2020 Presidential Race

[OHvol40]

Shouldn't do it arbitrarily. Were there reasons given? If so, what were they?

I think it’s a case-by case basis as far as reasoning, but it has been a trend recently for sure which is troubling with a growing population that we have fewer and fewer polling sites.

 

[37L1]

I think it’s a case-by case basis as far as reasoning, but it has been a trend recently for sure which is troubling with a growing population that we have fewer and fewer polling sites.

So, in your opinion of course, were any of the reasons arbitrary or reasonable?

 

[RockyTop85]

I see we’ve reached the “must be scripted” phase of the Biden/dementia narrative.

Ouch.

 

[OHvol40]

So, in your opinion of course, were any of the reasons arbitrary or reasonable?

Which case? There are hundreds of cities in this country. Again, stop avoiding the question, I answered yours. Do you think the trend is a positive one?

 

[luthervol]

Never gone thru a background check have you?

You've been doing plenty of repression.

Also lol at a month, straight to hyperbole.

I've gone through multiple background checks.
The "month" was only for the morons who would have said "I'd wait as long as it takes".
The point is obvious (I would think - but I'm increasingly surprised by how many seem oblivious to the obvious), there is a point at which a person's time becomes more valuable than their vote.
A precinct with an average wait time of 15 minutes will attract some voters who would not have voted if the average wait time was three hours.

 

[37L1]

Which case? There are hundreds of cities in this country. Again, stop avoiding the question, I answered yours. Do you think the trend is a positive one?

It all depends on what the reasons were given for the closures, which you have avoided giving.

 

[OHvol40]

It all depends on what the reasons were given for the closures, which you have avoided giving.

Ok, in which city? I’m not going to cite all of them.

 

[37L1]

Ok, in which city? I’m not going to cite all of them.

Pick the one that you think is most problematic. I'm not trying to pick a fight or quibble with you. Just interested in the reasons why the closures because I don't know. JFYI, I'm inclined to agree with you on this one.

 

[Jxn Vol]

It all depends on what the reasons were given for the closures, which you have avoided giving.

I think the peaceful protesters burned some of them.

 

[OHvol40]

It all depends on what the reasons were given for the closures, which you have avoided giving.

Here is information on the trends. What is your opinion on it?
Southern U.S. states have closed 1,200 polling places in recent years: rights group
http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/reports/Democracy-Diverted.pdf
Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote

7 specific ways states made it harder for Americans to vote in 2016

Waiting to Vote

Voter confusion abounds in places around Pennsylvania due to consolidated polling places

In Some Counties, Alabama Voters Have Lost a Quarter of Their Polling Places Since 2010 - BirminghamWatch

 

[LouderVol]

Decent question being asked by folks. Why do some on here want to make it harder to vote? Lets drop the whataboutism and nonsense. I mean, why do you want to make it harder for people to vote?

I dont think its unreasonable to have a universal standard across the board. That's the federal government way. You dont get extensions or easier ways thru unless you go through a process to prove it's actually needs based.

So depending on what you mean by make it harder as long as its consistent what's the issue?

If you are pushing the straw man of rejecting mail in voting as making it harder, that's simply not making a change at the last the minute. We already have issues with the current format, Iowa this primary and going back to Florida for bush gore. What makes a reasonable person think a big paradigm shift in the voting method would go smoothly in 3 or 4 months?

If you want to push mail in voting make it part of the next season. I remember in TN it was a big deal to go to digital ballot machines instead of cards. And that was starting just with local elections first. This is throwing the kid in the deep end with sharks.

Think objectively, if Trump was the one pushing the change to mail in voting it would be fought. This is only being done for political reasons.

Mail isnt some new tech. We voted in person during the spanish flu? Voting season is also during flu season. Social distancing and mask wearing doesnt effect the voting process at all. So there are reasonable protections out there.

It's kinda the whole point of voting. Saying you actually support this person. It's an act. Not just some check box. It's why I harp against people voting for people they dont really support. If you arent willing to stand in line for a few hours to vote for someone do you actually support them? Think of sporting events, music, heck even conventions etc. People go out of their way to support what they believe in. This is just another way to water down the value of a vote done for pure political reasons.

 

[hog88]

Biden leading the liberal sheep

Well in his defense we have people on this board that believe that.

 

[37L1]

Here is information on the trends. What is your opinion on it?
Southern U.S. states have closed 1,200 polling places in recent years: rights group
http://civilrightsdocs.info/pdf/reports/Democracy-Diverted.pdf
Democracy Diverted: Polling Place Closures and the Right to Vote

7 specific ways states made it harder for Americans to vote in 2016

Waiting to Vote

Voter confusion abounds in places around Pennsylvania due to consolidated polling places

In Some Counties, Alabama Voters Have Lost a Quarter of Their Polling Places Since 2010 - BirminghamWatch

The trend does seem disturbing and the closures are based upon a SCOTUS decision changing the notification being mandatory to the DOJ and getting their approval before making the changes to polling places. Is that correct?

Well, in reading all those links, there were reason given for the closures and they "seemed" reasonable, "building no longer available, population change, (combining, which also lead to those that got bigger by splitting/adding a site), etc.

