one lever, pulled.
My voting experience was quick and easy. I think I spent more time confirming my ballot was marked correctly than I spent waiting in line. I guess going in the middle of the morning will do that for you. I wasn’t expecting it, but the historical significance of the moment totally overwhelmed me, and I will admit that I got something in both of my eyes when I voted for Barack Obama. I’ve voted in every election since 1990, and this is the first time I’ve ever felt genuinely hopeful when I cast my ballot, instead of resigned.
Have you voted? Feel free to share your experience if you like.
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huzzah wil, I voted early a week and a half ago but even so I felt glad to do it(big line when I went). Today I just feel like I’m watching a very slow moving football game.
I voted at about 9:30 AM EST. It took 13 minutes from the time I parked the car until the time I was done.
First, friggin’ TypePad asks me to sign in EVERY TIME. Come on, guys.
Second, the only time I got weepy about this election was on the treadmill at the gym last week, watching Obama’s rally somewhere being broadcast live on CNN. On TV screens surrounding that one, McCain commercials preyed on fear and FOX News preyed on ignorance. Meanwhile, Obama just spoke of hope, unity, togetherness and the future. It made me reinvigorated I made the right choice when I hit the polls early last week.
Wil, where’d you vote? Cuba? That’s an odd flag.
And yeah, Typekey sucks.
I rolled into my polling station at about 8:45 EDT, and only had to wait for a pair of vocal & fired up seniors in line in front of me. I filled out my ballot with a very strong sense of satisfaction, rather than my usual pessimistic “lesser of two evils” experiences. And then I went to work and started guilt-tripping my coworkers into taking lunch to go vote themselves. No sticker for me, though – they didn’t have them, WTF? I’m contemplating just drawing one on my forehead with Sharpies. Ain’t participating in history great?
Thanks Wil!
I live in Canada so our voting is over. I know some fellow Canadians who are actually attending election parties tonight – in Canada! How cool is that? I’m sure our own election does not reach with such long fingers down to you.
Also, you have a sticker where you’re head should be. All hail Stickerhead!
Dude, my “I voted” sticker is WAY nicer looking than that one. (kidding) Well, here’s to hoping for change (and in the case of prop h8 no change).
I am kind of sad that I vote by mail instead of having to stand in line. I don’t get a sticker. 🙁
I REALLY like that picture too. It’s just cool to see the sticker right over your face like that with the Obama picture in the background. Very cool.
Hey Wil,
I went to the place on Martello this morning to vote. It took me 5 minutes total, no standing in lines and no waiting. I also got a quick, warm flush when I marked yes for Obama and no on 8. I felt a quickening in my chest followed by a proud moment in being a part of our voting history. I hope that vote will help to reflect the change we are needing for this country!
I voted about 8 hours ago (7:30 eastern time). My wife and I got there with our two boys at 7am so I could vote before I went to work (and so I could watch the boys when she voted). I was glad to see so many people out voting but I was even more glad that I only had to wait in line 1/2 an hour.
You know you could take that sticker to Books-A-Million and get a free cup of coffee. ^_^
Since you asked and I just finished it, I wrote something at: http://www.seejane.blogspot.com/
Mind you, normally I wouldn’t do that.
p.s. Do you still have an account at Pandora?
p.p.s. Agree with “friggin’ Typepad sign-in”
There was a very short line at my polling place and it was more because they were explaining the ballot than anything else. My ballot was #99 to go into the machine. I was very excited as I saw it go in, watched the light turn green and heard the confirmation “beep” that vote had been counted. I too actually feel like I have voted for the candidate I believe in more than the one who will do less damage. It is a good feeling and I wish I could feel that way every election.
Cali peeps who haven’t voted yet, please vote no on 8.
I literally could not sleep last night. I woke up nearly every hour because my mind was racing about the election. I was giddy when I got to the polls. I checked and rechecked before handing in my ballot.
On a side note, I’m really jealous of those of you who got the “I voted” stickers. All I got to keep was this: http://bit.ly/4anHTz
Yay!
