billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 9:38:16 GMT -5
The three words that can avert an election nightmareThe most important thing most voters need to know for this fall's election can be expressed in three words: Vote in person. Well written opinion piece. Point made is that if you aren't at higher risk for the virus, vote in person to maximize the percentage of election night vote count. This is especially important in battleground states. Unfortunately in NJ our governor decreed all registered voters will receive mail in ballots (not absentee ballots). Anyone who wants to vote in person can go but their vote will be provisional because it’s assumed they might have already voted by mail Primaries in spring were all vote by mail for first time. Problems about 10% were invalidated, see link: www.google.com/amp/s/www.njspotlight.com/2020/06/one-in-10-ballots-rejected-in-last-months-vote-by-mail-elections/amp/Not good sign for voting for NJ senator and President as well as local elections Doing this because of Covid - won’t there be more exposure to more people who’ll be needed to sit together inside for long time opening and looking at ballots. Many more than if only requested absentee ballots NJ now allowing indoor restaurants with limits on numbers, surely ballot sites could be dealt with in similar fashion I’ve already complained to governor and today will complain to my county election board. This stinks!! If you have a constant select group of people of any number who have been tested and none of them have the virus in their system, they can sit together inside for the rest of their lives and not have the virus magically appear. It would be easy to create that group of ballot counters. Re: indoor restaurant equivalency - it would be easy to use a similar system of minimizing risk by limiting the number that use the voting site. One way to do that is to mail out ballots so not as many voters show up at the site.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 14, 2020 9:46:38 GMT -5
Maybe we should have outdoor polling places. I know there are limited locations where that would work.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2020 9:57:40 GMT -5
Or, we could just vote by mail like we always have and tell Trump to f-off? There is no issue with vote by mail. This is a MANUFACTURED Trump excuse for when he loses the election...
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 10:00:13 GMT -5
Maybe we should have outdoor polling places. I know there are limited locations where that would work. It would be important to prevent the Russians, Chinese, or Jeff Bezos from using drones to drop fake ballots into the ballot boxes. But seriously, not a bad idea. Major headache to plan for outdoor/indoor based on forecast for the day. I see it as doable at locations with large parking lots. Covered walkways would help. Yeah, doable.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 10:04:54 GMT -5
Or, we could just vote by mail like we always have and tell Trump to f-off? There is no issue with vote by mail. This is a MANUFACTURED Trump excuse for when he loses the election... "(L)ike we always have" isn't going to happen this year.
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 14, 2020 10:10:21 GMT -5
Or, we could just vote by mail like we always have and tell Trump to f-off? There is no issue with vote by mail. This is a MANUFACTURED Trump excuse for when he loses the election... Maybe voting by mail is ok in states that have been doing this for years and have worked out problems. Please read my post about problems already being seen in NJ for the smaller primaries done by all mail in ballots for the first ever time. There already was an issue, it’s not fantasy or an excuse or manufactured but a big mess just hanging over us
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 10:17:53 GMT -5
Or, we could just vote by mail like we always have and tell Trump to f-off? There is no issue with vote by mail. This is a MANUFACTURED Trump excuse for when he loses the election... Maybe voting by mail is ok in states that have been doing this for years and have worked out problems. Please read my post about problems already being seen in NJ for the smaller primaries done by all mail in ballots for the first ever time. There already was an issue, it’s not fantasy or an excuse or manufactured but a big mess just hanging over us Or an issue to be worked on and minimized.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 14, 2020 10:21:56 GMT -5
Or, we could just vote by mail like we always have and tell Trump to f-off? There is no issue with vote by mail. This is a MANUFACTURED Trump excuse for when he loses the election... Maybe voting by mail is ok in states that have been doing this for years and have worked out problems. Please read my post about problems already being seen in NJ for the smaller primaries done by all mail in ballots for the first ever time. There already was an issue, it’s not fantasy or an excuse or manufactured but a big mess just hanging over us Unfortunately, some states did not have the foresight to have a robust system in place in the event we have circumstances that make in-person voting difficult. Even if voters are willing to go to the polls, it doesn't mean that there will be enough volunteers to work the polls. So, voting in person is going to be a mess also. There are no perfect answers. Contrary to loud people, there are no winners in a pandemic. We just have to do the best we can. It will all be problematic.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 10:40:15 GMT -5
A number of years ago I was hearing that people in our community were struggling with how to fill out and envelope their mail in ballots. Instead of calling politicians, I called my friend at our community radio station and arranged a time to go in and do an on-air tutorial.
