OMG! Voting in Kansas!

[MuseRider]

So I walk in the door of the high school I have been voting in for 18 years. It is a mad house. Not because of voters but because some little lady is throwing papers and folders around complaining about not knowing what to do with all the stuff, great huh? I walk up to the desk and give her my name. "You can't vote here." "Really, why is that? I have been voting here forever." You are not on my list. I peek over and she is not even looking at the right first 3 letters so I turn the pages for her and show her me, my husband and my two sons. "Oh! Silly me. I guess I am tired or something." Here is your pink card. Why do I need a pink card you might ask? Because I am an unaffiliated voter was the answer I got from her and in order to vote I had to be either a Democrat or a Republican. WTF? I told her that I could vote on the Democratic ballot and she told me no. SHE TOLD ME NO! So I argued (I am trying to make this story shorter) and lo and behold after pointing her to 4 places that said that I could vote on a Democratic ballot without changing my affiliation she said OK. She did not know, NONE of the 6 workers in there knew that NONE of them, I had to show them. So I get my ballot and ask for the special ballot on a county question. Long story short, she said I couldn't vote on it, I said I could and I drug her ass over to the damned map and showed her where I lived. She did not know how to put down in their books who she gave the special ballot to, they were all blank, every page. I asked her if I could sign it so that someone, anyone would know I voted, she let me. I think she was afraid of me at this point. So, I went in and voted. Took me all of about 20 seconds (optiscan). As I was voting another man walked in who was unaffiliated and she told him the same thing she told me until one of the other ladies stopped her. :crazy: As I walked over to get my sticker I saw the monster touch screen, brand spanking new just for us to learn on this election. It did not look like it was even on. I should have asked about it but I did not, I was too freaked out by that time. My husband is getting ready to run over there to vote with the instructions to ask about the touch screen. What do you bet none of them know anything about it. I will let you know. What a fucking mess that was.

[Big Unit]

1. Where did this Happen?

I am curious in which town or county this happened? Did you call in a complaint?

[MuseRider]

3. Topeka

I am going to wait until my husband votes and asks about the touch screen. I do plan on bringing this to the attention of Elizabeth Ensley after things settle down.

[CadenBlaker]

2. Send this into the Eagle.

The paper should see what you thought. I am going to skip the primary today because I feel like crap, but I will be voting in the general election, I hope they got their shit together by then.

[GreenCommie]

4. Re: The touch screen

Maybe they don't know how to turn it on?

[MuseRider]

5. Dunno

My husband just went to vote so we will know soon. I have NEVER had a problem like this before.

[Mabus]

6. Keep us in the loop n/t

[MuseRider]

7. Update

he voted but the lady that "helped" me was not there. I thought they had to stay all day. Whatever, he had no problem getting his ballots.

The machine is Diebold and it was turned on. The guy smiled at my husband and said, "This is how we will all be voting from now on." My husband replied, "Not me, those things are not certifiable and I will NOT be voting on one." He said the man just shook his head and walked away.

I will be reporting my experience but will wait until the election stuff calms down a little so that I can go in and have a chat.

Hope you all had an easier time.

[deminks]

8. I did not have as tough a time as you in getting to vote

but was offered a choice between the "electronic machine" and a paper ballot. I voted this evening in Ks. I gave her a 5 minute lecture on the evils of electronic voting, politely. She just looked at me stunned. I finally just asked "Paper, please". I told her if we are going to use these exclusively from now on, I will be voting absentee. She did tell me that "a few" people have wanted to try it.

[CadenBlaker]

9. I changed my mind.

I went ahead and voted and I gotta say my experience was great. While I am still worried about the general elections, it was smooth for me here.

[MuseRider]

10. Good for you.

You would have felt badly if you had not. It is, after all, our responsibility. I think the voting part took me all of about 30 seconds or less.

[CadenBlaker]

11. I had one problem.

My only issue was as an unaffiliated voter I could not vote for the best possible republican candidate. I feel I have a horse in that race as well as any race from any party, so having the best of them move forward based on opinions that were non republican would be nice, considering the power they yield here in Kansas. I voted Dem and I was happy for that, but I still would had liked to been able to do both.

[beyurslf]

12. You wanted to vote in the Republican and the Democratic primary?