I am sad because my place didn’t have any stickers. I went at 6:15am, in Brooklyn, and there was already a 45min wait and two of the four machines were broken. My whole neighborhood apparently has to vote on paper.
The local news said the best time to vote was 8:30 to 11:30 and 1:30 to 4:00. I went to the station at 11:15, and there was no one in line.
Being I work from home, it was 8 minutes my door to the station, vote, and back to my house.
Now we have to see what happens…
If you haven’t voted, do so.
I was able to pop into my polling place before I left for work. Luckily for me, it’s in the clubhouse for my apartment complex 🙂
This election is the first time I seriously researched all my candidates, on city, state and national levels and voted how I see the issues and not just vote the way my mom would. (As she’s been my information source for most things political my whole life.)
I feel far more grown up now, and more involved in my community for doing so.
Hopeful is a great word to describe it. For the first time, I was voting *for* something, instead of just *against* something. It was a great feeling and one I hope to have in many more elections in the future.
I got up early, put on my Obama ’08 shirt, cleverly disguised under my zip up fleece, and headed to my polling place. I’ve never been so proud to vote as I was today. I was in and out in 10 minutes. It’s abnormally sunny and warm in IL today and I think I know why… I’m rocking my shirt and my “I voted sticker” in the office today.
Nicely put. From up here, in Canada, I’ve never been as excited (and anxious) about American politics as I am this year. My fingers are crossed for a great, monumental day. 🙂
I turned 18 one month before the 1996 General Election. There had been a registration drive at my high school that spring and I had filled out the paper work at that time.
The best birthday card I got that year was my voter registration card. I have voted in every election since then.
I was at my polling location at 7:00 this morning because I could not wait to vote, even though my presidential vote has very little meaning in the very right leaning state I live in. Some of the local elections are very close and I was very proud to be able to cast my ballot.
I will be watching the returns closely tonight…
I voted via absentee a few weeks ago. I know, I know. There are some worries that my vote won’t be counted, or at least won’t be counted until after the state has been decided. But it was necessary. My polling place is at a school in Venice, CA. and getting in and out of there in the past on less popular elections has been excessively painful. That was confirmed when I drove by this morning and saw the disaster of all the parents trying to drop off their kids along with all the voters trying to park. The line was out the auditorium, out to the sidewalk and down past the corner. I would guess a 2 hour wait at 7am. All in all, I voted and am damn proud to see so many Americans taking the time to do the same today.
What’s This Heady Feeling?
Oh so this spring in my step, this joy in my soul, this lightness in my head, this shortness of breathe…
So this is what it’s like to vote for someone you want rather than someone you’re stuck with.
Neat.
—-
I’m driving myself crazy though checking for every scrap of news. So Star Wars is in the DVD player and I’ll come back to the “real world” later.
This was my third presidential election, and the first time I’ve ever felt proud after voting. Seeing as I’m in AZ, it’s not likely Obama will win my state, but it sure as hell won’t be for lack of trying if I have anything to say about it.
Nice pic in the background there. 🙂 I’m voting for Barack in rural Alabama, but i’m excited nonetheless.
I had won a coupon for 4 hours of Paid Time Off in a drawing at work, and used it this morning. Arrived at Laurel High School, Laurel, Maryland at 10:30; an election judge said the crowd was extraordinary for that hour. When he arrived at around 6 (polls opened at 7), there were 40 people waiting outside. He estimated there had been a maximum 2 hour wait this morning but admitted the people in line might have disputed that. The workers/judges kept asking if we had any questions and at one point made an announcement about hyphenated names and name changes (make sure you give all info so you don’t get rejected) The process was very efficient; although the gymnasium was full of people we got out of there about an hour after arrival.
Oh, and we both voted for Obama. I think most of our neighborhood probably did.
And now, I wear my little sticker with pride. If it wasn’t made of paper I’d stick it to my Obama bumper sticker.
My NY friends so far report surprisingly short waits.
This is the first time I’ve been able to vote in a presidential election. Not gonna lie, it was quite an experience. I also got a little something in both of my eyes. The line was short and the people there couldn’t have been nicer. The longest part was voter registration. (Thank god for same day registration.)
