Line to vote in Birmingham at 6:45 AM

[marylandblue]

[stonecutter357]

1. K&R

[peacebuzzard]

2. Thank you, voters

We need you.

[Perseus]

10. Well...thank you if

they are voting for Jones...

[peacebuzzard]

12. To me, I see an image of predominantly wage earners

I could be wrong, but at 0645 am, these voters have elsewhere to go, but they are out there, in the cold, and on a mission.
I see a line of people who want something better than what they have been getting.
I can hope it is for Jones.

[volstork]

3. Great to see,

but I'm sure the pubes will find a way to cheat out a win.

[Liberal In Red State]

4. The only concern I have is will their vote count - be suppressed - be discounted because of

provisional ballots. They will try to shut down the minority turnout or suppress it by some method. It is ok longer enough to just get in line and vote - how to be sure your voted is counted and counted correctly is the key

[Grammy23]

5. Just hoping these are Doug Jones voters!

And that there are similar lines around the state. Please, Jones voters! Be patient and prepared to stand in line. This is too important to leave it to chance. Vote like your vote matters more than ever!!

[marylandblue]

33. Birmingham is Jones territory

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

6. Didn't I read or hear that Alabama

has greatly reduced the number of voting sites?

[Ligyron]

8. Yes you did.

Especially in counties with large AA populations (cause it's like that there - segregated alot).

Sec of State bragged about it too.

[bigbrother05]

13. They tried to close a lot of DL registration sites as well

with no ID or place to vote, they get the representation the pale folks want

[Sam McGee]

7. Early results . . .

Around 10:30 AM EST, Dec 12, I talked with my four Alabama relatives. All of them voted first thing, as soon as polls opened. They reported their votes:

Three voted for Doug Jones
One wrote in Luther Strange

They are in rural Calhoun County (where they may be the only Democrats and the only people with full sets of their own teeth).

Let's pray this momentum continues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bigbrother05]

11. Isn't that Anniston? My daughter and many of her friends will vote Dem

but not her Ex & family

[NastyRiffraff]

9. That looks great!

Sending good wishes to Alabama from Maryland!

[Jim__]

14. Do you know if those lines exist all over the state?

Or are there long lines mostly in Democratic districts because those district are short on voting machines, etc?

[marylandblue]

15. Sorry I don't, line counts are really anecdotal but they are encouraging

Lines are usually longer In Democratic areas across the country, but still I thought it was positive that people lined up early. Did come across another long line in a suburban democratic area


:large

Link to tweet

[geretogo]

16. This looks so ridiculous . We in Oregon sit in our warm house with a pencil and a stamp on a ballot

envelope . I wished the rest of the country could up grade to 21st century voting .

[Codeine]

17. Hey, I enjoy voting in person.

It's a nice little ritual, and as close to a "sacred" duty as I will ever perform. My wife won't hear of it and votes absentee, which is very easy to arrange in California.

[Rural_Progressive]

39. As a neighbor to the north, I fully agree

Not only do we get to sit at home, consult with those more politically aware than we are as we fill out our ballot, we also get to put our ballots into nifty little ballot kiosks down in front of our city hall, police station, and library "mall". Doesn't even cost a stamp to be a participating citizen.

I agree, the rest of the of the country should catch up with the Pacific Northwest.

[aggiesal]

18. Why is there a line? ...

Are there limited number of voting booths at this precinct?
How big is the ballot?
Basically, how many elections are being voted on?

[marylandblue]

21. I think it's just the Senate special election

But turnout is relatively high. Usually it is 20% for specials, they predicted 25% this morning based on today's trend.

[aggiesal]

22. How long does it take to make 1 vote? ...

Is there only 1 voting booth at these precincts?

After last nights voting ballot stay by the Alabama Supreme Court,
I don't trust anything that the voting officials do.

There is something wrong. I have no proof, just a gut feeling.

[marylandblue]

24. I've waited on lines like that in deep blue urban or suburban areas in blue states

Blue urban precincts have more people in them, and if they don't predict turnout correctly, they don't send enough booths, machines and poll workers. On the other hand I never had to walk or drive more than 5 minutes to get to the polls. But in sparsely populated areas, the issue is how far you have to go to get to the polls, so they have to have at least one machine for large empty area.

Not to discount that they actually do send too few machines to democratic areas in red states. But democrats are fired up this year, they are willing to wait.

Go Doug Jones!

