BREAKING: Election Protection to call for extension of VA voting hours

[Joanne98]

Breaking news: at 10:30, Election Protection - the nation's largest nonpartisan voter protection coalition - will call for the voting hours in Virginia to be extended by 2 hours.

Virginia is emerging as a major hot spot, with tens of thousands of voters at risk. Check out some of the reports here. If you are voting in Virginia, please do not get discouraged and leave the polls.

We've received hundreds of calls to the Election Protection Hotline - 1-866-OUR-VOTE - from Virginia voters reporting a variety of problems:

Massive machine failures across the state
Over 2 dozen precincts opening late
Voters turned away from the polls
Reports of voter intimidation
Stand by for more info…

http://blog.ourvotelive.org/

[rucky]

1. Here we go...

Depending on what folks are paying attention to, it's going to be a looooong day.

K&R

[debbierlus]

2. Not surprising at all - glad they are fighting back

[Motown_Johnny]

3. I expected that as soon as I heard the NAACP suit failed.

I hope something works to help everyone vote

[Heidi]

4. Kick.

:kick:

[demokatgurrl]

5. Is VA t his year's Florida/Ohio?

Sure looks like it.

[progressoid]

7. Yep, sure looks like it.

[Skink]

6. Obama should be heading out there.

This could be a coup in the making. Republicans need time to work tonight and if VA is called early for Obama whatever else they are up to won't matter.

[williesgirl]

8. A judge ruled yesterday against extended hours. This is going to take lawyers, not ourvote folks.

rec'd

[spooky3]

12. a judge extended them in a prior election due to bad weather - so this may change

once new facts come in

[rucky]

13. ourvote folks are mostly lawyers. n/t

[Captiosus]

9. They REALLY need to extend the voting hours here.

I live in Newport News, population approximately 190,000 (as of the 2000 census, probably closer to 200-210K now), and I'm in one of the "lighter" voting districts that is mostly commercial properties with a few assorted housing areas.

I had to wait 1 hour 45 minutes. An hour and a half to get my ballot and then 15 minutes waiting in line for a booth. Though I did have the line laughing when I said, "Man, I can't wait to get on this roller coaster... oh, wait..." (Busch Gardens Williamsburg humor).

They have 10 voting booths. Ten.

This was at 8:00 AM and according to the Obama poll watcher there, at 6 AM, when the polls opened, the line was around the building. When people get off of work this evening, the place is going to be packed. 10 voting booths simply is not going to cut it. I foresee a lot of people leaving because they do not want to wait 2-3 hours to vote.

Bear in mind, this is one of the lighter voting districts in the city and early in the day. I've heard that in the heavier residential districts, especially downtown and uptown Denbigh (mostly housing with some commercial), are absolutely packed.

I agree 100% that they need to extend the poll closings here by 2 hours, at least.

[debbierlus]

10. These fuckers are pulling all their dirty ass tricks - scroll down & read about PA

Local election officials are deputizing trained Election Protection volunteers because pollworkers in Pittsburgh are overwhelmed by the crush of voters.

Hundreds of calls from voters are indicating major obstacles to casting ballots in polling locations across the state. Broken voting machines are causing long lines at polls, and some voters are experiencing difficulties accessing the paper ballots to which they are entitled. Some voters are illegally being given provisional ballots and paper ballots are running out at multiple locations. Problems are being reported throughout Philadelphia.


This is a great site. It is reporting all the voting problems being reported & actions taken in real time.

[Essene]

11. GOOD MORNING VIETNAM... err, virginia

i hope this is taken seriously by the election officials.

[spooky3]

14. WaPo: Some early voting problems

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2008/11/virginia_reports_some_early_vo.html?nav=rss_blog

[BamaTideFan83]

15. As long as you are in line by closing . . .

. . . they have to let you vote.