What's up with the long voting lines?

[hedgehog]

Are these people who want to vote early and/or can't be there to vote Tuesday? Would they normally vote on Election Day? Would they normally vote at all? Are they voting early because of long lines on Election Day, and they're afraid of getting shut out if they wait?

I've never seen a voting line longer than two or three people!

[KaryninMiami]

1. I waited 90 minutes last week- much less then others here in FL

Gov. Scott cut the early voting from 15 days to 8 and cut out one Sunday. He also cut down the number of early voting locations. And we have a 10 (!) page ballot that is impossible to comprehend and takes a long time to fill out, then wait in the line to feed into the machine. And with early voting, they have to figure out first, which ballot you get since all of them are different within the county based on your city or township. It's a total cluster fuck thanks to the GOP and Scott who did everything possible to stop people - middle class and minorities from voting. Disgraceful.

Not everyone can take off many hours from work on Election Day to wait in line to vote so people wanted to be sure they had time-

[justiceischeap]

2. President Obama has been urging his supporters to vote early

I'd say that's some of it. As far as FL goes, Rev. Al encouraged the AA community to vote early. I think mostly though, people heard about their rights as voters being disenfranchised and decided this year, it isn't going to happen.

[Tutonic]

3. I read that the Florida ballots are ten pages in length.

I am going to assume that the lines on Election day will be longer and that working class people will not be paid for standing in line for ten hours.

[awake]

4. While they tried to slow us down we are overwhelming the state with voters

even with the road blocks we might just out preform 2008 the people are speaking up and letting the right know who is really in charge. We will not be stopped "Fired Up Ready To Go"

[flamingdem]

5. greattt n/t

[chowder66]

6. 10 page ballots, inadequate ballot provisions, early voting hours reduced

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/04/florida-early-voting-lawsuit_n_2072435.html

They had 14 days for early voting and it was reduced to 8 days, however they are supposed to have the same amount of hours to vote per a ruling agreement. Some precincts were closed so lines will be longer. Florida republicans are hoping that long lines will deter voters. And they got rid of the Sunday before the election when most minorities vote.

[djean111]

7. I figured if I voted early I will avoid not being able to vote on election day due to

car trouble, family trouble, problems at the polls, whatever.
And some people really cannot get time off from work, or get transportation.
I waited 35 minutes to vote last Friday in Florida, and I was prepared to come back on Saturday if there were any problems.
Also, with all the dirty bullshit being pulled (flung?) by the GOP, I honestly felt I waited too long - after all, if my registration had been trashed (even though I was checking it online quite often) voting early gives a chance to straighten things out. As Floridian, I distrust provisional ballots because they are too easy to just shred or whatever.
There are lots and lots of good reasons!
I am thrilled to see so many people caring enough to vote early.

[LisaL]

8. Gov Scott in FL cut early voting days.

SOS Husted in OH tried to do the same, was taken to court, was ordered to keep early voting days. But still managed to cut hours for early voting.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

9. And the Supervisors of Election in Florida counties

didn't adjust to the change by making more early voting locations available.

What Scott did by cutting days was wrong, but what the SoE of these counties did is just as wrong. If you know you have half as much time to vote, then you need to make twice as many locations available.

This needs to be addressed when this election is over.

[surrealAmerican]

10. We don't really know.

Some are likely voting early instead of voting on election day, and some are voting early who would not otherwise vote. There may also be voters who would otherwise have voted absentee. Early voting is just not an old enough phenomenon to be able to say now.


We should have a better understanding after election day.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

11. I don't remember where I read it

but I'll try to find it and get a link, but I saw something a couple of weeks ago that said early voting didn't increase the overall number of voters, it just changed when the votes were cast.

IF true, that could be because it is still relatively new across the country.