Voting Instructions

[MarkBC]

Oregon has had vote-by-mail for many years -- the first state to conduct all elections by mail only (no polling places). Anyway...

In putting my ballot in the Ballot Secrecy Envelope I noticed this on the back....maybe it's been there for years, but it struck me as funny...something kinda Monty Python about the example of how to vote:

...though, to make it more Python-esque, the write-in should have been "hedgehog".

Maybe I'm just easily amused...but I think somebody in the Secretary of State's office has a sense of humor.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Don't know why ALL states can't go to a mail in ballot.Since this is so important every effort needs to be made to make it easier all for citizens to get to vote,after all we have had Americans fight and die in other countries for their right to vote,why is it such a problem here?
Don't mean to SOAP BOX but...!
Get out and vote.
Frank

 

[takesiteasy]

Call me old- fashioned. I kind of like going to the polls. We walk over with the dog. It is a good community event- everyone is usually in a good mood, lots of kids and dogs along. Today they were letting kids vote in their own special section to join the fun and do what the big folks were doing. I agree with the idea of making voting easy for people, but I would not want to lose the opportunity to join my neighbors at the polling place on election day.

 

[ski3pin]

Call me old- fashioned. I kind of like going to the polls. We walk over with the dog. It is a good community event- everyone is usually in a good mood, lots of kids and dogs along. Today they were letting kids vote in their own special section to join the fun and do what the big folks were doing. I agree with the idea of making voting easy for people, but I would not want to lose the opportunity to join my neighbors at the polling place on election day.


I'm with takesiteasy on this one. I like the tradition of going to the polls and wouldn't want that to stop. Deep down I feel the public needs to make a bit of effort to cast their votes.

Mr. BC, I like the humor also.

 

[UglyScout]

I've been voting by mail in Oregon since it was started and I have never read those instructions -- that is funny!

 

[MarkBC]

I dropped off my "mail-in" ballot at the county offices this morning, which is what you have to do when it's later than the-Friday-before if you want to be sure your vote is counted (unlike in WA, post-marks don't count in OR -- they have to receive the ballot by election day).

Standing by the drop-box was a local TV reporter with a mic and her cameraman. She asked me "man-on-the-street" type questions:
Reporter: "Why did you wait until the last minute to vote instead of mailing in your ballot?"

Me: "I had most of it filled out two weeks ago, but I had to look up facts about some of the non-partisan elections...and because I'm a lazy procrastinator." (yes, that's really what I said).

She asked me if the 30% of voters who wait until the last day to vote do so for similar reasons, and I said something like: "If people CAN wait they will, 'cause they're procrastinators, too...and it still counts, and there's no line here, so why not?"
So, I just-now saw a bit of local news inserted in the election coverage, and they used my bit!

I'm thinking this kind of TV exposure could develop into a reality series...something for me to do for a couple of seasons in retirement.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip>
I'm thinking this kind of TV exposure could develop into a reality series...something for me to do for a couple of seasons in retirement.


Be careful what you wish for....................

 

[mtn-high]

I love the mail-in ballot. We voted 2 weeks ago...

What a great night here in CO. Let freedom ring! (also known as "Party on, Wayne!")

Colorado Rally, anyone?

 

[pods8]

I love the mail-in ballot. We voted 2 weeks ago...

What a great night here in CO. Let freedom ring! (also known as "Party on, Wayne!")

Colorado Rally, anyone?


WA is all mail in as well, I like it because I can sit there and read through each thing, research it as I see fit and then vote. I still voted on the WA ballot because I only moved a week prior to the election and I wouldn't have been able to switch over to CO in time. Now that the election is over I'll go get a CO license and change my voter registration, etc.


I'm in CO now.

 

[ntsqd]

We recently moved and apparently the local polling place is a heavily guarded, secret location. Three attempts to locate it failed. Address is quite obvious, actual location within the assisted living complex was non-existent, not obvious, and completely lacking in any type of signage of any kind. Screw polling places, first time in decades that I haven't voted - we'll be mailing ours in from now on.

