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2009 Election Day Open Thread
By Greg L | 2 November 2009 | Virginia Politics | 26 Comments
I’ll be busy working polls early on election day, and while I am I hope readers can share what they’re noticing at the polls and how many voters have turned out at their precincts. I’m expecting many will see a fairly light turnout in their precincts and a pretty meager operation from Democrats at the polls, unless Democrats are bringing in paid workers to hand out lit and sample ballots.
Above all, get all your friends to get out there and vote. With such a positive outcome on the horizon, we really need to take advantage of the current political environment and send a strong message to Washington that we’re not at all happy with what we’re seeing.
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A little early morning humor on voting day:
A Harley biker is riding by the zoo in Washington, DC when he sees a little
girl leaning into the lion’s cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff
of her jacket and tries to pull her inside to slaughter her, under the eyes
of her screaming parents.
The biker jumps off his Harley, runs to the cage and hits the lion square on
the nose with a powerful punch.
Whimpering from the pain the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the
biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A
reporter has watched the whole event.
The reporter, addressing the Harley rider says, ‘Sir, this was the most
gallant and brave thing I’ve seen a man do in my whole life.’
The Harley rider replies, ‘Why, it was nothing, really, the lion was behind
bars. I just saw this little kid in danger and acted as I felt right.’
The reporter says, ‘Well, I’ll make sure this won’t go unnoticed. I’m a
journalist, you know, and tomorrow’s paper will have this story on the front
page… So, what do you do for a living and what political affiliation do
you have?’
The biker replies, ‘I’m a US Marine and a Republican.’ The journalist
leaves.
The following morning the biker buys the paper to see if it indeed brings
news of his actions, and reads, on the front page:
U.S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH
That pretty much sums up the major media’s approach to the news these days.
I am up and ready to go hit the screen…..well it will be in a couple of hours, we are bringing our son who is voting for the 1st time so we will let him sleep for another hour or so. Thought that would be nice since he so kindly sat through my hour long review of the candidates and their positions last night. Despite the 5 mailings he received from the D’s it turns out he is most assuredly a Conservative…..makes my heart so happy!!!!!!
Just voted at the Signal Hill Precinct, Brentsville District of PWC — at 7:15AM I was #60. Turnout look light, but steady.
How is it that you don’t need an ID to vote in VA??? All this time I’ve had to show a drivers license? What can we do to fix this, I mean, think about it…if people will come here illegally…what keeps them from voting illegally? As I said in an earlier post, after seeing SEIU in my community and hearing that they were all over Gtown south like ants on honey…it’s a “concern”….please advise.
Library precinct 7:40. Total voted just under 100 and AGAIN they have the folding room divider opened in such a way to prevent poll watchers from being positioned to do what they are suppose to, this never changes and it is not fair to either party!
“How is it that you don’t need an ID to vote in VA??? ”
You don’t need ID to cast a provisional ballot in VA. You fill out a form where you list certain identifying data, and you are sworn by an election official as to the information’s accuracy. Then you are given a provisional ballot. The form is checked against voter rolls to ensure that you are registered and elligible to vote, and the data matches that which is on file with the State Registrar. Only then is the provisional vote tallied with the rest of the votes from that jurisdiction. Is there potential for abuse and fraud? Some. However, I would be more concerned with all of those illegals who were incorrectly registered through Motor-Voter at the local DMV. This is the law we need to change. Only since the Real ID act do we have to prove citizenship when we renew our licenses. Many will not need to do so for some years to come, and thus, many who are not elligibe to vote do so. Also, I believe there are still holes in the law pertaining to those who transfer licenses from another state, such as Maryland. Maryland resisted Real ID up to the last minute, and many licenses were issued to illegals. It will take some time to weed these folks out.
I voted in Reston this morning. Arriving voters had to pass by the Republican and Democratic tables outside the school with volunteers offering us the sample Republican and Democratic ballots. I heard a woman tell the Republican volunteer that she had never before voted for a Republican but that’s exactly what she would be doing today. I also talked to a friend of mine this morning. She was a passionate Obama supporter last year. Today she is voting for McDonnell and is not shy about saying she has buyer’s remorse over her vote for Obama. Please, please, let these women represent a national movement!
Turnout at my polling place was light but steady.
I was working Swans Creek precinct in PWC this morning. VERY light turnout. Last year at 5 AM, an hour before the polls opened, there were hundreds waiting in line. This morning, there were 5 of us who voted at 6 AM.
