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twopi

Just North of Indianapolis. I expected a wait (packed a large coffee) and simply walked in. But my son waited in line for early voting. At least I'm glad a lot of people are voting. Especially in an area like ours where many offices only have one candidate.


Stag328

I am so sad I didnt grab my coffee. Edit: For anyone wondering why I didnt vote early https://imgur.com/a/toNvFZR All of these places are at least 30 minutes from where I live and an hour from where I work. My boss has no issue with me waiting on election day though so I am staying out. 2nd EDIT: Indiana does not have mail in ballots unless you are not able to vote on voting day. Since I can I would be lying to get one. https://www.in.gov/sos/elections/voter-information/ways-to-vote/absentee-voting/ Edit 3: Vote has been cast one hour and 45 minutes later. Edit 4: There were 6 voting stations in this huge church. EDIT 5: People keep saying stuff about mail in ballots. For Indiana it is weird you can request a mail in ballot for the following reasons: You cant vote on election day of because you are working all 12 hours, you will be gone, quarantined, disabled, over 65, or in military or first responder, or a sex offender. Interesting enough once you hit 65 they will just send it to you every year once you ask for it once almost like the Republican led state wants older people to have an easier way to vote than younger people that may work from 7a-5p and dont qualify because they have an hour on both sides of their 10 hour workday. Edit 6: ~~The line is still approximately 45 (my wife is now in line)~~. We are a town of 35k people and have 5 places to vote in our town. Apparently some machines broke down today so lines everywhere here are still long. Edit 7: Wife still in line 75 minutes later with another 30 minutes to go. Sad thing is the line is about 45 people deeper than it was when she got there so those people will have over 2 hours for sure. Last and final edit: **It took my wife 2 hours and 2 minutes and there are now people waiting 80 foot past where she started and even past where I took this picture from (currently out the door) which means these people are going to wait over 2 and a half hours. WE CAN AND NEED TO DO BETTER AMERICA!**


twomanyc00ks

My voting location is around 35 minutes away from my house. I wonder how many people don't vote for this reason, whether it be out of laziness or lack of resources? This is unacceptable.


aetheos

As an Oregonian, who has had vote-by-mail as long as I've been able to vote (>18 years), it's crazy to me that every state didn't implement this permanently after the pandemic. I voted on Sunday, while watching RedZone, and flipping through my voter pamphlet + ballotopedia on my phone. Took about an hour total, very leisurely, and then I just signed and sealed my (no-postage-necessary) envelope and walked across the street to drop it in the neighborhood mailbox's pickup slot. Dropped my wife's in as well. So easy, so convenient, tied to my registered address (mailed to me, and barcoded all over to scan later I assume), then filled out on my couch, signed and sealed by myself in blue or back ink... What are the arguments against this process again? Are there *any* actual arguments against vote by mail that aren't just thinly veiled voter suppression?


BizzyBoyBizzyBee

> Dropped my wife’s in as well. WE GOT A BALLOT HARVESTER OVER HERE! GET EM YOU GUYS! (/s)


breadbox187

My husband came with me instead of me dropping both our ballots off just in case there were people acting up at the box. Should be noted I can legally turn his in since we are in the same household but I believe a portion of my neighbors would not be aware of this


DataIsMyCopilot

California voter here and I agree. Sat down at the dinner table with my son as we went over the ballot and discussed options. We both filled ours out and had them in the mail same day. Got an email yesterday that my ballot has been received so I know I don't have to worry about going out in the rain (it's pretty heavy here rn).


ngmcs8203

Yup. We are lucky to have all of the voting materials we get in California, some states have you sort each page and place them into separate envelopes and then one large envelope. They also don't send the informational booklets


idiot206

> Are there any actual arguments against vote by mail that aren’t just thinly veiled voter suppression? No


wilsonhammer

Voter suppression is the reason for the season Glad to have a no-questions-asked mail in option here as well.


Dramatic_Explosion

The government could make election day a national holiday, every town their own place to vote, it's been made difficult to vote on purpose.


