Polls are open from 7 am until 8 pm for in-person voting today. Feel free to share your experience. What was turnout like at your polling place? How long did you have to wait? How were the voting machines or, if you're in Lehigh, the paper ballots?
People are permitted to engage in active electioneering until you are 10' away from the polling place. Then it must stop. Voters (not elections workers or poll watchers) are allowed to engage in passive electioneering (campaign buttons and shirts) inside the polling place.
When you check in, an election worker might announce your name. The reason for this is that others might wish to challenge your right to vote based on their belief that you are not who you say you are. I have never seen this happen.
Unless he or she is voting, police officers must stay 100' away from the polling place unless the Judge of Elections asks for them. A constable is on hand to maintain order if needed.
If you have a mail-in ballot and decide you want to vote in person, just bring the ballot and envelopes with you to the polling place. They will be voided and you can vote.
\If you check in and are told that you are not registere3d or belong somewhere else, you can vote provisionally. You can ask for a provisional ballot. If it turns out that you were registered, your vote will count. If you are at the wrong location, it might partially count.
Here are some voting tips for those of you who desire to be there in person.
44 comments:
when did they change the rules about" passive campaigning"? You may not do any campaigning inside the place you are voting. If you are a worker outside, handing our campaign literature, you may enter the building but must leave your literature and buttons, etc, outside. No campaigning is allowed inside the polling place. Even if you are a worker and want to use the toilet facilities, you cannot bring campaign literature inside. There is no campaigning within ten feet of the polling place.
Bernie, although I don't always agree with you on everything, I appreciate that you share with your readers the truth, and nothing but the truth, when it comes to basic issues that advance our democracy. Where to vote, when to vote, what to do with your yet-to-be-mailed mail in ballot...
No matter the side of the aisle, this country could benefit from more people like you who try not to manipulate or divide, but to inform.
I voted by mail a few weeks ago, so I was thankfully able to avoid listening to Republicans standing in line still making false claims about rigged elections, there hatred of Biden, Pelosi, OAC and everything.
God bless the Republican party for passing vote by home legislation.
Saw the poll workers showing up at 6am to set up. They probably won’t be finished counting until 8 or 9 pm and then they have to take everything down too. The judge then has to drive to the county voting office to deliver the results. They often don’t get done until 10 or 11 pm. It’s a long day for the poll workers so remember to thank them. They are not government employees they are basically volunteers (they get a $100 stipend for their 12-14 hour day).
I was taking a walk and came across somebody from the neighborhood, he said, “Are you better off than you were two years ago?”
I said, yes, and my success or failure is the result of my own efforts, not somebody in Washington.
He looked puzzled.
Cut through the glib nonsense and vote.
I am on travel and voted by absentee/mail in. Mail in is a beautiful thing. Sadly, one can drop a spouses ballot off in a blue mail box or walk it out to the curb mailbox and all is legal. But drip a spouses ballot off in a drop box with cameras and 20 strong men get all woke and want to cancel democracy.
My election day is non-eventful. I voted by mail and I dropped my ballot and my wife's ballot in the drop box called the U.S. Mail Box. Did I violate the law by putting my wife's ballot in the mail?
My MOTTO is vote early and vote often.
Lower Saucon Township. Arrived 7:05AM. Usually, I’m the 3 or 4th in line at opening. Today, there were already about 25 in line ahead of me. So, this looked to be a heavy turnout. When I actually got to vote, I was numbered at 35. The line outside the door continued to grow. Everything seemed to be running smoothly. I voted for the Republican candidates.
About twenty in line to vote at Gracedale at 7 AM. The flow could be improved if the county would pull their incident command vehicle out of the building to provide more space. They should consider using a second door to allow for separate entrance and exit. There was only one door being used to enter and exit, which led to congestion with people waiting to get in.
Folks joked about having Disney or Chick-fil-A consult on improving the flow, but the team did the best they could with the space they were provided.
The poll workers did a great job and their service to their community is appreciated!
Just votes at 9 a.m. in Walnutport borough. There was no line at all and maybe four folks came in behind me. Poll workers were friendly and courteous.
Proud to cast my vote for a straight Democrat ticket this time.
