot and then fed it into a machine. I dont know what the type of machine was, but we had the same one in 2004. It supposedly reads the ballot and counts the number of voters. This is definitely a rural area also.

[catmandu57]

9. We voted three weeks ago

I couldn't wait, so I don't know how voting is going, we're in Savannah Mo. I can verify ten votes for democrats, two won't votes and a probabal won't vote, who are hard core reptiles. So that's a +13.