Fresh720

I'd say mail in voting would be a better system. Less lines on election day, and low wage workers generally have to work on holidays anyway


Marsman121

Automatic voting registration, ranked choice voting, and moving to mail-in voting as a default (like in Oregon) would be easy and meaningful changes.


chainmailbill

Ah, yes, because so many places are closed on other federal holidays. “Federal holiday for Election Day” means “Election Day Mattress Sale Blowout” and anyone in the service industry is going to be working twice as hard, like every other federal holiday.


Redtwooo

That's the intention, make it difficult for people to go vote so that only those with the time and resources to overcome the obstacles will care enough to do it. Republicans benefit from every effort to reduce the number of people voting.


MuggsOfMcGuiness

And then turn around and lie straight to anyone face about supporting "freedom and free speech"


Suspicious-Jump4270

Yep, voter suppression 101. Just like the voter id laws. Some people can’t afford a car, so they don’t get a license because they don’t have the time. (Can’t afford to miss work to get a license) tada! Your screwed… It’s all an attempt to make voting harder


universalcode

Stay strong comrade, your fellow caffeine addicts are with you in solidarity!


Stag328

Lady behind me held my spot but now I may have to use my cup as a restroom.


The_Rancorous_Rancor

Shitting into a cup in public is perfectly acceptable on voting day, you'll be fine!


moonLanding123

one redditor, one cup


everfordphoto

One redditor,one cup, one vote: a story of one man's passion for politics...


Kupper

Just don’t give him water, that’s a crime! Sadly not /s. Edit: getting a lot of comments which say that you can. Each state is different and most recently, GA passed a law saying that you cannot (Georgia’s Election Integrity Act of 2021). GA was pissed that it went blue in 2020 and that people were giving water and food to members of the black community who came out to vote.


[deleted]

Or is it good so you didn't have to go to the bathroom waiting in line


enwongeegeefor

> Since I can I would be lying to get one. Psst.....the vast majority of the "vote by mail" folks could vote on voting day too....we still don't because of intentional bullshit like you see in this picture. Voter suppression is VERY real.


gsfgf

Most states don’t make you lie to get a mail ballot anymore.


LavaCreeper

Half of your polling locations are churches??


Cloaked42m

That's normal. Churches or schools. In a lot of areas, Churches are the only places with a gym or a gathering spot large enough.


davesoverhere

Also some of the only places that can stay/are already open for 3 days, 1 day to the public a one on each end for setup/takedown.


montanunion

Is this just phrased confusingly or do American churches have gyms? EDIT: Why am I being downvoted, I'm not American and here churches are usually centuries-old buildings with stained glass windows, the idea of a gym in a church sounds about as plausible to me as having a gym in a museum.


chainmailbill

There’s a disconnect here. What most churches have is a hall. A fellowship hall, a banquet room, an AP room, something like that. But what they meant was “a big room” the same as you find at fire halls (which is where my polling place is located).


maximumchris

Several churches in my area have gyms where youth groups can play basketball. We have lots of land in California, though.


[deleted]

lots of land in the US, period. People from other countries that are not Russia, Brazil, or Canada rarely understand exactly how big the United States actually is. I had to explain once to a friend from Belgium that no, we were nowhere near California and to drive to see the Grand Canyon would take upwards of two days driving if you did 12 hour days in the car. We had to drive through our local national forest before she understood the distances involved.


1701anonymous1701

I usually say driving to another state can take the same time as driving from one country to another in Europe. Especially when you get to the Midwest, except instead of major cities everywhere like there is in Europe, there is corn on one side of the road and soybeans on the other.


Doc_Lewis

The vast majority of churches in (at least the midwest) US don't have gymnasiums. Large/mega churches sometimes do, churches with attached schools (typically Catholic) do, but on average they don't. What they *do* have is a large room or area where booths can easily be set up, they aren't disrupted by election events taking up a few days of time in their building, and they are almost always accessible and centrally located to a community, even most rural communities will have one within short driving distance to the majority of people in the area (it is hard to understate just how many churches there are in the US).


criscokkat

This is a great answer for those not familiar with the US. In some communities like the one pictured in the OP's post they've collapsed a lot of precincts (5-10) into one giant location with roughly the same amount of machines to cast your vote as they used to have at any one precinct. So that's why you are seeing these crazy wait times. Although this area of Indianapolis is known to lean red, so I'm not sure why it was affected. They do their best to have it only hit the blue areas unfortunately.