"when did they change the rules about" passive campaigning"? You may not do any campaigning inside the place you are voting. If you are a worker outside, handing our campaign literature, you may enter the building but must leave your literature and buttons, etc, outside. No campaigning is allowed inside the polling place. Even if you are a worker and want to use the toilet facilities, you cannot bring campaign literature inside. There is no campaigning within ten feet of the polling place."
No rule has changed. Passive campaigning consists of T-shirts, hats, campaign buttons, etc. Voters have a First Amendment right to wear those buttons and signs or a MAGA hat while voting. This is known as passive campaigning, and it is permitted from voters. But a watcher or elections worker who is inside the polling place can engage in no campaigning at all, active or passive. So someone who hands out palm cards can do so within 10' of the polling place but may not bring them in. That would be active campaigning. Elections workers (judge of elections, clerks, machine operators) may not engage in any campaigning at all, passive or active. They must be strictly neutral and take an oath. Poll watchers selected by the candidates or parties to come into the polling place are there to make sure that voting laws are followed, although most of them don't really know or understand the law. No active or passive campaigning by them is tolerated.
In every election, it's inevitable that some voters will start talking politics inside the polling place. That is to be discouraged bc it results in active campaigning. When I was a JOE, I encouraged them to talk all they want, but outside.
Hold on to your hat, I can't wait until the false "I had THIS problem and couldn't vote" crap starts rolling out.
Remember unless they win the election is fraudulent and can not be trusted, Unless They Win
Voted at 7:00 am at lock ridge. Ran smoothly with now issues.
i was surprised by the number of people there and the age demographic. Many younger people were in line at this time than in previous years i have voted.
Show your "I Voted" sticker at The Green Door and get a free something!
Very similar sitaution to another poster. Beth Twp I-3. Usually number 2 or 3, but got there right at 7am, and about 20 ahead of me. All moving smoothly. Made me feel good to see everyone off the sofa and at the polls. Workers did a great job!
I had no trouble voting this morning. All 10 times went well. Nobody recognized me in my various disguises.
(Did I just hear the QAnon heads exploding? LOL)
Voted two weeks ago by drop box. Quick, easy, completely unsecure. I voted all Republican, which I understand is a vote to destroy democracy. My middle finger is going to bed early tonight. It's going to have a busy day tomorrow, if the republic is still standing because people voted or something. Lol. Bye democracy! Nice knowing you! Despite record turnout, you're apparently dead. RIP.
There was a line of about 20 people at 7:00 but when I went back at 9:30, I went right inside and there were three people in front of me. One was talking to the poll volunteer and it sounded like the (prospective) voter had to cast a provisional ballot. It was a civil exchange between the two.
I was #85 on my machine. Polling place has three machines so I'm guessing I was number 255 or so.
Hey I have a Blue Ocean idea - Let’s make Election Day a paid Holiday, everyone can use a day off, paid by the employer’s, and marketed by diners and restaurants like a holiday. Why not?
Voted early and came home to watch MSNBC making the case that if states follow election laws, they’ll be destroying democracy.
Two hours later, they report that Fetterman is suing Pennsylvania to count undated and unsigned mail in ballots.
Almost like a plan.
Two young men and a young woman were ready to greet and sign-in voters at my polling place this morning. Students from Allen, Dieruff and Building 21 were trained to be poll workers this year. I was thrilled to see young people involved. I thanked them for this service, and they thanked me for voting.
Why don't other countries take as painfully long as we do to count our votes? Why are we so comfortable with this? Our system seems very sleazy. We've gotten worse and not better.
Since this is the final election in our democracy, I ran full speed off the cliff and voted straight Republican. Lines were quite a bit longer than usual for a mid-term, in my R-leaning precinct. The baked goods were still kind of fresh. The poll workers were courteous and upbeat. It was like a hurricane party for the end of the United States. The camaraderie and gallows humor were good for the soul at such a tragic moment.
While the republic teeters at its end, however, I shall enjoy two years of Congressional hearings into every little thing Hunter did with the Big Guy in Ukraine, before corralling former peacenik Ds into funding the current $50B quagmire there.
Spent the past 2 months telling multiple survey takers that I was voting for Oz, Mastriano and Scheller. Happily voted for Fetterman, Shapiro and Wild...
