Early voting report from Columbus, OH! (pics)

[SallyMander]

I just spent most of the afternoon at Veterans' Memorial downtown, where early voting is taking place in Franklin County. The enthusiasm there was just amazing!!! People were waiting upwards of four hours, and not leaving the line. The Dems were out in force, Obama crew and local candidates alike. I was handing out voter guides made up by the League of Young Voters, with candidate endorsements, recommendations/info on the ballot issues, and tons of election protection information. Here are some pics from the afternoon.

Here is the point where the line enters the building. We heard that the wait was two hours once people were INSIDE!!! The line goes upstairs and snakes around inside the building.



Then the line went all the way along the side of the building, around the corner, and down the next side. This morning it went around the FAR corner that you can see in the last pic.











Notice the guy in the last picture with a cart full of soda. The support for the voters waiting in line was amazing!!! There were people (Dems) giving out water, soda, juice, coffee and donuts, pizza, candy, along with stickers, buttons, tons of information and even Sudoku puzzles!

Here is a lovely family that had been camped out all day, cheering people on and generating OBAMATHUSIASM!!! :D



The garden of signs for local candidates -- many of these candidates were here, circulating in the crowd.



And here is YOURS TRULY with one of the candidates, Mary Jo Kilroy!!! She is running for Congress in Ohio's 15th district. Go Mary Jo!!!



I had a blast and I'll be going back tomorrow! :D


ETA a picture of our voter guide cover, cuz I love it!

[VenusRising]

1. Woohoo!!

That line is :wow::wow::wow:!!! It wasn't near that long last week when I voted.

Way to put a presence out there.


Pssst.....I voted for the lady standing next to you! I've never gotten to vote for her before because I didn't live in her district.

K&R!!

:hug::loveya::applause::yourock::headbang::toast:

[SallyMander]

5. Thanks sweetie!

I have been a big fan of Mary Jo ever since she came to one of our League meetings back in '06 -- at my favorite bar! :D

I hope you're having a great weekend! :loveya:

[livetohike]

2. Wow! Amazing pics....

The family in the parking lot look like they are tailgating before the big game. It's great! Thanks for posting these :hi:.

[SallyMander]

You're welcome!

I was SO excited to see the numbers, and really Dems outnumbered Republicans at least 10-to-1. It was totally awesome. :bounce:

[Katha]

3. Amazing!

Thank you for posting these - what wonderful photos!

GO OHIO! Bring it home for Barack!

[SallyMander]

7. Thanks Katha!

We know Franklin County is blue blue blue -- but I have high hopes for the whole state this year!!!

[Kukesa]

4. Wonderful pics. Thanx from a Dayton DUer. nt

[SallyMander]

8. Thanks Kukesa!

:hi:

[Phx_Dem]

6. Awesome. It's amazing how people don't seem to care

about waiting in long lines. They are so excited to vote this year, they wait in line for HOURS and are still very friendly and supportive. Wow. What a CHANGE.

[SallyMander]

10. Yup, it was totally amazing

Many people asked us how long the wait would be... we could just ballpark it for them, and I felt like I didn't even want to guess! But most people just smiled, shrugged, and pulled out a book! :D

[truedelphi]

12. I am amazed/glad and glad/amazed. But we definitely need laws on

The books saying that there will be ample paper ballots and number 2 pencils and that that 'old-fashioned' method is the only acceptable vote.

If New Mexico can do it, so can everyone else!!

[SallyMander]

17. Yup... funny how voting machines are so unreliable

when ATMs and the like *never* mess up... actually it's not funny at all. x(

[truedelphi]

38. And it is also funny tht despite the great numbers of CA Registrar of Voters I talked to back in

2005, All of them were saying that the machines work fine!

So much for the integrity of the officials in office. Of course, now we have Debra Bowen - but she is only one person and can only do so much.

[ebdarcy]

9. Very nice. Thank you for all your hard work.

I really hope this early turn out makes the election day lines more manageable. When I was registering voters and informing them about early voting, most people said they wanted to vote on election day. I don't blame them, because I would have voted on election day if I didn't have classes all day. We Ohioans are stubborn about our traditions. I just don't want people to face a six-hour wait.