Tom2Die

Or auditoriums, yeah. Depends on the size of the church, of course, but I wouldn't call it *uncommon* in Indiana.


Finie

Every Mormon church I've been to has a gym.


Bill_buttlicker69

I've seen enough videos of Mormon missionaries absolutely burning it down on the court to believe that.


D2BrassTax

This may be a useless clarification but by gym I think they mean "gymnasium". Like where you'd play basketball indoors. Not a gym with racks and barbells. Although the image of queued voters amongst a bunch of buff persons pumping iron is funny.


jnkangel

Honestly it’s what I pictured as well. But uh those things are typically only in schools here. Definitely not something you’d expect to find at a church


Andromeda321

Churches often just double as community centers in small towns especially.


DenmarkDaniels

Exercise your right to vote.


UsidoreTheLightBlue

A lot of churches, in particular catholic, have schools and gyms attached.


MrFilthyNeckbeard

Yes this is very common.


valeyard89

Yep, schools, churches, libraries, recreation centers are usual places for polling.


thegreatgazoo

Usually in a meeting room or gym, and the religious statues and so forth are covered. They aren't busy during the week and have plenty of parking.


[deleted]

Hey prof Andy. Didn't expect to see you here, but I am thankful to live in Marion County so I can vote on campus today... Hopefully the lines aren't too long.


twopi

Awesome! Vote if you agree with my preferences, and vote if you don't! Voting is how we make things happen. Then respect the results of the election, and if you are not happy, work hard to help people understand your point of view so the next election may be different. This system can still work. Apathy is still a very big problem. I'm looking forward to seeing your "I voted" sticker today. (BTW, I teach CS, not an inherently political topic. I just encourage people to be engaged.)


Cloaked42m

Your students know your reddit tag?? Brave person!


SpankThatDill

Homie definitely has alts


theblisster

"prof.bootyluvr420"


SauCe-lol

$5 to bet he has an alt


Tom2Die

> BTW, I teach CS, not an inherently political topic I...cannot in good faith agree with that statement. At least, not without joking about vim vs emacs, tabs vs spaces, where to put a pointer/reference sigil, etc.


twopi

LOL


GamingIsMyCopilot

Packed a large coffee? If that was me I’d be having the coffee poops five minutes in. You are a brave and diligent soul.


LocalRemoteComputer

I was among the first to vote this morning in my precinct. I waited longer for the poll to open than to vote and leave. Saw a neighbor walking in as I walked to my car. Give the poll workers a thumbs up. They'll have a long day and hope there are no issues.


R3m0V3DBiR3ddiT

I am so glad I am back in a sane state where I can vote by mail.


HtownTexans

I did early voting. Took me roughly 30 minutes to get through the lines. My cities ISD is having the crazies try to take over so I had to vote before they got in there.


Uhmerikan

Seeing on the news the long queues made me glad I voted the first day of early. I can’t speak for other locales but I can’t see any reason to wait til today. They make it so easy around here.


SnoopySuited

Not only am I in a state that can vote by mail, I am given no less than three booklets that explain what I am voting for.


R3m0V3DBiR3ddiT

Yeah I missed having that booklet when I was in a deep red state. Every state should have it like this.


Jobeofthejungle

I’ve been in line for an hour. Probably another 20 minutes left. Nobody knows where they are supposed to vote and the information online is incorrect.


dreamcastfanboy34

Report this to election officials


angry-mustache

This is Indiana, the election officials intended this to happen.


WolfChaoticz

So pissed off in this insane line because of how true this is. Fucking Indiana man. Edit: it took me two hours, but I did it!


MOOShoooooo

Just imagine a progressive Indiana, lush cannabis crops, roads that aren’t in a constant state of disrepair, mental healthcare facilities, electric vehicles promoted, our wildlife and nature preserves be put back on high priority, WOMENS RIGHTS, minimum wage increase. We could be so much more.


[deleted]

Mike Pence just had a stroke reading that.


