Federal Government
Share Your Voting Stories
November 6, 2012 
As an election day special the GUARDIAN will post your stories about voting today. Just make a comment and we will transfer it to this page. Tells us about meeting friends, long lines, short lines, parking, ANYTHING about the election.
PHIL McCRANE, Ada election chief–Reminder to Voters:
Early reports show that some voters are heading to the wrong polling locations. Ada County encourages voters to look up where they vote prior to heading to the polls. Voters can look up their polling location at ADA ELECTIONS or call (208) 287-6860.
With redistricting occurring this past spring many voting districts have changed. Ada County redistricted all of its precincts as well. For many voters this is the first time they are voting since redistricting. It will save voters time and frustration if they verify where they vote prior to heading out.
IDAHO CRYSTAL–I know it’s too late for this election, but I would actually like to encourage everyone who can to vote absintee for future elections. Having the ballot mailed to you and taking the time to research all of the candidates, measures and props well before election day has been instrumental in knowing I’m not only voting, but I’m voting INFORMED. It’s more convenient for busy, working parents and helps avoid polling place stress and time in lines. No ID hassles or trying to figure out where your polling place is every other year.
It’s also been a great tool to help teach my kid about what issues are being decided and to show him where he can find information beyond propoganda and opinions so he can make his own decision on how he wants to vote and not just go with the flow or follow the party lines.
ERICO49–The A thru L line was 4 times longer than the M thru Z line. Still trying to make a conspiracy theory out of that… no luck so far.
JOKI–I live on 17th St in the Northend–used to be able to walk a few blocks to Ridenbaugh paramedic station to vote. Now it’s over on 28th St at Lowell High……pain in the ass–why did they move it?
Now I gotta take my car since I’m not in any physical shape to walk all the way over to 28th. bummer.
IVAN–It was surprisingly easy…all around…but I was early. Staff did NOT have A-L and M-Z posted clearly. People waiting on line to check-in were on top of those voting (privacy was a concern for some!) Confusion on what precinct you were in…Sorry to actually say this: “Glad it is over…now for the results!”
BOISE BOB–We have a no soliciting message that answers when a stranger calls, the robocall talks right thru it so we only get the last little bit if any.
ROBERT–Eagle City Hall. Got there at 7:55 maybe 20 people ahead of us. Out by 8:15.
SOMEONE FROM BOISE–My girlfriend and I moved in to a new place. Since we didn’t have time to change our address, I figured we would do it at the polling location. What a Fiasco. It didn’t seem like they had ANY plans in place for this. The ladies were keeping the registration card, and telling people to go wait in line after it was filled out, but they made it to the front of the line, and were not in the book.
While we were there, they seemed to come up with a way to do it all. They kept the card, and then gave us the envelope. THEN, we could get the ballot. So we had to wait in 2 lines, instead of 3. The lady we handed the cards to, forgot to stamp both my girlfriend’s and my registration cards. I noticed the previous lady doing that, and reminded the one that took our cards. *sigh*
It would have been nice if someone had asked to see our driver’s license to confirm we were who we said we were. Oh well. We were able to vote. It didn’t take TOO long, but a bit more training would have done wonders.
JOKI–There wasn’t a line at Lowell High voting place. Parked across 28th St nearby, got to vote right away. Only new bit was that, unlike previous times I voted, the woman managing the register asked me for my address AFTER she had seen my driver license and before she allowed me to sign my name. This extra question was unnecessary IMO.
JJ–Voted today at noon. Expected long line being during lunch, no wait, smooth experience. Kudos to all the election staff and volunteers who share their time and work long hours today!
I feel like my vote today really only counts as 75% of one vote, never have I felt my vote counted so little. Maybe I am reacting to media sensationalism of voter fraud:
-You need not be a US citizen to cast a vote, just claim you are:
-Need not show identification to prove who you are:
-Apparently dead people can still vote
-NAACP and Black Panthers staffing polling stations even after having officially endorsed Obama
-Elections staff wearing Obama gear
-Obama murals depicting hope and change on the walls of polling stations
-Oregon poll worker removed from duty for voting for Romney on ballots left blank
-GOP monitors expelled from poling stations, judges have to intervene and allow access
-United Nations sending election monitors as if we are some third world oligarchy
-Military not being allowed to vote, yet the winner determines their deployments and risk
I don’t really understand the electoral college, seems like my voting does not really matter
Fully expect this election to be determined by lawyers, lawsuits and judges.
