Originally Posted by Leslie

I hope more BEers tell their voting experience in whatever way see fit --- I love to read about the scenes in the different states.

Originally Posted by retzie

Unfortunately, I came to this thread to post a less than happy impression of US voting. I have been a citizen for less than two years, so have voted in a local election, the primaries, and now this. The first time was in-person and I was mortified to discover races on my ballot that I had never heard about. I had read my voter guide from cover to cover, but nothing suggested there would be local races I should look up in advance. Rookie mistake.

The two subsequent times I was wise to the system, but was also voting mail-in. Unfortunately, I discovered that even with a nice cup of tea, all the time in the world, and the entire internet, there was STILL no information to be found on various people in the down-ballot races. I find this deeply disenfranchising, tbh

Have I missed something? Is there some kind of decent system to being an informed voter?

I do not consider talking to people with clipboards or picking up the phone to random numbers "decent".

Originally Posted by robin1234

I’m not sure what state you’re in.

Originally Posted by robin1234

The only reference I found for her online, was a notice for her playing in a rock band at a local coffee house, five years ago. So then I remembered that I actually knew her.

Originally Posted by retzie

Unfortunately, I came to this thread to post a less than happy impression of US voting. I have been a citizen for less than two years, so have voted in a local election, the primaries, and now this. The first time was in-person and I was mortified to discover races on my ballot that I had never heard about. I had read my voter guide from cover to cover, but nothing suggested there would be local races I should look up in advance. Rookie mistake.

The two subsequent times I was wise to the system, but was also voting mail-in. Unfortunately, I discovered that even with a nice cup of tea, all the time in the world, and the entire internet, there was STILL no information to be found on various people in the down-ballot races. I find this deeply disenfranchising, tbh

Have I missed something? Is there some kind of decent system to being an informed voter?

I do not consider talking to people with clipboards or picking up the phone to random numbers "decent".

Originally Posted by jjmb

Had the same experience when I first voted. Fortunately found a source subsequently, that lists everyone bar the local council and school board positions. For them I go to the local FB community page. One of the council candidates this year decided to shout even louder than Trump. From that and other posts, it was easy to see all the Trump republicans running even though they are not allowed to say which party they represent in local elections. The school board positions were harder to figure out as they all seem pretty decent candidates. My husband's friend in Scotland was amazed at the number of people we have to vote for in a general election and even more amazed when he saw the map of our congressional district which stretches way pass Waco and that the next street along is completely different congressional district, yet just a hundreds yards to the left , one block is in the same district as we are are.

Originally Posted by retzie

Unfortunately, I came to this thread to post a less than happy impression of US voting. I have been a citizen for less than two years, so have voted in a local election, the primaries, and now this. The first time was in-person and I was mortified to discover races on my ballot that I had never heard about. I had read my voter guide from cover to cover, but nothing suggested there would be local races I should look up in advance. Rookie mistake.

The two subsequent times I was wise to the system, but was also voting mail-in. Unfortunately, I discovered that even with a nice cup of tea, all the time in the world, and the entire internet, there was STILL no information to be found on various people in the down-ballot races. I find this deeply disenfranchising, tbh

Have I missed something? Is there some kind of decent system to being an informed voter?

I do not consider talking to people with clipboards or picking up the phone to random numbers "decent".

Originally Posted by Leslie

I think that's always a little daunting for people voting for the first time in a general election. I have always relied on local newspapers and/or magazines. This link is to the Texas Tribune page ... you have to scroll way down to get to the good stuff. Still there may not be a whole lot of information about the individuals. Somebody mentioned facebook which is a good source for local stuff in general. I often skip ones that I don't know anything about or if I don't like either candidate.

https://apps.texastribune.org/featur...0/#your-ballot

Originally Posted by Leslie

I think that's always a little daunting for people voting for the first time in a general election. I have always relied on local newspapers and/or magazines. This link is to the Texas Tribune page ... you have to scroll way down to get to the good stuff. Still there may not be a whole lot of information about the individuals. Somebody mentioned facebook which is a good source for local stuff in general. I often skip ones that I don't know anything about or if I don't like either candidate.

https://apps.texastribune.org/featur...0/#your-ballot

Originally Posted by Lion in Winter

.....If I can't find any info and don't have a clue, then I tend to skip that line rather than influence an outcome where I have no idea what may be going on.

Originally Posted by Leslie

I often skip ones that I don't know anything about or if I don't like either candidate.

Originally Posted by retzie

This is very difficult for me to do. I am Australian and being raised with mandatory voting gives you very specific ideas about your obligations. "Don't know and can't find out" makes me feel like I have failed

Originally Posted by zzrmark

Interesting, didn't even think about checking those figures.
So, your neighbour in his squarely red county can report that we have had a 41.04% turnout of eligible voters.
Those who have voted are:
48,552 (of 118,375) registered Republicans;
41,213 (of 83,648) registered Democrats;
22,455 ( of 71,404) other.

Breaking that down even further:
Republican: 30,405 (mail), 18,742 (in person)
Democrat: 32,927 (mail), 8,942 (in person)
Other: 16,317 (mail), 6,513 (in person)

Note that nearly half the registered Democrats have already voted, compared with just over two-fifths of Republicans and under a third of the rest.
The comparison between mailers and in person voters makes for interesting perusal, one should not forget that this is a county where I can, if I were bloody stupid enough, shop in stores without a mask being required and you wouldn't know that the world were in the grip of a pandemic if it weren't for the appearance of masked persons in the supermarkets - not that this goon goes in them very often as one of the first things the missus did when the apocalypse struck was to fork out for home delivered shopping.