I’m glad my first real vote went to Obama.
Even though we didn’t have class this morning, my roommate and I woke up at 6:30 so that we could walk down to our polling place. When my R2D2 alarm went off, I got my first good feeling of the day, it was raining!! I hail from the small town of Blythe, CA; a town which rarely sees more than 2 inches of rain a year so I was totally stoked to see that my favorite weather was dominating Riverside skies, but I digress. We walked down the street, waited in line for maybe twenty minutes and then I started drawing my lines. This is my first Presidential election, that alone is exciting. But when you couple it with my actually being excited about one of the candidates, the first African American candidate…well, there are just no words to describe how giddy I’ve been all morning. After I finished my ballot, I went back to the first page and made my Obama/Biden line a little darker…I’m not taking any chances.
I just walked a mile and back to vote. It sure does feel good though.
I vote this morning around 8:00. I was surprised that there wasn’t a line and I went right in and cast in my ballot. I heard on the news that there aren’t very long lines here in Phoenix. Maybe around 4:00 when everyone gets out of work is when the lines will start to pick up. I’m 20 years old, and this was my first time voting. I felt proud to cast in my vote for the first time. I’m glad that I got the chance to vote on a election that is very well going into the history books, and will have a feeling of hope and change for this country. Obama is the one who gives me the feeling of hope and change. Its true that Obama might not win Arizona, because of all the hard core republicans in our state. But above all, Obama better win this election.
Just got back from the polls, and count one more for Obama/Biden.
My precinct is small, only about 940 registered voters in the area. I was #355, and at 1:30pm, that’s a very good sign!
No waiting, no line when I got there, I was the only voter in the place at the moment. I said hello to an old high school friend and former soccer teammate who was volunteering, signed in, and headed to the dreaded machine.
The same machines as 2004, bummer. No receipt, no paper trail, not making me happy. But I knocked through the individual races and double checked myself twice at the end.
I almost walked out without my sticker, but I checked myself and got it; it now resides proudly on my ballcap, which I’ll be wearing for the rest of the day ^,^
I was kinda disappointed, we didn’t have to wait in line or anything. I also spent more time double and triple checking my ballot before hitting the orange button than I did waiting.
Being 28, this will be my first Presidential election without a Bush victory, that in and of itself to me is exciting. However, being from Louisiana, it’s pretty discouraging sometimes to be a speck of blue (well with my family and friends, small group of specks) in a VERY red community. The last two elections pretty much decimated my faith in humanity. It would be really nice to get some of that back.
I voted this morning (Georgia) and was so excited and am very hopeful for the potential change our country is about to embark on!
I wish the results would come in.
I can haz vote! I voted a couple of hours ago now, and I’m just crossing my fingers that the presidential polls are right, and that 8 and 4 go down in the FLAMES they should.
I wonder if you voted at the Armenian church on Washington, I went there at 12:30 and I pretty much walked right up to the booth.
First time in memory that my polling place had lines — yea! Voted on paper (yea, I’m a luddite when it comes to voting) — almost took my breath away filling in that bubble for Obama. Voted without fail since Reagan — and will continue to do so as long as I draw breath. Working at the LD office all day — canvassing, phone calling, blogging, you name it ;>
I’m Canadian and lived in Texas from 1997 to 2003 so couldn’t I couldn’t vote. 🙁
It was odd how the vibe that was in the air changed, form, there’s no way Bush is going to win to – OMG – is is going to take it.
I got to vote again two weeks ago in our national election and it felt great! 🙂
Please go out and vote for your county – the rest of the world does care who you put in office.
Remember: “If you don’t vote – you don’t have the right to complain!”
THINK
think different
Think open Source
Viva Obama. I love living in Oregon. I voted over a week ago from my living room. I then walked my ballot to the library and dropped it into a secure (read, really really locked up) box. That was a very long and satisfying walk, I must say. I’m still hopeful, but that hasn’t stopped me from volunteering to make calls all day for the Obama team. I’m praying, meditating, and I just killed a chicken in a voodoo ceremony. I’ll do anything it takes. Good Luck Everyone.
