Election Day Open Thread

Stories, poems, pics ... we want them all! Let's get started with a poem (lifted from kos) from Walt Whitman:

If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest scene and show,
'Twould not be you, Niagara - nor you, ye limitless prairies - nor your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,
Nor you, Yosemite - nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyserloops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,
Nor Oregon's white cones - nor Huron's belt of mighty lakes - nor Mississippi's stream:
This seething hemisphere's humanity, as now, I'd name - the still small voice vibrating -America's choosing day...

You've called, you've canvassed, you've grabbed all your family and friends to get them to the polls; after 7:30 P.M. this evening, we can only sit back and watch. If you're a praying person, it's time.

Comments

Hat tip to Ed Cone

Voting for Obama

We have four generations voting for Obama. I wish we could have gotten a picture, but my daughter and her family live in Virginia now. :-) because we are all voting.... :-( because they moved to Virginia. All of us voted early except for my mother. She has to do curb-side voting today because she is in a wheel chair.

Lovex7

Love, get pics of your mom

when I voted, I took a picture of my ballot. I wanted a record of this historical event and my participation in it.

Lord, this day is so important and exciting and emotional, I can't stop from tearing up every time I think about it and the promised change. Let it be...

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

If you are voting today

Hey if you vote today can you drop a note here on how it went?

1) Where did you vote?
2) How long did you have to wait?
3) Was everything going smoothly?

Thanks.

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http://twitter.com/Jerimee

Chapel Hill Library 10am

Ellie,Elijah and I went to the Library 10am to vote. No waiting at all. The BOE rep told me that my precinct's early-vote was %66!

My 11 year-old son helped my wife and I slowly fill in the Obama bubble (I took my time so I could savor moment). I'm hoping that this year NC not only goes Blue but will always be contested.

Driving Downtown afterwards we passed a small group (3) folks on the corner of Eliot/Farnklin, two groups of 5-10 Obama supporters on the corner of opposite corners of Franklin/Estes, a young woman with a pole-type sign ("obama" vertically, "honk", horiz.) on Franklin/Columbia.

Walking around on campus I passed groups of students with Obama signs.

Seems like a good vibe in the air - hope it is justified.

We'll be up as late as necessary to see an Obama triumph (blowout?).

Thanks to all the volunteers for their great work.

CitizenWill
there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right. MLK,Jr. to SCLC Leadership Class

Dogwood acres

Nearing 100% of our targeted voters, which includes all registered democrats. 80% early vote among targets.

"You could say, 'Look, is this guy, Laden, really the bad guy that's depicted?' Most of us have never heard of him before." John McCain, following Clinton's strikes on al Qaeda camps

Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me

Little Creek Rec Center, southwestern Winston-Salem

Long line when poll opened, despite rain. By 8 a.m., no significant wait. This is a large precinct, competitive, serving a mostly suburban area, perhaps 20% minorities. Going back shortly to work the poll again for the mid-day rush.

Dan Besse

Early Voting Was Successful in Buncombe County

Buncombe had 47% of registered voters cast their ballot during early voting. 54% of all registered Democrats in the County early voted.

Two precincts I worked this morning had 55% and 60% of their precinct vote early.

This leaves precious few likely voters across the county today, but we're working to contact every one of them.

I've visited eight precincts today and seen 18 volunteers for Obama/DemParty/Local Candidates and only one GOP volunteer. We're killing it out here, y'all.

Scrutiny Hooligans - http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us

Just went into Pinehurst to check the mail

on my way back to the office drove by the Pinehurst polling place. People are not standing in lines but the parking lot is full and many Dem representatives are standing their ground next to the Repub reps. Yeah, we're representing!

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

Key indicator

If Obama takes Pinehurst, he'll sweep the nation. I wonder if the major news outlets have reporters at the BOE offices in Carthage. :-)

Lawndale Baptist Church, Greensboro

My mom and I went to vote about 10:00 today. We walked right in and up to the table. There was no wait, no line, and no problems (thank goodness)! My 5 year old got to do the kids voting for the first time this year and he was so excited! He was so proud that he got to vote for "brockobama"!