[House of Roberts]

35. I have to vote in a big Baptist church.

It's done in a big room. You go up to a folding table with your portion of the alphabet your last name starts with. They have you sign the register and hand you back your ID and your ballot. You go sit at a table and mark it, then on your way out, you feed it into the tabulator. It takes very little time if you vote in a red precinct.
I don't see why there should be long lines outside anywhere with so many churches here in Alabama.

[IronLionZion]

40. I waited almost 3 hours to vote for Obama in a blue city in a blue state

cities tend to have long lines for voting. There's only so many polling places they can put in a geographic area and Dems encourage our voters to vote early. So it can be crowded in the morning before work. But I also walked to my polling place.

It's less of a wait in rural areas but they have to drive and it's more spread out.

[aggiesal]

41. I live in San Diego ...

It took me about 5 minutes to walk in, sign the book, get my ballot, fill it out & slide in the box, get my "I voted" sticker and leave.
If you're waiting in a line that long, it was intentional.
Someone, somewhere in your county wanted it that way.

I believe waiting 30 minutes is a problem, so waiting 3 hours is definitely a problem.

[IronLionZion]

43. It's all Democrats here, I doubt Dems would intentionally screw Dems

More likely they didn't adequately plan for Obama's record breaking turnout.

Isn't San Diego controlled by Republicans? They might want to screw over Dems.

[aggiesal]

44. Misconception ...

San Diego used to be run by Conservatives, but
the city of SD is predominately democratic, while the
suburbs used to lean conservative, democrats now
outnumber them in registration. A small lead like 51-49.

The problem we have is that the ROV is run by Republicans.
Our Registrar of Voters is Michael Vu, the architect to the mess
in Cleveland during the Kerry/Bush election.

Vu tries everything his can to keep from anyone auditing their
the results.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

27. I think the photo was from 6:45am. The polls were probably not open yet.

Many people have to vote fast, then get to work.

[csziggy]

34. I think that was before the polling place opened

I'm not sure about Alabama but here in Florida the polling places open at 7 AM. People could have been lining up to be in line to vote as soon as the polling place opened and to vote as early as possible, before work.

[YOHABLO]

19. Is there anyone out there who wonders why Tuesday is always voting day?

Soooo inconvenient

[marylandblue]

20. It's written in the Constitution for federal elections

They picked a market day after harvest was over but before winter to make it easier for everyone. Now we try to make it harder

[moose65]

29. Is it?

I don’t think it’s actually IN the Constitution. I have searched and I can’t find it, but I did find reference to a federal law from 1845 that standardized federal elections. If it’s a law, it could be changed. The reason we vote on Tuesday is because at that time, it might take an entire day for people (well, men) to travel to the county seat for voting, and they didn’t want men traveling on Sunday! Now, of course, those reasons are ridiculous.

[marylandblue]

31. You are correct, I misremembered what I once knew

So, yes Congress can change it.

[aggiesal]

42. There is something, somewhere about elections for any federal position ...

i.e. Congress (House or Senate) and President are held the
1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday, in November.
So if November 1 is a Tuesday, then the election is the following
week after the 1st Monday.

As for special elections, the state and counties decide.
I don't know why they pick Tuesday.

[getagrip_already]

23. what time do polls close in AL?

And how quickly do precints report?

[marylandblue]

25. 7 PM Central close, don't know how long it takes to report

[SpankMe]

26. They don't seem real happy, though. n/t

[marylandblue]

28. I'm an ogre in mornings until I have my first cup of coffee

[iluvtennis]

38. LOL, love that cuo.

[Bengus81]

30. The usual shortage of machines?? (wink wink!!)

Or truly so many lined up it takes that long?

[marylandblue]

32. Well, both pictures were taken before the polls opened

So maybe it's more like enthusiastic voters lining up to vote before work.

[Plucketeer]

36. Let us hope

they vote no moore!

[iluvtennis]

37. Thanks for sharing the photo - love it

[Wounded Bear]

45. WTG Alabama!

Looks like people are motivated. Let's hope they are motivated for the right reasons.

[roomtomove]

46. I DO NOT TWEET

PLEASE DO NOT PROVIDE A LINK I CAN'T USE......

[marylandblue]

47. I don't tweet either, you should be able to see the photo

[roomtomove]

48. The link requires me to log in as a twit....

[marylandblue]

49. Sorry, I don't know what the problem is

I see the photos embedded in the text here o DU. It's not asking me to long in. Sorry.