posted
So I'm waiting at the Dadeland bus station at 5pm when a guy walks up to me.
"Good evening. Are you registered to vote?"
"Um... No."
"Would you like to register?"
"What? Here? Now?"
"Yes."
"But the polls close in two hours and we're nowhere near them...?"
"No need to be worried sir." (pulls out stack of forms) "I have the form here. I just need some information from you and there's a voting precinct a block from here you can go to that will accept these form and look you up in the computer."
I look at the form. First line asks me for my Social Security number.
"Now you're *really* joking... You, a complete stranger, want me to just give you my Social Security number and other personal information just so I can run a block away and vote?"
"Well... yes."
(blank state)
"So do you want to register?"
"I think I answered that question, don't you think?"
"Right, sir. Thank you for your patience."
I walk over to the security at the Metrorail station, and they proceed to escort the man out of the area.
-=O=-
So I have to ask... Can someone register to vote on the same day?
And would you give all the necessary information to a complete stranger at a bus station?
Posts: 3486 | Registered: Sep 2002
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posted
Minnesota has same day registration at the polls. You show up with a current utility bill in your name at your address and picture ID, or a registered voter from the same precinct who will vouch for you, and you can vote. You cannot register same day anywhere other than the polling place, however. And no, I would not give my SSN to anyone who approched me on the street, for any reason.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Michigan will have same day registration in two years for the next big election, many other states have it too.
Nighthawk, if I were you, I would have gone to the precinct and asked them directly. More and more these days, precincts are being told to err on the side of democracy, in other words, accept their ballot, and sort it out later. Chances are they would have allowed you to vote on a paper ballot, checked to see where you should have voted, and then forwarded the vote there. Keep in mind that knowingly voting in the wrong district, "Ann Coultering," is a serious federal crime. But I still would have checked it out if I were you.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
I did have to show ID at the polling place in addition to my voter registration card. There were a couple "provisional" voters, one that was in the wrong location because our polling places got changed, another whose last name hadn't been updated from getting married a few months ago, and I didn't catch the reason for the other two.
I was in line for 55 minutes, e-voted and was done with the machine in less than 60 seconds. One electronic machine for 10 paper ballot stations. The room was way too small, and two elderly women checking in voters that could have really used some Power Boost. I had a nice little chat with the supervisor about things that need to be changed before 2008.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Icarus: I'm under the impression that you have to register a few weeks in advance to vote in Florida.
-o-
"Ann Coultering"?
Yeah, I think when I registered (which was when I got a replacement driver's license), they said that you had to be registered 30 days before. I'm not sure, though.
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