[SallyMander]

11. I hope so too!

I also wanted to wait and vote on Election Day -- but I decided to do my small part to make it easier on the poll workers and the other voters. I went a couple of weeks ago and there was no line -- now I'm really thankful I voted when I did!

[Cha]

13. Thanks for the pics, SallyMander, and

all you're doing for Ohio and our country. All the pics look really good!

[SallyMander]

15. Thanks zidzi!

I honestly just wish I had time to do more... that whole grad school thing gets in the way sometimes. ;)

:hi:

[dhpgetsit]

14. WOW! Boots on the ground! Thanks for the report from the front lines!

It is so uplifting to see the enthusiasm. This is really special!

Any readers out there, if you haven't voted yet, Make every effort. This will make you feel great. Don't let long lines discourage you. This is a happening!

If you tell yourself you can't take the time off required, or let bad weather keep you inside, you will be missing out on a truly life changing experience!

Be a part of it!

[SallyMander]

16. Absolutely it's worth it

And in Ohio, at least, you can still get a "regular" absentee ballot (as opposed to in-person absentee) at the Board of Elections. Not many people know this!

[Triana]

18. Thanks, Sally, for your terrific work! I'm praying the weather holds out good...

... for election day. It looks like it was a gorgeous day in Ohio!

:hug:

[SallyMander]

21. It was a gorgeous day

and Tuesday is supposed to be just PERFECT -- sunny and 73 degrees! :woohoo:

:hug:

[Smuckies]

19. Amazing............

Great pics :9

Hopefully we'll win Ohio :9

[SallyMander]

22. I sure hope so!!!

I'll take a win any way it comes, but Ohio would be the icing on the cake for me! :D

[Delphinus]

20. Good for you!

These stories I'm reading are so filled with wonder and hope!

I spent four hours today "Baracking" the Vote, loving every moment. My feet are killing me, as it was non-stop walking, but I felt so good walking the neighborhoods.

As an aside, I've been in this building more than once - traveled there for a Light Expo.

[SallyMander]

23. Thank you Delphinus!!!

Thanks so much for getting out there! :yourock:

[yourguide]

24. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

[SallyMander]

25. Thank YOU for the morning laugh

your sig line cracked me up! :D

[myrna minx]

26. Wow! Thanks for posting this. n/t

[SallyMander]

27. You're welcome myrna!

:hi:

[flpoljunkie]

28. Very nice work, SallyMander! Thanks for posting!

[SallyMander]

29. Thanks flpoljunkie!

:hi:

[ThatsMyBarack]

30. Thanks, Sally!

:yourock: :patriot:

BTW, seems to me all the votes picked a great day to come on out and vote!

"Blue skies, smilin' at me....Nothin' but blue skies...." B-)

[SallyMander]

33. It was such a beautiful day!

As is today, and tomorrow and Tuesday are forecasted to be PERFECT!!! Couldn't ask for better weather to get out the vote! :D

[flygal]

31. So Cool thanks for the pics!

I'm watching from overseas and wish I could get in on the action. I hope to make calls tomorrow for Democrats Abroad while the kiddies are in school. Thanks for your work!!

[SallyMander]

34. Hey, that's awesome!

Where are you living now? And thanks! :D :hi:

[flygal]

39. Germany

I totally wanted to go to Berlin for the election night party but plans changed. I think there will be lots of celebrating on this side of the pond.

[MadMaddie]

32. SallyMander thanks for the pics and thanks for your hard work!

:grouphug:

[SallyMander]

35. Thanks Maddie!

:hug:

[goodboy]

36. Great pictures...check out mine plz. K&R (link)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7707107&mesg_id=7707107

[SallyMander]

40. Thanks goodboy!

And thanks to you and your lovely family for all your hard work!!! :yourock:

[Willo]

37. Those are great pictures

I love the support for the people waiting in line. Awesome!

Looks like the youth were out :)

[SallyMander]

41. Thanks Willo!

It was really amazing how diverse the crowd was in every way -- and yes, there were a TON of young voters! :D

[asdjrocky]

42. Wonderful post and great pictures.

Thanks for all you are doing in that important state. K&R!

[SallyMander]

43. Thank you!

:hi:

[BamaTideFan83]

44. Great pics! BUT don't you have to . . .

Great pics! BUT don't you have to blur out the faces if you don't have permission slips before posting to a public website? Just don't want you to get into any privacy issues.