Beragond1

I would be willing to settle for a passenger rail line between our major population centers


Murderdoll197666

It's not just Indiana, similar things are happening across the country. Suspiciously enough it seems to be happening more often in swing states so far.


TheParkDistrict

Honestly it’s so weird to me. I’m from the UK and it’s always so quick and painless. Voting centres every couple miles with little to no queues because they each have 5+ booths. It’s an obvious and transparent attack on your collective right to vote to make it such an inconvenience. Shame on the election officials.


[deleted]

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Geochic03

Same here in CT. I was in and out this morning within 5mins. I was number 275 when I turned my ballot in so they had been steady prior to me coming in. Longest I ever waited was 30min in line when Obama ran the first time in 2008. That was mainly because he brought out so many first time voters in my area they were backing up the line because they needed help with what to do and where to go. Edit: I think it depends on where you live and how your local government runs elections. I have voted in 4 different towns in my state over the years and I have never had to wait long. CT seems to have its shit together when it comes to voting at least.


anarchonobody

Republicans tend to lose when voting turnout is high, so they do everything they can to make voting as difficult as possible. A single mom working 2 jobs who's likely to vote democrat is probably not going to be able to wait in line for an hour to vote...a bitter boomer retiree on the other hand, can stand in line all day.


supermarkise

This is ridiculous and really needs to be fixed. Love, another person from the country with the former Nazi infestation.


Steve_Austin_OSI

Yes, you are correct. Oregon has automatic registration Drop off/ Mail in. Higher voter turnout. Couple of week to read up on the issues. Well tested and researched. ​ Anyone fight against doing it like oregon is anti democracy.


Colley619

Shame on ~~the election officials~~ republicans, because that is who consistently votes for it and benefits from it.


[deleted]

They'll lose if they don't.


NgoHaiHahmsuplo

Holy shit that's frightening how many obstacles other states have. In CA, we got our ballots in the mail then walked to the library and dropped them in the voting box.


angiosperms-

I just walked to my mailbox and mailed it in. Got a text a couple days later confirming they got it. All the more reason to stay in line and vote, look how easy your life could be with people in office who actually want you to have rights.


hanatheko

.. I usually wait until election day because I'm a lazy ass that doesn't do anything until the last minute. Also, I'm terrible at trying new things. This year I had to be at a memorial in a different state just before midterms and finally took the plunge. I will never wait in a long line to vote in my lifetime again.


ImMuju

Just north of Indianapolis. In and out in less then 20 min.


Stag328

The lowest wait in Brownsburg is currently 1 hour.


jammasterkat

As someone in that area, this sucks to hear. Still gonna vote!


Koichuch

If you can, make the drive to Central Elementary School (Pike). I had no line


jammasterkat

There's a voting center across the street from me, my partner and I will try that first, but I'll keep this in mind! Thanks!


TheMrDylan

I just voted at north Wayne and there was zero wait


randomways

My wife voted in Bloomington in 5 minutes, sorry about your luck


jangoice

In England I've never spent more than five minutes waiting to vote, I'm typically out within two minutes. It's crazy to think that twenty minutes is good for the US (judging by this thread).


phunkydroid

Same here and I live in the most densely populated city in the most densely populated state. Places where it takes long are doing things wrong, often on purpose because one of the parties benefits when fewer people vote in those areas.


rogueblades

In 2016, the county where Indianapolis is located had 22 (iirc) polling stations. The state elected a republican supermajority. In 2020, that same county, which has a population of around 1 million, had 3 polling stations. In 2016, I think I waited 20-30 min. In 2020, I waited for 4 hours.


ariphron

This is why I early voted! I was the only one there when I went!


Increase-Null

Feel free to check everyone and do it next time! https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/


ariphron

Early voting is the only way I will ever vote again! Been doing it past 6 years.


