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Early voting lines are so long, people are fainting. That harms democracy

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posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 10:23 PM
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We're so busy arguing and focusing on voter fraud that we neglect the other issues facing many americans when it comes to voting:


To the surprise of few and the consternation of many, thousands of voters in Georgia waited for hours to cast their vote during the state’s first two days of early voting. Is this a harbinger of the voting difficulties to come in this election?

In four of the most populous counties in the state, Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb and Cobb, Georgians have been forced to wait for over two hours to vote, and in Gwinnett County at least three people collapsed while waiting in line due to heat exhaustion.

Most early voters did not anticipate the long lines, and in fact decided to vote early in hopes of avoiding a lengthy wait

www.theguardian.com...

This is terrible. It is the responsibility of states to ensure their residents are able to vote. Who the hell has hours to wait in line? People have families, work to attend to. For christ sakes there was a hurricane. You figure the state government would have taken action to ensure lines aren't drawn out?

The ACLU has already taken action in suing Georgia State:


The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit in federal court Monday.

“The state’s failure to extend the voter registration deadline, despite the massive disruptions caused by Hurricane Matthew, means that thousands of Georgians will be prevented from participating in the November election. This is unethical and illegal,” Kathleen Burch, interim counsel for the ACLU of Georgia, said in a statement.

The suit comes after a federal judge last week ordered Chatham County to re-open voter registration there through Tuesday.

The ACLU wants a judge to allow would-be voters to register in Chatham, Bryan, Camden, Glynn, Liberty, and McIntosh counties for six days.”

politics.blog.ajc.com...

You want to talk about voter suppression? Maybe we should start with the real issues facing voters in some states where average income is low and counties which are impacted by hurricane Matthew. This isn't just Georgia, it's afew other States as well. We whine about illegals voting but turn the other cheek when it comes to the real issues preventing legal american citizens from voting.



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 10:32 PM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

What does extending voter registration have to do with already registered voters waiting in line to vote early?



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 10:42 PM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

the state and local government are at fault

vote the bums out, it is the only way things will change

lack of adequate voting facilities is just as bad as suppression or fraud
people should not have to wait more than a few minutes to vote




edit on 25/10/2016 by shooterbrody because: i kan spells good



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 10:42 PM
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originally posted by: rockintitz
a reply to: Southern Guardian

What does extending voter registration have to do with already registered voters waiting in line to vote early?


In the end though it all falls under the same issue no? Voter access? Why are some State governments making it harder for people to go out to vote? This has little to nothing to do with voter fraud. In 2011, Georgia reduced early voting from 45 days prior to the election to only 21. For what? There was a hurricane that impacted a number of counties, evidently this prevented many from registering to vote within the deadline, but the state government STILL refuses to extend it? Why?



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 10:45 PM
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a reply to: shooterbrody


lack of adequate voting facilities is just as bad as suppression or fraud
people should not have to wait more than a few minutes to vote


This is what I'm getting at. I mean really? To wait in line for 1-2 hours?? Who has that kind of time? People have families, jobs to go to. WTF is going on with state officials?



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 11:38 PM
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Seems like they're trying to discourage votes, because they know what people want, to stick it to the corrupt nwo goons and the pay to play evil politicians in.

I imagine people will compensate and adjust their schedules because they want to vote this time round and their votes matter.

Though they need to pay attention to what is highlighted in the voting machines.

And really anywhere you can, ask for paper.



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 11:46 PM
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The Title of this thread reminds me of a description I heard on the radio today from a person who attended a TRUMP rally in Florida this morning.

Hopefully those long early-voting lines are made up of mostly Trumpsters. Is the Media reporting their findings?



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 11:51 PM
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They could have done it another day. Sounds a bit compulsive to me. But yeah, no one should have to stand in line to vote at all.



posted on Oct, 25 2016 @ 11:53 PM
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a reply to: carewemust Ive tried to go to a Trump rally twice, forget it. I just don't have the stamina or the temperament to stand there for hours, especially not being able to medicate.