I got there about 5:30 AM and put up signs for the GOP statewide ticket, separate Bill Bolling signs and Rafael Lopez for Delegate signs. Just after 6, Luke Torian’s crew showed up and put up a bunch of signs for him, but no one else! They’re taking their cue from Obama and throwing Deeds / Wagner / Shannon under the bus and trying to save Torian. I’d say that the traditional GOP voters in the precinct plus Hispanic voters will counterweight the Torian voters. And this precinct went HUGE for Obama / Warner / Bill Day last year!
I did a shift at Mullen this morning and the turnout was relatively light - about 150 voters before 9AM. Friendly crowd with a good number of committed Republican voters. I then swung by Sinclair and voting there seems light as well, with plenty of Republicans showing up.
Funny though that I would encounter Ilana Kaplan-Shaine working Sinclair. Rishell’s porn-loving campaign manager working a low-turnout precinct in the PWC part of the 50th, and not doing her job of managing the election while she’s head’s-down handing out sample ballots? Simply amazing. That has to be the worst-run campaign in the 50th District’s history, and boy, is there competition for that title!
Turnout at Featherstone is much, much different from last year! A lot lighter and way more positive for GOP candidates. Dems have definitely given up on the top 3 on the ticket and are hoping Torian can provide at least one win. If you live in the 52nd, please make sure you make it out to vote. Rafael Lopez is by far the best choice for us and he will bring a breath of fresh air to our district and to the entire HOD.
Thanks to our volunteers working so hard today and all year and thanks to our amazing candidates for taking the high road and being positive and honest. It is a great day and year to be a Republican!!!
There were about 50 or so people waiting at my precinct when the doors opened, but once the initial ruch was concluded, it looked pretty light but steady as well. Stood out front for a bit and talked to the campaign workers from both parties. The Dem volunteer remarked at what a bad campaign her candidate had run! Wasn’t sure which one this volunteer was talking about (Deeds, Wagner Shannon or Rishell), but the volunteer seemed resigned to the fact that they were going to get killed this election cycle. This was the same volunteer that I see every cycle in the morning, at my precinct. In contrast, there were 2 GOP volunteers, a young lady and an older gentleman. They were very upbeat. Most telling was that as I stood there and counted, almost no one took a Dem sample ballot, but most took a GOP one.
I was first in line at 5:15 this morning at Dean Elementary and was surprised by the light turnout at 6:05 when I left. I’m hoping that Republicans aren’t overconfident and decide to stay home, expecting that everyone else will make the trip to the polls. My husband woke up with a fever and is currently in bed, but he’ll be there by 7:00 this evening!
By 8 AM, we were running out of Rafael Lopez fliers at Swans Creek. We had to call to get a supply of more of them.
Is it true that the Republicans are handing out voter guides at the polls that do not include Bob Marshall’s name?
PLEASE DON’T ASSUME THIS ELECTION IS IN THE BAG FOR THE CONSERVATIVES! GET OUT THERE AND VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
K.O’toole:
No that is not true.
About 2PM I voted at Stonewall Precinct. The dems had never been there, and I was somewhere near voter #670. Poll workers reported a steady Republican crowd.
On my way back I swung by Sinclair again, and Ilana is STILL there. Imagine, a CAMPAIGN MANAGER getting stuck as the only poll worker handing out sample ballots at a low-turnout precinct ALL DAY LONG. That’s marginally more effective for her than spending hours eating lunch.
“That’s marginally more effective for her than spending hours eating lunch.”
That is an extremely funny line. Well in!
K.O’toole- Is someone pulling a Steve Chapman?
Was told some spots were handing out hand sanitizer and straws
to use on the touch screens. I voted at Metz and we weren’t
offered those items. Anyone encounter them?
straws at Baldwin, Dog
I voted at Cedar Point Elementary around lunch time. No straws or hand sanitizer. Poll workers said turnout was light but steady. With so many families in the area, the swings and slides seemed to be winning the most votes.
There was one poll worker for the Democrats wearing a Bell tee-shirt (grumble) and one of the GOP wearing a McDonnell tee-shirt. There are more Marshall signs in the neighborhood than Bell signs, but there were more McCain signs and the precinct went for Obama, so I’m not sure that’s a reliable indicator.
Virginia election results can be tracked here…
http://www.sbe.virginia.gov/cms/Election_Information/Election_Results/2009/November_General_Election.html
Straws were passed out at Dean.
I brought my own pocket-sized hand sanitizer (nice scents for only $1.50 at Bath & Body Works!).
Project Virginia projecting GOP picking up 6 VA House seats…
http://projectvirginia.com/