USVI-On-Line

Remember no discussions on who you voted for



As a swing state our voter turnout will be in the upper 70% range.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner said this year's voter turnout is expected to match or exceed the turnout we saw in the 2008 election. He said the with the races for president, congress and governor expected to be tight, voter turnout could be anywhere between 710,000 and 760,000. That is about 70 percent turnout for New Hampshire, which would probably be among the highest voter turnouts in the country.

I had to wait 10 min just to drive into the high school parking lot

On a brisk Tuesday at midnight in Dixville Notch, the first vote in the 2012 presidential election was cast by 22-year-old Tanner Tillotson, who won the town drawing.

This is one of the most unique votes in all of America. This small town in northern New Hampshire had its 10 registered voters casting their ballots before anyone else in America. The people of Dixville Notch take pride in this event.

lol... the little old lady who double triple checked my license to be sure I really looked like the person in the picture. She was just doing her job, I know, but she slowly looked at the picture...looked up at me...looked at the picture...looked up at me. And the thing is, my license looks just like me because it was renewed this year.

I'm walking down to pick up some of these election-themed cupcakes in a bit:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/SweetBoston

I think they are pretty fun!

We will pick our son up from his afternoon program and go to vote on the way home. I already know the following will happen -

1. 95% of the college students in line will be at the wrong location. In my little town, there are 3 (maybe 4) different locations and the college kids are ALWAYS at the wrong location.

2. We will be asked to show a photo ID and my husband will go bonkers. PA's vote ID was shot down yet the ads are still running on TV and my best friend told me she was asked to show ID.

3. The 7yo member of the family will voice his displeasure about kids not be able to vote.

I will report back later tonight on my predictions.

The fun part was that my election day was a week ago yesterday. No lines, no delays and I was inoculated against election BS. The reason is that I am traveling today. I am in Fort Lauderdale now and then fly through Norfolk, VA to get to NC for a meeting tomorrow. The ads were going hot and heavy yesteday and today. I saw some ads here they are not using back home.

The most fun part of this election day for me is passing down a tradition. I can't remember when my parents and grandparents didn't vote. When we grew up I thought voting was a requirement. They always did it. Well, today was Hotwings' first opportunity to vote. She turned 18 in August and continued the tradition by casting her ballot this morning.

JIM

I'm 50 years old, and found myself excited to get A STICKER!!!

The funniest part about today is knowing that we don't have to hear anymore ad compaigns tomorrow!!!!

PA Girl wrote:We will pick our son up from his afternoon program and go to vote on the way home. I already know the following will happen -

1. 95% of the college students in line will be at the wrong location. In my little town, there are 3 (maybe 4) different locations and the college kids are ALWAYS at the wrong location.

2. We will be asked to show a photo ID and my husband will go bonkers. PA's vote ID was shot down yet the ads are still running on TV and my best friend told me she was asked to show ID.

3. The 7yo member of the family will voice his displeasure about kids not be able to vote.

I will report back later tonight on my predictions.

I was wrong on all points!

1. The college kids were very on the ball. We stood in line for about 30 minutes and a couple of times, one of the officials came through and broadcasted that "this is polling place #X, make sure you are at the right place, ask if you aren't sure." We only saw one person step out of line and leave to go to their correct spot.

2. As not-first-time-voters we were not asked to show id. Our friends one district over were asked for id and were "pressured" as if it was required. It is not in PA. (friends of both parties were pushed to show photo id.)

3. A Mom in line passed along the idea to let the kids "vote" via the sample ballots. That satisfied Little PA's desire to "vote."

After voting we went for cocktatils (club soda with lemon for Little PA) and lobster bisque. It is our tradition after every election.

Voting here in the USVI is always a day filled with plenty of fun - the campaign workers at the polls are effusive and enthusiastic - plenty of music, lots of giveaways, like T shirts, banners, hats etc. ----- on STT- STJ the top 7 votegetters out of over 35 candidates are elected to our Legislature along with the top 7 from STX and an at large legislator who must reside on STJ but is voted on by the entire electorate.

We also elect a Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives but they have no vote in the U.S. Congress - We have no vote in the USVI in the Presidential election though despite our US citizenship.

I voted 10 times with no issues -

Anyone remember "Bob Roberts"?

Something fun that I forgot to mention, a woman in our neighborhood was wearing campaign buttons from every election since she was old enough to vote. I thought that was sort of cool. She is about 70 yo.

Anthony wrote:IAnyone remember "Bob Roberts"?

I do! John and I saw that at the Boston Film Festival the year it came out--ages and ages ago. Tim Robbins was there to introduce the movie and we got to meet him after the screening. He signed my hat. He is very tall!

I always remember my mom saying we should vote " early and often". Must be a Pennsylvania democrat kind of thing!

I was just upset that I didn't get a sticker!