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 12:02 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

Don't know how many polling places are available in Georgia, or if the number of voting places was reduced when early-voting came into the formula. In my state, we don't have early voting, only absentee ballot with cause, and in-person voting on election day. PSAs run for the 10 days leading up to election day that provide information for those who need a ride to/from the polling place. The polls open at 7 and close at 8 pm.

My state's voting age population is 10.4M. Georgia's is 7.6M. I've never waited more than 25 mins to vote.

If our state had early voting lasting two weeks, I certainly would wait for a week before heading out.



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 02:07 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

Uhm... this is early voting

They have another week and more to participate in early voting ... if they haven't already sent in an absentee ballot.

Nobody is stopping anyone from voting.

There are a limited number of early voting places. Many more places will be open on election day, November 8th



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 02:17 AM
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originally posted by: Southern Guardian
a reply to: shooterbrody


lack of adequate voting facilities is just as bad as suppression or fraud
people should not have to wait more than a few minutes to vote


This is what I'm getting at. I mean really? To wait in line for 1-2 hours?? Who has that kind of time? People have families, jobs to go to. WTF is going on with state officials?


I don't know where you live, but it's not that unusual in prior elections. In Dallas in 2004, I stood in line for well over an hour to vote after work because early voting was so restricted. I've stood in lines on election day for well over two hours to vote.

You must not live in a very politically active area. Lines here in Dallas and other large cities can get very long during a hotly contested presidential election (Obama's first election, for example.)



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 09:29 AM
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I think every state has their own way to limit voter access and discourage votes.

I live in Washington and we are vote by mail. However you have to use a stamp or two to vote or wait until election day to drop it off at a designated location. I live in a medium sized city and have lots of places to drop my ballot off. Every location is near a bus line or walking distance to a neighborhood school.

Most of the state is rural and those counties may have a handful of places to drop off for the entire county.

This places a hardship on the rural poor who have historically voted red. With most bills being paid online now a days, why spend money on stamps to mail a ballot. Time is valuable. Even if they have a schedule that will let them drive to the nearest post office to get it mailed directly or able to drive to the next town over to drop off the ballot; it may not be worth the gas or the risk to a vehicle that is falling a part and only driven when necessary.



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 10:10 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

This is a bunch of crap.

In the Commonwealth of Kentucky (and I live in the Greater Cincinnati Metro Area, so the population isn't exactly sparse), we get ONE DAY to vote every election cycle, and everything goes perfectly fine.

We also must show ID in order to vote. *GASP!*

This is early voting that we're talking about--if people don't want to wait in the line that day, they can leave and come another day (and plan on getting there earlier, if possible, to avoid the line). If not, stay hydrated, and don't stand with your knees locked, if voting is that important to you (and it should be).


In 2011, Georgia reduced early voting from 45 days prior to the election to only 21. And in this election cycle Gwinnett County currently has only one early voting location. Cobb County has only two voting locations. As we get closer to the election more polling locations are supposed to open up.


"Only 21" days for early voting? Give me a break--and it seems that, as time creeps closer to actual election day, more precincts open up.

Like at least one other person noted--if the lines really are this long, then they need more voting precincts open earlier, but I fail to subscribe to the idea that this is bad for democracy. With 21 days to early vote, plus election day, there's really zero excuse not to cast your vote.

Maybe this early voting is a race to get your legitimate vote in for fear of someone else doing it on your behalf before you do...



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 10:17 AM
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a reply to: Southern Guardian

Thank goodness Georgia allows voters to simply request a mail in ballot, so they don't have to wait in line:

Link



posted on Oct, 26 2016 @ 10:45 AM
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Thank the GOP for these voting hassles they want to make the vote as less as possible.

That's the real devil in the woodpile--GOP conservative philosophy.


If Trump wasn't attached to them devils he might be bearable
edit on 26-10-2016 by Willtell because: (no reason given)




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