 

[highz]

NM has early voting locations in most towns, but I also like the social aspect of going down to the polling place on election day. I would feel differently if I had to stand in a line for hours, though.

The mail-in voting instructions are great, Mark. Can't say OR doesn't have a sense of humor

Mtn, I thought of you when they announced the recreational marijuana law passing in CO. So, how will it work if possession is still a federal crime?

 

[4llamas]

I remember before Oregon had mail-in voting. (Yeah, I have that much life experience.) Some polling stations would change locations for each election and often they were tucked away and difficult to find. Extremely frustrating. Eventually enough people raised their voices and absentee voting by mail was made an option for everyone. The wife and I took advantage of it and voted early. Our biggest reward, and surprise, was the reduction in campaign calls. A good enough reason for us to vote early. Several years later all Oregon elections were mail-in voting only. I don't have the numbers, but turnout increased and it has been problem free for the most part. No doubt that many people never had a problem with voting in person and were equally frustrated to loose the community feel of participating in our most patriotic event.

One year the wife got a call from an election official telling her to come in and re-sign her ballot with a legible signature, even though it matched her voter registration card. Her signature looks like something from a kindergarten calligraphy class. So now every election she fakes her signature to insure that her ballot is accepted. Neatness counts.

 

[Smokecreek1]

I love the mail-in ballot. We voted 2 weeks ago...

What a great night here in CO. Let freedom ring! (also known as "Party on, Wayne!")

Colorado Rally, anyone?


So do I; a couple of years ago they switched my prct to all mail-in in to save money. It sure makes its things easier especially now that I'm retired, but I sort of miss the actual process of going down there and doing it and seeing all my old friends and catching up! We stupidly defeated the pot thing here, but I hope CO can work things out with the Feds-i mean legalize pot, treat it like booze and tax it!

Smoke

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

but I hope CO can work things out with the Feds-i mean legalize pot, treat it like booze and tax it!

Smoke

On the news this morning,that federal question came up.Seems the fed drug cops don't want to mess with the small pot thing.Takes up to much of their time,as long as the recreational pot doesn't get abused they seem to be OK with it.
Good luck.Put if under fed control and tax and regulate it like booze.Make money and may be keep crime out of it.IMO
Frank

 

[ntsqd]

I plan to contact the local jurisdiction and complain about their "hidden" polling place. Will likely have zero effect on their side, but will make me feel better anyway.
Put if under fed control and tax and regulate it like booze.Make money and may be keep crime out of it.IMO
My Mother has been saying that for 25+ years. Tax it, but make it easy enough to grow and distribute and crime won't have any interest in it because the margin is too low. Mal-Wart might be interested in low margin profit centers, but organized crime isn't. There's a concept, buy your lowest priced pot (grown in China?) from Mal-Wart!!!

 

[MarkBC]

In Oregon we see Washington state as a place to legally buy high -power fireworks. Now I suppose that there'll be another legal product that will entice Oregonians to head north...

 

[pods8]

In Oregon we see Washington state as a place to legally buy high -power fireworks. Now I suppose that there'll be another legal product that will entice Oregonians to head north...



I think you mean the indian reservations.

 

[MarkBC]

I think you mean the indian reservations.

Not legal everywhere in WA? I've never bought them myself, but have enjoyed watching fireworks "bought in Washington".

 

[mtn-high]

Mtn, I thought of you when they announced the recreational marijuana law passing in CO. So, how will it work if possession is still a federal crime?


It will work just like our medical marijuana cards do, high z. (we just renewed for the 8th year).

Basically....you just IGNORE the Feds in DC making such ridiculous policies who think they can control what you do in your own home...and you grow it and smoke it regardless of what they think is best for you.

I honestly don't think the "retail" side of this new law will see the light of day....but we shall see over the next 18 months or so what happens.

Freedom is a beautiful thing!

 

[pods8]

Not legal everywhere in WA? I've never bought them myself, but have enjoyed watching fireworks "bought in Washington".


The rules are weird, you can get roman candles and mortars at normal firework stands but not firecrackers or bottle rockets, gotta hit the reservations for that stuff.