I can always count on you SPLib

to whisper in my ear..."your only human!"

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

Not looking good

For Obama in Moore County. However, I officially declare my vote for Obama is a cancellation of Ed Kennedy's vote for McCain. Kennedy is an angry, angry local Rep. who has nothing better to do that write letters to the Pilot and fight with fellow party members.

Alas Moore leans too right

better news is Obama = 1,415,324
and McWhatever = 1,364,737 in NC polling right now. Come on NC, give it to Obama.

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

I'm greeting voters all day

I'm greeting voters all day at Wake 07-03, but am home on my lunchbreak right now. We have had about 300 voters so far and absolutely no line (800 in our precinct of almost 1700 early voted). The best part is that we've had droves of people coming by with coffee, snacks, umbrellas and ponchos and good wishes!

Car Bashing

My grandson is going to a car bashing at school this afternoon (Old Dominion). One side is for Obama and the other is for McCain. How many of those kids do you think are for McCain? They may have one side with no dents.

Sorry, Momo. My "other" brother and his wife took my mother to vote this morning and they didn't get a picture.

Going to Raleigh to watch the returns at the Marriott. Anybody else going?

Lovex7

Wish I could say yes Love

still it will be interesting to learn the outcome of car bashing for Obama!

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

I was at my precinct for a good part of the morning.

It's a small precinct - and there were no lines. I finally came home because I was too wet and too cold to do any good. Good thing the relief came early!

The chair of the Moore County Republican Party came by and commented on the lack of "party" volunteers. He said it was "pathetic."

hee.

I took some bottled water

over to the greeters in Elon before I headed over to my precinct in Gibsonville, and didn't see a single Republican volunteer in either place.

By the way, State Senator Linda Garrou was out in the rain with the others in Elon, dripping wet and handing out Tony Foriest material (go Tony!). :)

No, it was ice-cold

Which is probably why the few people I gave it to said, "Umm, thanks..." instead of, "Thanks!"

I'm not very attentive. I gave my wife some cookware for an anniversary once. She's now my ex-wife, for some strange reason...

Rick Jenkins on who vandalized a Buncombe GOP billboard

This is the second most offensive thing I've heard today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX3tCGRpJp0

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http://twitter.com/Jerimee

Poll observering

I'm working as a Democratic poll observer in Durham's precinct 40. It's been pretty quiet here, aside from a bit of an early rush. But the chief judge explained *why* it's so quiet -- nearly 60% of the registered voters in this precinct voted early.

Yay democracy!

Thanks fo rthe work you're doing!

May be the only instance of bi-partisan cooperation today

The Republican poll observer (Halle) at our Town Hall where I was also an observer this morning came in and alerted me to the signs which I had put up early this morning being removed by someone. We tracked it down to the Town's actions to bring the signs into compliance with the new rules they decided to impose for the first time. They directed me to an 8 1/2x 11" sign posted near the entrance that said only one sign per issue or candidate was allowed and then only in the very small courtyard area.

This effectively left only Republican signs standing. Halle and I dug the soaking wet signs out of the back of the town's pickup truck. I put up as many as I could and then wrote out a complaint to the Board of Elections.

This is not the first time the town has aggravated me. Our Precinct meetings are supposed to be held in that building but it took a call from Jerry Meek to get them to comply last spring.

Anyway, she really stood up for me and I appreciate it.

Progressive Democrats of North Carolina

That's so nice to hear about!

Some people are motivated by a dedication to democracy - and those are just the folks who should be poll observers.

Snark or not, this is pretty funny

Or pretty sad.

