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stuff i learneded at the polls

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:07 pm
by BigDrawMan
I was JUDGE OF ELECTIONS for the primary.I enjoyed helping the eager voters exercise their franchise.And I had obedient minions.
for a change

Anywho, the precinct I was at had a good turnout(for America).360ish of 560ish Dems and 30ish outta 150ish GOPers, and 20ish Independents (who werent allowed to vote) showed up.

Hillary won by more than 3-1.Lotta old people.
It is good to have old people support you, as they are reliable.
It aint as good for the primary, as they have trouble voting for your delegates,as it confuses them.Seven is a lotta delegates to pick from the list of 14.So they pick two and quit.Or pick The first seven they see-even if they were Obama delegates.
So the Hillary delegates won by 2.3 to 1.

If I were the devious type, I coulda changed that margin by "helping" the old and feeble vote.

I overheard the following from voters:

I aint voting for no coloreds.

I'll vote for the broad now, but McCain in november.This from an old guy wearing a USW hat.The GOP are known for their pro Union stance.

I dont think issues will matter with this crowd.I dont think they could name an issue.

Obama is black.
Hillary is a broad
McCain is old.

if I were McCain, I would campaign on the issue of Obama being black and having an Arabic middle name.
That should be enough in Pa.

Re: stuff i learneded at the polls

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:14 pm
by Tocqueville3
BigDrawMan wrote:I was JUDGE OF ELECTIONS for the primary.I enjoyed helping the eager voters exercise their franchise.And I had obedient minions.
for a change

Anywho, the precinct I was at had a good turnout(for America).360ish of 560ish Dems and 30ish outta 150ish GOPers, and 20ish Independents (who werent allowed to vote) showed up.

Hillary won by more than 3-1.Lotta old people.
It is good to have old people support you, as they are reliable.
It aint as good for the primary, as they have trouble voting for your delegates,as it confuses them.Seven is a lotta delegates to pick from the list of 14.So they pick two and quit.Or pick The first seven they see-even if they were Obama delegates.
So the Hillary delegates won by 2.3 to 1.

If I were the devious type, I coulda changed that margin by "helping" the old and feeble vote.

I overheard the following from voters:

I aint voting for no coloreds.

I'll vote for the broad now, but McCain in november.This from an old guy wearing a USW hat.The GOP are known for their pro Union stance.

I dont think issues will matter with this crowd.I dont think they could name an issue.

Obama is black.
Hillary is a broad
McCain is old.

if I were McCain, I would campaign on the issue of Obama being black and having an Arabic middle name.
That should be enough in Pa.
Sounds boring.

Mississippi old folks are way cooler.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:20 pm
by mellytu74
BDM --

Did you have lots of first-time voters?

I was the machine operator in my old district in NE Philadelphia for five years.

(Since I would be moving after the primary, I told them to get a new machine operator for the whole election cycle. I really missed it.)

One thing we started doing over the years was giving a doughnut or brownie to a first-time voter and giving the first-timers a round of applause after they voted.

It was corny ritual but, over the years, people said they really looked forward to it.

By the time I got to the polling place after work, they'd gone through close to 40 doughnuts.

Very good turnout.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:26 pm
by Tocqueville3
mellytu74 wrote:BDM --

Did you have lots of first-time voters?

I was the machine operator in my old district in NE Philadelphia for five years.

(Since I would be moving after the primary, I told them to get a new machine operator for the whole election cycle. I really missed it.)

One thing we started doing over the years was giving a doughnut or brownie to a first-time voter and giving the first-timers a round of applause after they voted.

It was corny ritual but, over the years, people said they really looked forward to it.

By the time I got to the polling place after work, they'd gone through close to 40 doughnuts.

Very good turnout.
bdm is too mean to give out nice stuff like doughnuts. He prolly told all the old people to go fetch him pepper bacon and such.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:28 pm
by BigDrawMan
mellytu74 wrote:BDM --

Did you have lots of first-time voters?

There were around 60ish first timers at this location from a new housing plan.If it werent for them, Hillary woulda won by 10-1.
Lotta people had to show ID.

I was the machine operator in my old district in NE Philadelphia for five years.
-------------
Thats what I did, for the most part.
Lotta people needed help.
They need machines with EXTRA BIG print.

