For punch card voter people--make sure the card slides in freely!

[Carni]

Just voted and my district has those damned punch card things...

My machine let the card slide right in but my husband said his seemed sort of jammed and he was concerned that it wasn't lining up.

He went and got an official (who claimed there was no problem)

There wasn't any problem per say because my husband checked his finished punch card and the correct number had been punched through but here's my point--

His card wasn't freely sliding in because the tabs were probably starting to build up in the machine (what's that going to be like at around 4 PM?)

POINT IS make sure that card slides right into the machine without any resistance if it doesn't bitch to the officials!

[zbdent]

1. I noted that Kerry/Edwards was hole # 4 on the ballot

I also noted that only # 4 was punched (no hanging chads anywhere) in the Pres area.

[EastOhioDem]

4. 4 on mine too

Kerry was number 4 on mine too! I made sure I checked the back of my ticket also.

[meti57b]

2. We have "ink dot" cards, just like punching but it's ink and ....

.....the corner of the card was bent when I got it. I had to ask for another one. For all I know, that wouldn't go through the machine that counts them. The poll worker wrote "void" on that card.

[phish420]

3. and remove the chads

[sjr5740]

5. I marked down all the hole numbers

And when I pulled the ballot out of the punch slider thingy I made sure the correct numbers were punched out and that there were clean punches in all the holes and no extra ones.

[kentuck]

6. Notice that there is a lot of "play" when it fits over the top slots...

If you push it down, you may get a dfferent vote than if you pull it up on the "slots"....i never trusted them.

[Carni]

7. I guess in light of what is going on with the computer voting

These are preferable but not by much IMO!

I felt like an idiot stressing out and studying my card for about five minutes but what can you do?