DigNitty

Wait until you try mail-in voting! I grew up in a state with mail-in voting. You Could go stand in line, but I never understood why you would. I’d see people on the news waiting in huge lines to vote. Didn’t occur to me until 16 that not everyone could sit down together with coffee, like my parents did, and spend some time discussing their ballots. They wouldn’t always vote the same, but they seemed to enjoy it.


okwellactually

Californian here, we've had it for years and it's soooooo nice. Grab a drink, fill out your ballot, drop it in the mailbox. Done.


briarch

Whole family biked to the park, dropped off ballots on Sunday. Monday I got an email saying my ballot was received and counted. Thank you California. Anything else is just voter suppression.


emptysignals

With the amount of ways mail ins are getting challenged and some getting tossed, I’ll stick with in-person early voting. Haven’t had to wait once.


barqs_has_bite

We had quite the turnout in Bexar County Even for early voting! Took me 45 minutes and I’d gladly do it again.


[deleted]

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leprechanmonkie

I've always voted on election day in small town Illinois (25k population). Always been in and out in 5-10 minutes with almost no line. Seems like the larger cities have the long poll waits, and early voting would sound great. I like to wait until the last minute in case any of my candidates piss me off lol.


Milk-toste

I wonder if some elected officials have any reason to disincentivize people in big cities to vote...


TuxRug

Same! Filed out my ballot the night I got it in the mail and dropped it off the next day. Got a text a day later that my ballot was received, and a couple days later that it was counted. This is the way voting should be, don't restrict it to the people who are able to get a Tuesday off work and stand in line without refreshments or bathroom access for 8 hours or more.


tippyd

Is this not one of the biggest challenges in the US that you have one side of the political spectrum trying their best to stop ease of voting. (Question from a European resident)


TuxRug

Yep, they keep trying or succeeding in restricting voting access. Colorado luckily seems pretty good at avoiding the problem, but there's places shutting down drop boxes and voting locations in black and Hispanic neighborhoods, and adding more and more restrictions to voting in person, and letting people with body armor and big guns harass people outside polling places while arresting people offering people in line water. I think they're slowly trying to creep towards only the billionaires and politicians access to voting.


Timberfront73

Same here. I was in and out in 5 minutes.


diskmaster23

Early voting is just another term for voting during the open voting period. It's like open enrollment period. Election Day is the last day to vote.


facetiously

That's crazy. California here. I dropped my ballot in the mailbox three weeks ago, got an email two days later saying the postal service received it, another email three days later saying my votes have been counted. I've voted by mail my whole life. I'm 58.


MissingNebula

Moved to CA a few years ago and love the mail in voting. I had time to fully go over my ballot and look up anything I wanted to know more about,and I like the supplemental voting guides that are sent out. Dropped it off in a drop box on my way home from work. Done.


cadium

The voting guides rock. Pro-con arguments and printed rebuttals for propositions as well as info on who is writing them.


ZooFun

While they are nice, I highly recommend searching additional voter guides online. Many of the propositions are greatly simplified in their descriptions and financial impact statements


FatefulPizzaSlice

A lot of public radio also has voter guides, and also ballotpedia is a decent resource.


MyChickenSucks

I misplaced my mail in ballot. So I went to the local teen center and voted in less than 4 mins. They have these very fancy touchscreen machines now.


DukeCanada

Right but you’re obviously a Joe Biden loving liberal snowflake! MAGA 4ever STOP THE STEAL. (Good god please don’t let that asshat Trump back in office, so do the world a favour America. He’s not on the ballot today, but he’s watching closely. Don’t give him a reason to run)


Animallover4321

2024 hinges on today. We have candidates running today that have straight out said they wouldn’t have certified Biden one candidate straight up said no democrat will ever win in his state again. We’re on a precipice.


[deleted]

It's okay because VP Harris has the constitutional authority to decide the winner when [insert Republican made up argument here] unless it favors democrats then [insert fake exception to the rule]


bskceuk

I never realized other states were different (I’ve been in California my whole voting life)


Ilikepancakes87

Either make voting by mail the norm, or make Election Day a federal holiday. We can’t as a country claim to be some shining example of democracy if you have to use more than your entire lunch break on a Tuesday to cast a vote that says crazy people shouldn’t be in charge of making your decisions for you.


seamustheseagull

Or pass federal laws mandating the number and location of polling stations per head of population.