From: (Name deleted)
Date: November 3, 2008 11:46:07 AM EST
To: [Raleigh News & Observer staff]
Subject: Pizza etiquette

I want to remind you that pizza will be provided tomorrow night ONLY for those working on elections. Please be polite. If you are working elections, you may have up to TWO slices. Thank you in advance for being considerate.

(Name deleted)
The News & Observer

GOTV

Went out in Carteret County, Morehead City, actually, this a.m. to knock on doors and leave precinct location info for Obama campaign. Were treated warmly by most. At one apt. complex, however, a "supervisor" tried to tell us we were "soliciting" and had to leave. Since we were finished, we said OK. Then he asked us to remove all the door-hangers we'd left, or he'd call the police, because they "don't allow no solicitin' heah." I said we're not soliciting, we're handing out info. He said "ya'll boys bettuh remove this stuff, heah?" We removed a hanger or two, of the 75 or so we'd left, while he was watching. Then we walked to the car and drove away. As we were leaving, saw him drive away in a Range Rover with a McCain/Palin sticker. Don't know if his political preference influenced his definition of soliciting or not. And we did notice, as we left, the "no solicitors" sign at the entrance. Mostly, though, we just got barked at a lot by dogs answering doors for their owners. Hopefully, everyone was out voting...

bradford

I think I'm getting sick ;(

I wasn't a scheduled volunteer, but I spent three hours out in the rain this afternoon greeting voters at my local precinct. My head feels like a fricking pumpkin.

For those of you who have been at it all day, I salute you. And sneeze in your general direction. ;)

I drove in from New Jersey on Thursday to vote on tuesday morn

I was at the poll in Jacksonville NC at 0600...There were about a hundred people already there!!!

Well I voted for Barak Obama, Bev P, Waynne Goodman, Kristen Ruth, Roger Dalton and all of my Democratic friends...

I then got in my car and I am typing this from my room in New Jersey at 6:46PM....Listened to the radio all the way....This is a great day for America.
I love you guys!

Marshall Adame
2014 U.S. Congress Candidate NC-03

Big Pat On the Back for All of You Volunteers

You all deserve heaping amounts of praise for all of your hard work. Thank you!

Just got in from standing in the rain at my precinct's

polling place. The dems were there representing but the reps had more peeps. This is a predominately r area anyway. The lady I was standing with called her husband because he's a member of many blog communities to tell him I was going to write about why people vote this cycle. He yelled loud enough for all to hear "They're going downnnnn!" Little things like that kept our spirits up when there were so many r's showing up.

The hubs went up to get us something warm for supper so I'm heading for the shower and then warm jammies to curl up in front of the Teevee and watch the returns. Let It Be!

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

standing in rain at poll

Thanks for good company & camaraderie, mo!

KC, thanks for joining the BlueNC community

hope you come back often and join in the discussions.

Thank you for being there kc, sure made the rain and r's tolerable!

No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.

Progressive Discussions

I am so excited! Returns

I am so excited! Returns looking good.

Proud Educated Elitist With a Poison Pen

Time to fulfill a dream...

Obama, Perdue, Hagan. I am hoping for a sweep, turning NC Blue.

Hagan Projected Winner by CBS

n/t

No returns in yet from Wake County

If they called it for Kay before Wake County came in, this couldn't be better news for Obama.

One McCrory poll worker told me

"I believe your girl is gonna win" while I was putting the Kay Hagan sign back up. We then agreed that Dole's campaign was just so nasty.

Progressive Democrats of North Carolina

BYE BYE LIDDY! 8:30 pm

Congratulations Kay!

WHOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!

And look at these beautiful numbers for Obama:

Obama/Biden (DEM) 53.44% 926,654
McCain/Palin (REP) 45.77% 793,592

http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NC/7937/12184/en/summary.html

Larry Kissell is going to be another pick up win too.

NORTH CAROLINA RISES UP!

"You could say, 'Look, is this guy, Laden, really the bad guy that's depicted?' Most of us have never heard of him before." John McCain, following Clinton's strikes on al Qaeda camps

Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me

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