I voted, and it was bittersweet: like many others here have expressed, it felt different this time–like voting for Obama MATTERED.
However, I’m waiting to see whether or not I get to stay married.
The waiting sucks, and my fear that my state will support constitutional discrimination–well, it sucks more.
Your support is appreciated more than you may know: every straight person who casts a vote for equality makes me feel a bit better, and it’s helping me choke down the pill that my future status may be decided by a bunch of bigots who need to keep their noses in their own business.
Mine was ballot #168 at my local polling place, at 11:00 AM. This is a small town, and I think the only reason there’s a significant Republican/right-wing turnout (they really can’t get past the sour taste Palin’s left in their mouths) is to vote in favor of Prop 102, the second attempt in Arizona to ban gay marriage.
Less than 200 ballots cast is pretty low, I’m afraid. I hope it means what I’d like it to mean: The neo-fascists are just staying home today.
Today will be my first time voting ever. I am sadly one of those 30 year old citizens who was apathetic for many years about our government and the election process. I am counting down the time till I get to vote. I now realize what a privilege it is to be able to say I took part in deciding the future of our government. I’m voting for change. I’m voting for hope for our nation. I’m voting so that my voice is heard. I’m voting on behalf of the future of my children. No matter what happens I will know that my taking part in the process will not be in vain.
Thank you Wil and WWdN readers for doing your part, standing up, and being counted today. Its a day to be proud of yourselves and all who take part in such an important process.
My boyfriend, girlfriend and I walked the 2 blocks to our polling place at 9:00am EST and waited about a half hour to vote. The boy was not on the rolls, despite having sent in his registration on Oct. 6th. Luckily out landlord was working the polls this morning and vouched that he was in fact a resident and the county election board agreed via phone, allowing him to vote.
It was an exciting morning and we walked home practically bouncing with excitement.
You and I have been voting for about the same amount of years, Wil. And I have to say that this is the FIRST election that I have ever been so excited about. It’s so wonderful to have a candidate I am *excited* about instead of just voting for the lesser evil.
My family and I will eagerly watch the returns tonight in the hopes of a victory for Obama and a defeat for California’s Prop 8.
BTW – I love the composition of your “voted” photo. 🙂 But, is there a lonely little cloud floating by on your wall?
I apparently failed to register when I moved three years ago. I ended up waiting in line for about and hour and a half before I found that out. Lucky I didn’t move far, though, and I found I just had to go to the polling location I’d used in 2004. It was a pain, but it was worth it. I’ve never felt patriotic about voting until today.
I stood in line for about an hour, but I suppose that is what I get for trying to get ahead of the game by voting early. This is the first time I’m old enough to vote in a presidential election so I am super excited based solely on that. Even though I actually support Obama in this election (finding a candidate to support was something I never thought would happen) I can’t help but be reminded of the voting episode of South Park when I think of all the other people in my area complaining about having no one “good” to vote for. And your sticker is sooooo much cooler than mine. 🙁
I am truly envious of you Democrats this time out… I voted for McCain today. I wasn’t happy about doing it, but as a Libertarian I couldn’t vote for Obama. It sucks having to vote against someone instead of for someone, but that’s politics.
Good luck tonight, I hope I’m wrong about Obama.
BTW:I can’t vote no on 8, but I did vote no on 2 here in Florida, which is essentially the same thing…
I voted by mail two weeks ago. kinda nice to vote in slippers. I was thrilled to see the absolute line of cars waiting to park to vote this morning in my park (who knew i was a polling place!) – and I am hopeful that they ignored the idiot on the corner with 10 vote yes on 8 signs (yeah we get it – your a bigot).
My polling place uses touch screens. When it was my turn to vote, I took my 11-month-old out of the stroller and he and I pushed the Obama/Biden button together. I have to admit to getting teary.
Wil – you just described the feeling I had as I filled in the little oval for Barack Obama/Joe Biden. Pride, hope, excitement…I’ve never felt this way after voting before. Truly an epic day.