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 14, 2020 11:03:17 GMT -5
Maybe voting by mail is ok in states that have been doing this for years and have worked out problems. Please read my post about problems already being seen in NJ for the smaller primaries done by all mail in ballots for the first ever time. There already was an issue, it’s not fantasy or an excuse or manufactured but a big mess just hanging over us Or an issue to be worked on and minimized. That’s why I’m complaining to my county election board and governor, need to update laws/rules/timing etc
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 11:07:57 GMT -5
Or an issue to be worked on and minimized. That’s why I’m complaining to my county election board and governor, need to update laws/rules/timing etc What are your suggestions for solving issues?
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 14, 2020 11:26:59 GMT -5
That’s why I’m complaining to my county election board and governor, need to update laws/rules/timing etc What are your suggestions for solving issues? Timing needs to ensure ballots are received by Election Day or maybe 3 days later. Not just postmarked. If signature is disputed then send letter to address and have procedure for validating signature. Public service announcements about proper procedures, NOT allowing bulk pick up and delivery to election board. Mostly more conservative timing. Also allowing ballot counting to be started prior to Election Day- it will be time consuming and require a lot of people But I’d really prefer we be able to vote in person with absentee ballots available again with conservative timelines.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 12:52:05 GMT -5
What are your suggestions for solving issues? Timing needs to ensure ballots are received by Election Day or maybe 3 days later. Not just postmarked. If signature is disputed then send letter to address and have procedure for validating signature. Public service announcements about proper procedures, NOT allowing bulk pick up and delivery to election board. Mostly more conservative timing. Also allowing ballot counting to be started prior to Election Day- it will be time consuming and require a lot of people But I’d really prefer we be able to vote in person with absentee ballots available again with conservative timelines. Do you understand that your timeline for ballot arrive will predominately impact service members stationed around the world negatively? Letter sending will make it nearly impossible to resolve an issue with "conservative timelines". I would support some strict guidelines for bulk pick-up and delivery. Not sure it needs to be totally banned. I think it is possible in most systems to be able to process the mail in envelopes and create a secured "stack" of ballots that are ready to be counted on election day. It should be possible to machine count the ballots during election day and have the results ready for release shortly have polls close. That would also help create a window to resolve disputes prior to election day. And public announcements should not be an issue.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 14, 2020 19:07:07 GMT -5
What are your suggestions for solving issues? Timing needs to ensure ballots are received by Election Day or maybe 3 days later. Not just postmarked. If signature is disputed then send letter to address and have procedure for validating signature. Public service announcements about proper procedures, NOT allowing bulk pick up and delivery to election board. Mostly more conservative timing. Also allowing ballot counting to be started prior to Election Day- it will be time consuming and require a lot of people But I’d really prefer we be able to vote in person with absentee ballots available again with conservative timelines. Are these procedures that are used in states that have had a successful mail-in system for a long time? Are they common across those states, or do just one or two follow these processes?
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 19:14:00 GMT -5
Timing needs to ensure ballots are received by Election Day or maybe 3 days later. Not just postmarked. If signature is disputed then send letter to address and have procedure for validating signature. Public service announcements about proper procedures, NOT allowing bulk pick up and delivery to election board. Mostly more conservative timing. Also allowing ballot counting to be started prior to Election Day- it will be time consuming and require a lot of people But I’d really prefer we be able to vote in person with absentee ballots available again with conservative timelines. Are these procedures that are used in states that have had a successful mail-in system for a long time? Are they common across those states, or do just one or two follow these processes? I am in Washington State which is all mail all elections. I got a phone call ahead of election day when I forgot to sign my outer envelope. So they were at least looking for that prior and making phone calls, not sending letters.
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 14, 2020 19:25:16 GMT -5
Are these procedures that are used in states that have had a successful mail-in system for a long time? Are they common across those states, or do just one or two follow these processes? I am in Washington State which is all mail all elections. I got a phone call ahead of election day when I forgot to sign my outer envelope. So they were at least looking for that prior and making phone calls, not sending letters. DO you put your phone number on the ballot?
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TheOtherMe
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Post by TheOtherMe on Sept 14, 2020 19:45:38 GMT -5
I moved from an all mail in voting state to one where I have to request an absentee ballot every election.
I prefer an all mail in voting state. The procedures have worked and will work.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 14, 2020 20:32:22 GMT -5
I am in Washington State which is all mail all elections. I got a phone call ahead of election day when I forgot to sign my outer envelope. So they were at least looking for that prior and making phone calls, not sending letters. DO you put your phone number on the ballot? No. The only thing I put on the ballot were marks by the names of the people I was voting for. There are no identifying marks on the security envelope I put the ballot into and sealed. I honestly don't remember if there is a place on the outer envelope for a phone number. However since I didn't sign it, I doubt I wrote my number. It could have been on my voter registration. It is in the phone book as well.
