long vote lines in VA? where's the drop off boxes so ppl don't have to wait

[msongs]

well maybe VA doesnt do that sort of thing, too bad then

[beachbumbob]

1. this is EARLY IN PERSON VOTING

and its setting records

[soothsayer]

4. Now I'm wondering if there will be shorter lines on Election Day

What to do?

[pat_k]

10. Disenfranchisement by election day line grows by leaps and bounds every cycle

The trend of closing polling places, allocating insufficient equipment, and failing to test equipment in "certain areas" has been growing every election cycle. Long lines do NOT mean high turnout. In urban areas, the opposite is often the case, as a high number of people see the line and turn around and go back to work or to manage other obligations.

Seeing lines in early voting is a VERY bad sign.

For whatever reason, Dems, particularly young Dems, tend to wait until election day.

Time is money, and lines are the new poll tax.

This is a form of disenfranchisement that needs to be at the TOP of the list of tactics that must be ended.

When long lines are coupled with overconfidence in the outcome, it's the perfect storm. This is what did in Hillary. The more confident a person is that their candidate is going to win "anyway," the more likely that are to go home when confronted with a line.

Beware overconfidence in Biden's lead. Between disqualification of mail in ballots and lines to vote in populous areas, shaving off 5% of Biden votes is not out of reach.

And when it comes to mail in ballots, we have to do more than encourage votes to get their votes in. We must emphasize the importance of reading ALL directions extremely carefully and double checking that all parts of the ballot are filled out correctly. They will be looking for the smallest error to disqualify these ballots.

As for what to do?

At this point, the only recourse I can see is taking jurisdictions whose plans allocate insufficient resources to manage high turnout to court.

In the long term, the ideal solution would be Federal law that imposes substantial fines for poorly run, unfair elections (creating barriers to voting or having a vote counted). Monetary incentive may not do it, but making it cost more to conduct an election badly than to conduct it well could help.

[Thekaspervote]

13. No one should wait until Election Day to vote!

[pat_k]

14. "Shouldn't" sure. But they do.

And we must demand that counties be equipped to handle turnout.

No one should face unreasonable barriers to voting -- regardless of when or how they choose to vote.

And in states that don't have early in person voting, people may choose to vote on election day because their vote is far more likely to be counted. A very high number of mail in ballots are disqualified.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/north-carolina-is-already-rejecting-black-voters-mail-in-ballots-more-often-than-white-voters/

Black voters’ ballots are being rejected at more than four times the rate of white voters, according to the state’s numbers.1 Black voters have mailed in 13,747 ballots, with 642 rejected, or 4.7 percent.

Think about it: 4.7% that is an amazingly high number.

Add this to the fact that Biden voters are FAR more likely to vote by mail, and you have a Trump win.

[Dream Girl]

2. They're not dropping off completed ballots

[Dave in VA]

3. Yes, Virginia does do drop off boxes

Ballots start being mailed out today, if you have already requested one. These lines are for people who are choosing to vote in person versus be mail or using a drop off box.

[underpants]

8. Right, with the scanners

So that vote is locked up safe.

Yes!!!

[lame54]

5. Waiting is a badge of honor

[pat_k]

12. No, it is not. Lines are the new poll tax. We must demand adequate resources.

More in post below

[msongs]

6. well voting in person is more secure than USPS voting, so there's that benefit nt

[SlogginThroughIt]

9. Exactly

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

20. That's exactly what Trump wants you to think.

USPS voting isn't insecure but it could be late. Get an absentee ballot and drop it off at an election office or a drop box if you don't want to worry about that or expose yourself to other people.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. It doesn't work that way.

You need an absentee ballot to put in the drop box. Early voting is like regular voting at a polling place, except it’s early.

[Hoyt]

11. VA starts mailing out ballots 45 days before the election.

[appalachiablue]

15. Plenty of ballot drop boxes in Va.

[Yavin4]

16. You don't have to vote today. You can try again next week.

And the week after that all the way until election day.

The crowd today shows us how amped up voters are to get rid of Trump,

[Dave in VA]

18. Early voting is cut off

on October, 31, 2020

Just FYI

[Yavin4]

19. That gives you a whole month and 13 days to vote.

You don't have to stand in line today. Do it next Tuesday.

Kind of like going to see a popular movie. If it sells out, go to a later showing.

[Wounded Bear]

17. Why can't we just enjoy the dedication of these people...

to excercise their right to vote?



This is like winning the Super Bowl by 20 points and having fans complain that a WR dropped a pass somewhere in the 3rd Qtr.

I, for one, am proud of my fellow citizens for their determination to vote and make sure their vote gets counted.