Was in and out quicker than Steve Lynchs modeling career.
Wow! Wow! Got there at 10:15 or so and there were 6 in front at my booth. Took about 3 minutes to hit my turn. Every person there took about a minute. Straight line voting, I guess. Sea of veteran caps and red caps. Not a blue cap in sight except for the 4 young men/and/or women standing out front staring intently at their phones. Red wave? No. Real MAGA. And this is in Easton.....
I’m sure the CIA will be in touch for recruitment. Sooooo slick you are.
Various reports throughout the nation indicate much heavier turnouts than expected. Unfortunately, several states are experiencing voting “irregularities” from non-working Dominion tabulating machines to paper shortages. Significant problems in Maricopa County (Phoenix) where a very high profile race for Governor is taking place. I’ve heard no reports of voting difficulties here in the Lehigh Valley. If anyone has experienced that, please let us know.
What is this Bernie? Voter intimidation? If Trump did this no doubt people would scream intimidation
https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/news/2022/11/feds-monitoring-lehigh-county-polls-to-ensure-voting-rights-are-upheld-on-election-day.html
God bless the poll workers. Everyone kind and helpful. The voters were also kind. The news makes us all to be an angry mob but today showed we are all just people praying for things to get better and doing what we can . democracy at work.
LOL
Bernie makes my blood pressure go up every so often but I agree with you. The local media barely reports on county government so his blog is appreciated.
Exactly
Republicans wont let the absentee or mail in ballots counted until after the polls close
I’m the biggest MAGA Republican out in public, wear thin blue line hoodies, we the people T-shirts, and have American flag underwear…
But I vote straight ticket democrat everyone because tigers stripes have nothing on me…
Eat the rich
F*ck fascism
The only tabulator was broken and would not take ballots. Dropped ballot in box provided and left. I have no idea if my vote will be counted. Why cant we just do it like we always did and count them by hand? We have become to reliant on machines.
Ballot mailed 10/15 via USPS. Ballot was received 10/18. Vote recorded. PA Dept of State website. Piece of cake. Beautiful day to be out and about. Dog walked twice, grocery shopped, bought some beer, detailed my cars, cleaned gutters, and raked leaves. Suck it all! Screw standing in line.
I voted just before 5 pm at the Baptist Church on 191 in Bethlehem. No line to get in, only a couple of other voters there. I thanked the people standing outside for being out as well as the people working inside to keep the process running. Even if my choices don’t win, it’s heartwarming to see the people working the polls and standing outside. All acted quite civil and all were quite friendly.
4.31
"people would scream intimidation"
try
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/11/07/voting-discrimination-lawsuit-beaumont/
""White poll workers throughout early voting repeatedly asked in aggressive tones only Black voters and not White voters to recite, out loud within the earshot of other voters, poll workers, and poll watchers, their addresses, even when the voter was already checked in by a poll worker," the suit claims."
""White poll workers and White poll watchers followed Black voters and in some cases their Black voter assistants around the polling place, including standing two feet behind a Black voter and the assistant, while the voter was at the machine casting a ballot,” the suit continued. "White poll workers helped White voters scan their voted ballots into voting machines but did not similarly help Black voters scan their ballots.”
Apparently, Pa People do not mind inflation do not care about gas prices do not care about their 401 plans pa people says keep the border open Pa voters are as left as can be --don't forget energy jobs they do not want those jobs and crime it's not going to get better with these people in charge. Pa. deserves what they get.
Pa people deserves what they vote for.
Calm down, Leeroy. They are still counting. If you were paying attention all along instead of only after you joined the Trump cult, you'd know this.
Lol. People get all excited it’s just politics. Dems are having a better night than expected but at the end of the day they lose the house by a lot. Senate could go 50-50 again. I posted earlier that candidates matter and here in PA republicans fielded two bad candidates. Scheller ran a lackluster campaign and her connection to Lynch didn’t help.
It appears the massive “Red Wave” for Republicans is not happening nationwide. As and Independent Conservative, I’m, of course, disappointed. But, this is the system we have and this is just how it all shook out. I still believe America is in decline and will continue to fall. I’m over age 70 and will be OK financially for whatever time I have left, so now to move on, relax, and enjoy what I still can.
Post a Comment