(Since I would be moving after the primary, I told them to get a new machine operator for the whole election cycle. I really missed it.)

One thing we started doing over the years was giving a doughnut or brownie to a first-time voter and giving the first-timers a round of applause after they voted.

It was corny ritual but, over the years, people said they really looked forward to it.

By the time I got to the polling place after work, they'd gone through close to 40 doughnuts.

Very good turnout.



My cuz was a Judge trainee or something in West Chester.
He says it is an elected position.

I will do it again in the fall.

it feels good to participate.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:31 pm
by mellytu74
I used to help the little old men and women with the machines because they couldn't see.

They asked and, since they asked, I could help.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:39 pm
by BigDrawMan
the veterans put out a candy dish, and brought me food, as I was the only judge to give them a lunch break.


We had one fleeing voter we couldnt catch around 7:30 am.My trainer said she had one total in all her years as a judge.Luckily he was the last to flee.
He was 30ish.
Dint hit the "confirm vote" button.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:41 pm
by BigDrawMan
also, I challenged the eligibility of all mouthy types around 5 feet tall.

its only right.

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:46 pm
by mellytu74
BigDrawMan wrote:also, I challenged the eligibility of all mouthy types around 5 feet tall.

its only right.
You would have been REALLY busy in NE Philadelphia! :D

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 9:53 pm
by SportsFan68
There are no compliments high enough to compliment you and everybody else who do election judging. It is loooooooong hours at looooooow pay and will make you crazy.

I am even willing to overlook your remarks about five foot tall mouthy types, who are the bedrock of our democracy, since you will be helping again in the fall.

Re: stuff i learneded at the polls

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:15 am
by MarleysGh0st
BigDrawMan wrote:I was JUDGE OF ELECTIONS for the primary.I enjoyed helping the eager voters exercise their franchise.And I had obedient minions.
for a change
Obedient minions?

OMG--Beedums has found his calling! :lol:






Or if you want to get serious...what sprots said.

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 6:50 am
by peacock2121
I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:19 am
by Bob Juch
peacock2121 wrote:I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.
You? :P

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:25 am
by gsabc
Bob Juch wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.
You? :P
She only said "a bit". That leaves lots of leeway.

How can you say "I'm speechless" out loud without lying?

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:43 am
by peacock2121
Bob Juch wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.
You? :P
Lucky for you - it only lasted a few minutes.

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:44 am
by peacock2121
gsabc wrote:
Bob Juch wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.
You? :P
She only said "a bit". That leaves lots of leeway.

How can you say "I'm speechless" out loud without lying?
You can't.

I guess you could say "I was speechless."

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:47 am
by ulysses5019
SportsFan68 wrote:There are no compliments high enough to compliment you and everybody else who do election judging. It is loooooooong hours at looooooow pay and will make you crazy.

I am even willing to overlook your remarks about five foot tall mouthy types, who are the bedrock of our democracy, since you will be helping again in the fall.
So he did it for the money?

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 3:01 pm
by gotribego26
Tocqueville3 wrote:bdm is too mean to give out nice stuff like doughnuts. He prolly told all the old people to go fetch him pepper bacon and such.
I heard he was demanding pomes

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 10:14 pm
by VAdame
Keith was a judge at the polls back in the early 1980s before we met. He enjoyed doing it. He did it during a time he wasn't working steady -- can't do it now of course! Maybe when we retire we'll see about doing it again.

I never worked at the polls, but I did work as a tally-counter at the courthouse for the 1980 election. That was back in the days of paper ballots(!) -- I didn't count the actual ballots; that was done at the precincts. What we did was add up the totals as the came in from the precincts. Sitting there adding on a ten-key adding machine from about 11PM to 6AM -- yeesh, what a job! And we weren't being paid! We were all students, and volunteered for this job in return for free advertising for our school(s) from the local news stations. Good experience but not something I'd want to do all the time! LOL

Karen was a first-time voter. She didn't mention any donuts! :(

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 10:25 pm
by BDMs partner
peacock2121 wrote:I am impressed that you did this.

I am a bit speechless.

The big guy is all about community service. Especially when it's ordered by a mean looking judge....