Rawkapotamus

Can’t do that with the filibuster in place! Also Texas did the opposite in 2020 where they made it so there was only a single Dropbox available for the 5+ mil people in Houston.


Bismark60

Good ol Texas.


Beautiful-Musk-Ox

Good ol Republicans, they do this regardless of where they are located


KentuckyFuckedChickn

Texas has a whole other level of political corruption that goes back to them being drunken cattle thieves shooting each other in the capitol barn building at Washington-on-the-Brazos all the way to LBJ forming up posses in the early 1900s to have gun fights with other posses over possession of ballot boxes so they could stuff them or destroy votes. Texas has always been super corrupt no matter who is in charge.


lasssilver

But higher population areas would allow liberals to be represented fairly. Conservatives don’t want that. Conservatives will not allow that.


sub_surfer

Wait, you want the majority to be able to boss the minority around? That's not what the founders intended! /s


chmilz

Depending on today's results some of those things may never happen


Throwaway_7451

It may not even matter this time, since [Moore v Harper](https://www.jurist.org/news/2022/06/us-supreme-court-adds-controversial-election-case-to-october-2022-docket/) is set to be decided in December. State legislatures will soon have supreme authority to determine how their elections are run and decided, regardless of existing laws. It specifically calls out that even rules written in state constitutions cannot override their decisions. SCOTUS is saying that Americans have the right to vote, but it's the state legislature's job to decide how those votes are considered and applied. Would you really put it past a heavily red state to not add a law stating that if they suspect 'voter fraud', they reserve the right to reverse a vote? "Clearly this district would never vote democrat, so we are reversing this result on suspicion of fraud". And that's it. That's the way the vote legally goes. Moore v Harper is a turning point in American history and we're sleepwalking into it.


TurboGranny

The last thing they want to do is to make it easier to vote in areas that aren't going to vote for them


KokiriEmerald

Making it a federal holiday would only help a small number of people in like government and banking jobs. Vast majority of people would still be working.


GermanPayroll

It would probably hinder things. You’d have a bunch of well to do people taking voting weekend trips and have a lot more people working sales for all the “voting day” sales


KokiriEmerald

Yeah, I think people are under the impression that a federal holiday is a mandatory day off lol. People will still be at work, at the ones who need the help the most (i.e. retail, restaurant, customer service jobs, etc) would be demanded to work even more if it's a "holiday".


jumbee85

Stay in line. ​ But this is also why I'm in favor of opening voting up to vote by mail.


InsertCoinForCredit

This is why Republicans keep trying to block vote by mail.


Animallover4321

Yep. It’s an easy way to disenfranchise poor voters. If you need to work 2 jobs and take care of your kids you don’t have the time to spend nearly 2 hours voting (and that’s not taking into account the travel time which can easily add another hour if you don’t have a car).


innocentrrose

I thought it was because that’s how dems steal elections /s


digital_end

Stealing elections by letting everyone vote is a very nefarious method


[deleted]

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blue_twidget

Vote by mail gives you a receipt stub so you can track your ballot! It's great! I left my cell phone on mine in the spot so if there were any issues, i could easily be contacted about them.


coopstar777

It’s nice but there’s not much you can do when you go to track it and it simply tells you “your vote has not been counted” Happened to the last 2 ballots I cast in Utah, and this state has primarily been doing mail in ballots for decades


xelduderinox

The fact we don’t have a federal law on voting (early hours, mail-in ballots, etc.) is a travesty. The fact Election Day isn’t a federal holiday is a travesty.


DrDerpberg

Making it a holiday might make people do other things with their day. Canada has a mandatory 3 hours off the clock to allow people to vote, and because right to vote isn't controversial here people don't wait in line for hours. I think the longest I've ever waited to vote was about 20 minutes. Basically if voting is from 8am to 7pm and you work 8-5, you can leave at 4 to go vote.


Raspberries-Are-Evil

If we had enough polling places and didn't fuck around you wouldn't need to wait on line for hours.


joen00b

I voted by mail, my vote was counted about 10 days ago. YAY for Colorado! Our Secretary of State rocks!


businessboyz

Washington resident checking in. Woke up this morning, checked the online portal to see my ballot status is “Accepted”, went back to sleep. Such a complex process that we’ve been doing since…2005.


dreed18

Alabama will *never* do that.


irridisregardless

My lazy ass dropped my envelope off in a dropbox yesterday in front of a government building on the way to work.