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 15, 2020 10:35:57 GMT -5
Just gets worse.,Board of elections in Sussex county NJ (a rural county) announced that more than 1,600 ballots were misplaced and just found and counted in the all mail in July primaries Two weeks after primary 28,062 mail in ballots had been received so these lost ballots were about 6% . Although reported that when counted no results were changed in many states a few percentage points will determine outcomes
The November election will be a disaster (at least in NJ where for only second time all mail in elections !!!)
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Sept 15, 2020 10:56:11 GMT -5
I am in Washington State which is all mail all elections. I got a phone call ahead of election day when I forgot to sign my outer envelope. So they were at least looking for that prior and making phone calls, not sending letters. DO you put your phone number on the ballot? You sign, date and put your phone number on the outer envelope the ballot is in. Once your signature has been verified, your ballot is separated from its envelope to be counted. The ballot itself is put into an inner sleeve, Put into the outer envelope...I guess to preserve this process of them not being able to see how you voted. The ballot itself has no identifying marks. There is a code on a perforated edge of the ballot you are supposed to tear off before mailing it back. I presume that this code is to track which ballot is sent to which name. I’m trying to remember if there is a duplicate code remaining on the ballot....I don’t think so.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 15, 2020 10:59:34 GMT -5
Just gets worse.,Board of elections in Sussex county NJ (a rural county) announced that more than 1,600 ballots were misplaced and just found and counted in the all mail in July primaries Two weeks after primary 28,062 mail in ballots had been received so these lost ballots were about 6% . Although reported that when counted no results were changed in many states a few percentage points will determine outcomes The November election will be a disaster (at least in NJ where for only second time all mail in elections !!!) It is good to hear that this mistake was dealt with honestly. It would have been easy for those ballots to have disappeared permanently.
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thyme4change
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Post by thyme4change on Sept 15, 2020 11:19:33 GMT -5
Just gets worse.,Board of elections in Sussex county NJ (a rural county) announced that more than 1,600 ballots were misplaced and just found and counted in the all mail in July primaries Two weeks after primary 28,062 mail in ballots had been received so these lost ballots were about 6% . Although reported that when counted no results were changed in many states a few percentage points will determine outcomes The November election will be a disaster (at least in NJ where for only second time all mail in elections !!!) Who knows - maybe finding the weak spots of their process during the primary is a good thing. If I were in charge, I would make sure that every fuck up that happened had a team of people working out a process to avoid it happening again. Also, their honesty about it happening is a good sign that they are working towards resolutions.
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 18, 2020 16:44:01 GMT -5
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2020 16:46:44 GMT -5
What's weird about people voting? There is a very serious movement to get the narcissist out of office. I can imagine voter turnout will be record breaking this year, assuming people don't want to live in Nazi Germany, Part 2.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 18, 2020 16:47:09 GMT -5
What is "weird" about it?
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 18, 2020 16:59:14 GMT -5
What is "weird" about it? Why wait 4 hours more than a month before Election Day. If people have to wait 4 hours on Election Day that’s usually a scandal But that’s their choice and their time. If this happens on Election Day indicates a big problem and one way to avoid long wait times is early voting But to each their own
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2020 17:01:48 GMT -5
A good friend called me all excited b/c she called the county clerk's office and they said she could "drop off" her mail-in ballot. Yes, but what they didn't say, or maybe she didn't hear (very hard of hearing), is that the "drop off" involves standing in line and producing a photo ID matching your ballot. I'm willing to drive her there but not standing inline in a building with her. We too looked at that option and decided to use in-person on a low volume day during early voting. It will take quite awhile anyway because we have to fill out forms and surrender the mail-in ballots we requested last year, but I'm confident it will be recorded. Local County Clerk is still involved in a lawsuit by governor and state AG to block him from sending ballot applications to anyone under 65 or disabled. Different courts are ruling different ways on this. What fun.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Sept 18, 2020 17:47:04 GMT -5
What is "weird" about it? Why wait 4 hours more than a month before Election Day. If people have to wait 4 hours on Election Day that’s usually a scandal But that’s their choice and their time. If this happens on Election Day indicates a big problem and one way to avoid long wait times is early voting But to each their own So the wait People are weird. I find it amusing the people who stand in line to buy some new model of something like an iPhone.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Sept 18, 2020 17:56:43 GMT -5
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jerseygirl
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Post by jerseygirl on Sept 18, 2020 18:02:50 GMT -5
Guess I value my time more or else don’t want the inconvenience Also Black Thursday sales lines are (to me) weird But early voting was specifically designed to eliminate long lonrs
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