MESA MAN– No lines, in and out in five minutes. From the east side
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Comments & Discussion
Comments are closed for this post.
Nov 6, 2012, 10:20 am
I know it’s too late for this election, but I would actually like to encourage everyone who can to vote absintee for future elections. Having the ballot mailed to you and taking the time to research all of the candidates, measures and props well before election day has been instrumental in knowing I’m not only voting, but I’m voting INFORMED. It’s more convenient for busy, working parents and helps avoid polling place stress and time in lines. No ID hassles or trying to figure out where your polling place is every other year.
It’s also been a great tool to help teach my kid about what issues are being decided and to show him where he can find information beyond propoganda and opinions so he can make his own decision on how he wants to vote and not just go with the flow or follow the party lines.
Nov 6, 2012, 10:45 am
The A thru L line was 4 times longer than the M thru Z line. Still trying to make a conspiracy theory out of that… no luck so far.
Nov 6, 2012, 11:05 am
It was surprisingly easy…all around…but I was early. Staff did NOT have A-L and M-Z posted clearly. People waiting on line to check-in were on top of those voting (privacy was a concern for some!) Confusion on what precinct you were in…Sorry to actually say this: “Glad it is over…now for the results!”
Nov 6, 2012, 11:44 am
Eagle City Hall. Got there at 7:55 maybe 20 people ahead of us. Out by 8:15.
Nov 6, 2012, 11:51 am
My girlfriend and I moved in to a new place. Since we didn’t have time to change our address, I figured we would do it at the polling location. What a Fiasco. It didn’t seem like they had ANY plans in place for this. The ladies were keeping the registration card, and telling people to go wait in line after it was filled out, but they made it to the front of the line, and were not in the book.
While we were there, they seemed to come up with a way to do it all. They kept the card, and then gave us the envelope. THEN, we could get the ballot. So we had to wait in 2 lines, instead of 3. The lady we handed the cards to, forgot to stamp both my girlfriend’s and my registration cards. I noticed the previous lady doing that, and reminded the one that took our cards. *sigh*
It would have been nice if someone had asked to see our driver’s license to confirm we were who we said we were. Oh well. We were able to vote. It didn’t take TOO long, but a bit more training would have done wonders.
Nov 6, 2012, 11:54 am
There wasn’t a line at Lowell High voting place. Parked across 28th St nearby, got to vote right away. Only new bit was that, unlike previous times I voted, the woman managing the register asked me for my address AFTER she had seen my driver license and before she allowed me to sign my name. This extra question was unnecessary IMO.
Nov 6, 2012, 1:35 pm
Voted today at noon. Expected long line being during lunch, no wait, smooth experience. Kudos to all the election staff and volunteers who share their time and work long hours today!
I feel like my vote today really only counts as 75% of one vote, never have I felt my vote counted so little. Maybe I am reacting to media sensationalism of voter fraud:
You need not be a US citizen to cast a vote, just claim you are:
Need not show identification to prove who you are:
Apparently dead people can still vote
NAACP and Black Panthers staffing polling stations even after having officially endorsed Obama
Elections staff wearing Obama gear
Obama murals depicting hope and change on the walls of polling stations
Oregon poll worker removed from duty for voting for Romney on ballots left blank
GOP monitors expelled from poling stations, judges have to intervene and allow access
United Nations sending election monitors as if we are some third world oligarchy
Military not being allowed to vote, yet the winner determines their deployments and risk
I don’t really understand the electoral college, seems like my voting does not really matter
Fully expect this election to be determined by lawyers, lawsuits and judges.
Nov 6, 2012, 1:40 pm
No lines, in and out in five minutes.
From the east side
Nov 7, 2012, 7:51 am
Too bad that those who are marginalized through the court systems (i.e. labeled as felons) are forbidden to vote, wonder how many “citizens” are not represented due to this contradiction to the constitution?
Nov 8, 2012, 11:07 am
I run a precinct on the Boise bench. It was an exhilarating election, and we registered 1/3 of our voters – many for the first time. I absolutely love participating in the process.
Best of all, I learned something new during this election. We had a homeless couple asking to exercise their right to vote. They had state-issued IDs, yet they couldn’t register at the precinct since they had no address to verify. I learned our local homeless populations can vote (with ID) at a precinct downtown, and they can register using the Ada County Courthouse as their residence.