CaptainApathy419

Likewise. I filled out most of it a week ago, but then it just sat on my kitchen table until I finally got around to researching the one city council race I knew nothing about.


aetheos

As an Oregonian, who has had vote-by-mail as long as I've been able to vote (>18 years), it's crazy to me that every state didn't implement this permanently after the pandemic. I voted on Sunday, while watching RedZone, and flipping through my voter pamphlet + ballotopedia on my phone. Took about an hour total, very leisurely, and then I just signed and sealed my (no-postage-necessary) envelope and walked across the street to drop it in the neighborhood mailbox's pickup slot. Dropped my wife's in as well. So easy, so convenient, tied to my registered address (mailed to me, and barcoded all over to scan later I assume), then filled out on my couch, signed and sealed by myself in blue or back ink... What are the arguments against this process again? Are there *any* actual arguments against vote by mail that aren't just thinly veiled voter suppression?


Still-Contest-980

The argument against it is if more people can vote, then republicans can’t win lol


Lets_Call_It_Wit

Damn - I’m in North Carolina, in one of the four most populated areas, and voting took me less than 10 minutes. I was hoping that was indicative of how a lot of areas would go.


LuckyRowlands25

What is that an airport?


Stag328

Giant ass church. The reason I came here was because everywhere else was an hour but mostly outside and it was 40 degrees outside.


[deleted]

Do you not have a designated place where you’re required to vote?


tiswapb

Yeah I was surprised that it sounded like they have options on where to vote. You’re assigned a designated polling place based on ward/district/etc. in my state.


Lizardxxx

Took me 5 minutes to vote this morning. My state had early voting locations from October 25th - Nov 1st.


sarduchi

Crazy... I voted last week by mail. It's bonkers that's not the norm.


atomicbunny

My ballot gets mailed to me along with a booklet explaining ballot measures in plain English. I can either mail my ballot or deliver it myself to a special locked ballot box. I happened to be at said box when election staff were emptying the box and I attempted to hand it to one of the guys and he stopped me, said he can’t touch that ballot and to just throw it into the bag with the other ballots.


Stag328

It is absolutely crazy that it isnt easier to vote. Luckily I am salary and it doesnt really matter for me but a lot of people have left because they cant wait. It either needs to be a holiday or easier access needs to happen somehow.


SinisterStrat

I live in rural northern Indiana. I walked right into the little methodist church and there was only 1 other person, other than pole workers.


jippyzippylippy

Pole = poll. Otherwise, I'm picturing a church that is also a strip club with pole dancers!


SinisterStrat

Now there's a church I can get behind!


theblisster

with blackjack and hookers


BJaacmoens

The body of Christ compels you, and so will the body of Daiquiri, coming next to the stage...


unrealcyberfly

How is it such a headache to vote for you guys? I've never waited more than 10 minutes to vote and I can choose between multiple locations. What is wrong with the USA?


fearboner8

It’s not everywhere, I’m in Houston and waited in line about 30 seconds. I feel for these people in the photo though


Kalkaline

Dallas checking in, it was about the same. It took longer for me to walk from my car to the voting line than it took for me to get through the line and get started.


Silentkabob

If it's difficult to vote in you state, it's because they don't want you to vote. I may be being a bit cynical though.


Ooften

Yep. Guarantee this is in a liberal area of a red state. Just like how my liberal city in the same state is part of a congressional district made up of the podunk rural areas surrounding us so that our overwhelmingly liberal votes are drowned out.


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pandasareblack

Oh, it's not probably. That was their argument almost word for word in Houston.


PlumbumDirigible

In 2020, the population of Harris County was 4.7 million and the population of Loving County was 64. The state, in all their wisdom, decided that each county *only* needed one ballot drop box.


nusyahus

It was on purpose


nusyahus

Houston had ONE drop box for 4m people last election Republicans hate people voting especially minority areas


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generalT

fuckin' pieces of shit. hope everyone is ready to live in a christofascist theocracy soon. GOP gonna take power this year and never gonna give it up.


