I just voted early and ... damn ... it feels so good!

[zulchzulu]

Madison has open voting from 1pm-4pm today and it was jammed when I got there at noon.

By the time the voting started at 1pm, I would guess at least 1,500 people were in line with more people streaming in. And if I were to guess, I'd say it was 89% for Obama, 5% for Nader and 3% for McCain.

Seeing that ballot and making the vote for Barack was just an amazing experience for me. After a couple years of grassroots stuff, it all came down to a small mark on a piece of paper with a felt tip pen.

So many smiles in the crowd... and as I was leaving, I walked near the end of the line and told someone with a sad face that it is indeed worth it. She smiled.

GOBAMA!!!!

[bluedeminredstate]

1. Good for you!

How long did you wait? I have to wait until Tuesday. No early voting in my Virginia county.

:)

[zulchzulu]

4. I waited about 2.5 hours from the time I showed up to when I left n/t

[Aloha Spirit]

2. My country is a little, awesomer thanks to your vote!

And everything will be awesomer on Wednesday morning!
Yes, I'm so sure of myself that I have stopped paying attention to spell check!

[Peacetrain]

3. Banked Banked Banked.. I love that term... my vote is in the hopper also

and it does feel great. :)

[zulchzulu]

5. News story on the voting on Sunday

More than 1,300 people voted Saturday. So far, more than 16,000 people have voted in the clerk's office, which brings the absentee ballot total to some 30,000, according to mayoral spokesperson Rachel Strauch-Nelson.

Wisconsin is one of about 30 states that allows early absentee voting for any reason, a change made shortly before the 2000 presidential election, when about 6 percent of the electorate took advantage of it, according to the state Government Accountability Board. In 2004 that figure doubled to 12 percent.

Before the 2004 general election, the clerk's office issued 25,258 absentee ballots, Strauch-Nelson said.

A record number of Wisconsinites are expected to cast ballots before Election Day. Predictions that up to 15 percent of statewide voters will cast their votes early might have been too modest, state elections officials have said.

The interest in early voting is an indication that the polls will be jammed on Tuesday.

County Clerk Bob Ohlsen estimates turnout in Dane County will be 80 to 85 percent, but has ordered more ballots just in case. For the first time, county officials have ordered enough ballots for all eligible voters in the county. That's about 390,000 ballots, compared with 270,000 for the last presidential election.

http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/312508