Voting

[ckd]

hr_macgirl and I voted in the Massachusetts primary at just before 1800, and were ballots #612 and #613 at our polling location, which was busy but not packed; there were empty booths, of about a dozen total (I think; I didn't count). For the uncontested special election [ETA: last May] to fill our vacant state Senate seat, we were #22 and #23...and voted sometime around 1830-1900.

As unenrolled voters, we got to choose which party ballot to take, and both of us took D ballots. As we were walking to the booths, we heard the staff say "we need more Democratic ballots".

Comments

[yendi]

Based on the current CNN numbers, the second-place Democratic finisher will finish with more votes than all Republicans combined in MA.

Yeah, I think running out of Democratic ballots may be an issue for lots of districts.

[docorion.livejournal.com]

Jane Swift (former R governor of MA, for those who don't recall) was commenting on NECN that unenrolled voters were heavily favoring the D side today. To which I say, w00t!

[readsalot.livejournal.com]

Was polling for the special election in a different place, or just using different ballots?

[ckd]

Same place, different time (last May) and different ballots.

[ron_newman]

However, most of Arlington had a special primary today to fill a State Representative seat. Same ballot as the presidential primary,

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

I've been thrilling to see the great interest in the Dem primary campaign, but the real election wonks say it's terrible, because the lack of an early front-runner means the campaigns are burning money and time not fighting the Republicans--they seem convinced that if it goes long past Super Tuesday, McCain's going to win. The case where most primary votes don't matter at all is actually what you want.

Another reason to think there's something deeply wrong with the system, though I'm not sure what the answer is.

[weirdquark]

I've seen a theory given that it gives Clinton and Obama an advantage over McCain because they're still going out and trying to get new people to vote for them, thus increasing voter turnout in favor of the Democrats. (Assuming the supporters of whomever doesn't get the nomination don't decide to sit at home, which I really hope doesn't happen.)

[mmcirvin.livejournal.com]

Of course, the emergence of an overwhelming Democratic frontrunner with a fabled aura of electability long before Super Tuesday, giving plenty of time to fight the good fight for the general election, was... exactly what happened in 2004. Let's see if I can recall how that went.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

I got selected as a county assembly delegate at the caucus. Must have been the tie I wore. Lucky tie!

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Naw, they thought you were cute!

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Perhaps... But I was the only white guy wearing a tie in the whole precinct caucus. I may follow that strategy again when I go to the County Convention. Somehow my Norwegian sweater just does not seem... political enough. And I look smart in a purple shirt and a tie.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

Could be. You have excellent fashion sense. If you were single and lived closer, I would have wanted to introduce you to the nice single vet I met yesterday. Giorgio is in massive renal failure and they're trying to pull him out so he can be treated, but he's still not eating today. I went to see him today and tried to get him to eat, but he wouldn't.