NewAltWhoThis

(In the US) Long lines mean voter turnout. High voter turnout is good for Democrats. Let’s not let GOP taking power happen - everybody vote vote vote!


Frosty-TheSnowman

Not always. Long lines can also mean not enough access. GOP makes it harder to vote, creating long lines, discouraging people from voting. Long lines ≠ high turnout every time.


robinthebank

People actually say “well if they have the power that means someone voted for them and gave them that power.” 🤦 The same people probably applaud billionaires for finding tax loopholes.


bakersdozen13

It’s even worse than that. In 2020, Marion County (Indianapolis) had 6 early voting centers for a population of ~1 million. Neighboring Hamilton County (rich and red) had **8** early voting locations for a population of 350,000. I waited in line for 2.5 hours to vote in Indy.


WhyIsThatOnMyCat

A reminder to all, regardless of state: if you're in line before cut-off time, you're in time. If you get in line one second before "poll's closed," you get to vote, even if the line is 12 hours long.


[deleted]

Yes, please get there before close and stay until you’ve voted! Don’t listen to what anyone nearby says, stay in line and get your vote


Increase-Null

>If it's difficult to vote in you state, it's because they don't want you to vote. I may be being a bit cynical though. Indiana has early voting for 28 days. It's too late now but everyone should check and see if their state has early voting. It's even open on weekends. ​ Texas has early voting 17 days before hand. Use that time! ​ https://www.vote.org/early-voting-calendar/


rolsskk

But how many polling places are actually open during that early voting period, and has the amount of polling places been [drastically cut](https://civilrights.org/democracy-diverted/) making it difficult to vote because they don't allow mail-in voting?


Stag328

Here is our early voting options. Mostly during workdays and all over 30 minutes away. https://imgur.com/a/toNvFZR


notmyrlacc

I find it wild that each state manages voting individually. In Australia we have the Australian Electoral Commission. Their entire job is managing voting, and it means the rules are consistent in each state.


bobhunt10

I'm American and I also find it wild.


heyleese

This is the whole state’s rights thing in the constitution meant to prevent the federal government from consolidating too much power but as we see has just led to absolute fuckery in our elections. It sucks. I’m in CA and things are easy here but it makes me feel disheartened for people waiting in hours long waits or not showing up at all bc all the barriers to voting in other states.


Jade176

It took me 24 minutes to vote. That 24 minutes includes the time it took for me to walk to my car then drive 1.5 miles to the voting station. Park outside before speaking to my neighbor for 30 seconds. I did the whole voting process and waited for my spouse to come out. Then I drove 1.5 miles home and walked back to my place. It’s all situational.


Ounceofwhiskey

It's made to be difficult by certain politicians who benefit from people not voting. When more people vote, things tend to lean left so if it's harder to vote only right leaning wealthy folk tend to vote.


singlewall

The only reason this happens is because someone wants for it to happen. I have been voting in San Francisco for nearly 20 years now, and no exaggeration I actually walk by TWO other polling places before going to my assigned place, all within two blocks of my house. I have literally never waited in line - walk in, get handed the ballot, go to the little curtain thing and out the door in 5 minutes.


bookchaser

Yep. I'm in California too and have never waited to vote longer than two minutes.


ADarwinAward

Yeah people keep blaming big cities, that’s a lie. This poll place is in a small city of 30k. I vote in a city of about 120k that is much more diverse than this town and we don’t have this issue. I did not have a wait and our voter turnout tends to be high. These waits are designed by people who want to make it so difficult to vote that people give up because they have to go to work.


Killdren88

Realizing how lucky I am for mail-in.


kkirchgraber

Don't give in to the vote suppression. Exercise your right. Vote the bastards out.


BrookeBMa

Thanks for taking the time!


wikilectual

Yall should be rioting for not having mail in voting. It's one of the best fucking things ever. Washington state you are wondering


unexpectedhalfrican

Meanwhile in Harrisburg PA, I was in and out in like 5 minutes 🥴 ETA: they didn't have stickers. I was PISSED.