If the closures aren't reasonable, why haven't suits been filed to challenge the closures? Maybe they have, can't say that I know because I haven't looked into it.

I'm still waiting for you to provide a specific example of a closure that you found most problematic. That should be easy as it seems Ohio (and the South) seem to have been the areas where this has occurred the most.

 

[hog88]

That’s why you prefer to make it more of an inconvenience?

If voting isn't important enough for you to take a few hours out of your day once or twice a year, maybe you shouldn't be voting.

Voting was never an inconvenience even when people had to travel by horse and buggy a day or so just to get to the pols.

 

[hog88]

I’m not positive, but I think the question was referring to reducing polling sites in the most populated areas.

Reducing polling sites is a county/city decision, feds and state governments rarely have any say in it. So you might want to talk to the dem leaders of those municipalities and ask them why they reduced polling places.

 

[OHvol40]

If voting isn't important enough for you to take a few hours out of your day once or twice a year, maybe you shouldn't be voting.

Voting was never an inconvenience even when people had to travel by horse and buggy a day or so just to get to the pols.

And that’s your justification for making it MORE difficult rather than easier?

 

[hog88]

And that’s your justification for making it MORE difficult rather than easier?

I'm not for making voting "more" difficult. It's never been difficult.

 

[OHvol40]

The trend does seem disturbing and the closures are based upon a SCOTUS decision changing the notification being mandatory to the DOJ and getting their approval before making the changes to polling places. Is that correct?

Well, in reading all those links, there were reason given for the closures and they "seemed" reasonable, "building no longer available, population change, (combining, which also lead to those that got bigger by splitting/adding a site), etc.

If the closures aren't reasonable, why haven't suits been filed to challenge the closures? Maybe they have, can't say that I know because I haven't looked into it.

I'm still waiting for you to provide a specific example of a closure that you found most problematic. That should be easy as it seems Ohio (and the South) seem to have been the areas where this has occurred the most.

Yes, the court decision is what lead to the mass closings. No accountability.

Suits have been filed.
Judge Rules Against Lawsuit Calling For More Kentucky Polling Places

Lawsuit filed over proposed closure of 7 Randolph Co. voting polls

Kentucky Lawmaker Sues Over Lack Of Polling Places

 

[1972 Grad]

How you view Trump's policies will usually depend on a political bias, but how you view Trump's conduct will have more to do with your sensibilities concerning integrity and decorum. You don't have to be a liberal democrat to be put off by Trump's behavior. He is narcissistic and obnoxious.

I looked at Obama as being a narcissistic, condescending elitist. I still would have voted for him if I liked his policies.

 

[1972 Grad]

That sounds racist.

What doesn't?

 

[OHvol40]

I'm not for making voting "more" difficult. It's never been difficult.

I don’t think it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s more difficult or inconvenient, I think it’s whatever the voters say it is. If a lot of people are saying it is, then it is.

 

[OHvol40]

Reducing polling sites is a county/city decision, feds and state governments rarely have any say in it. So you might want to talk to the dem leaders of those municipalities and ask them why they reduced polling places.

Honestly, I thought it was a local decision too, but apparently we’re wrong.

Maryland to drastically reduce number of polling places in November, despite gov's concerns of disenfranchisement

 

[LouderVol]

I've gone through multiple background checks.
The "month" was only for the morons who would have said "I'd wait as long as it takes".
The point is obvious (I would think - but I'm increasingly surprised by how many seem oblivious to the obvious), there is a point at which a person's time becomes more valuable than their vote.
A precinct with an average wait time of 15 minutes will attract some voters who would not have voted if the average wait time was three hours.

Sorry. Should have specified. Have you gone thru a background check to actively use/express a right?

Look at any country that doesnt have protected voting like we do. Those people go thru a lot to vote. They are willing to wait. If you actually believed in the people you were voting for, you would wait a pretty long time. The only reason it's an issue now is we have crap candidates so people feel they are wasting their time, and we have become so jaded with instagratification that any wait is considered a hindrance. Which it never was before.

And this issue of waiting has only become a problem with the election in question.

 

[hog88]

I don’t think it’s up to you to decide whether or not it’s more difficult or inconvenient, I think it’s whatever the voters say it is. If a lot of people are saying it is, then it is.

Mobs can be wrong.

Actually I just think it's a sign of the times, people don't want to take the effort to do much of anything for themselves. Responsibility has been replaced by pissing and moaning.

 

[LouderVol]

Honestly, I thought it was a local decision too, but apparently we’re wrong.

Maryland to drastically reduce number of polling places in November, despite gov's concerns of disenfranchisement

My understanding here in Georgia is that the state branch sets resources and it's up to the individual districts to work with those resources. There has pretty much never been enough resources which is why most staff are volunteers. Here locally they shuttered some places that had smaller crowds so that the same resources could go to the places with longer wait times. The idea being it's more efficient overall.

So while it may hurt the numbers in one locality overall the district should see increased efficiency. Number of votes is never constant so it's hard to use that as a metric.

My coworker back in 2018 said that was the first time he tried to volunteer and they said no. And he was under the impression that that meant the efficiencies were working.