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Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 6:08 am

TV3 just interviewed a girl who had been in line at Stone Spring since 2 am and was voter number 7! This is going to be a great day!

Comment from Frank J Witt
Time: November 4, 2008, 6:54 am

In line @ 5:45 at Keister and home by 6:23…should see the line at Starbucks…free is all it takes.

Comment from Mike
Time: November 4, 2008, 6:54 am

Yes, I just came from Stone Spring Elem. There were easily 200 people in line at 6 when the poll opened. When I left, the parking lots were all full and the line was probably well over 500 people!

Comment from Mike
Time: November 4, 2008, 6:57 am

Oh, I forgot the best part (for me), Yuna from TV3 was broadcasting there and could only find 3 republicans.

Comment from Brooke
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:15 am

We got to Montezuma Hall at shortly after 6:00 am, and the line was out the door almost to the back of the parking lot. But we both voted! I think I left the polling station at 6:38 am.

Comment from Jeremy Aldrich
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:43 am

We got to Waterman right before the doors opened at 6, and there was already a line stretching from the gym door down to the public sidewalk. Everything went smoothly and we voted a little less than an hour later. Based on the little checkoff sheets of ballot numbers, I would guess we were about number 300 voting.

Comment from Frank J. Witt
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:53 am

I don’t like the idea of someone handing out sample ballets right in front of the door to enter the school that were printed by the Democrat Party with the ovals already balckened. If they are going to hand them out, make them do it far from the doors.

Comment from cook
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:56 am

Poll workers at the Silver Lake precinct at Woodmen of the world kept the line moving very well! I got out of the car at 7:31 and back to the car at 7:43. No annoying party workers handing out literature.

Comment from cook
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:01 am

…and I wasn’t exit polled.

Comment from Josh
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:47 am

I got to Stone Spring at 7:28 and voted at 8:25. My ballot was the 760th deposited in the machine. My last name starts with B. If your name started with L-Z, your wait would have been more like 15mins vs 60mins.

Comment from linz
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:49 am

Republicans handing out filled out sample ballots near door of Waterman. Didn’t see Dems, but did see quite a few of the non-partisan voter watch people who were making sure every person knew why they were there and to come talk to them if they weren’t able to vote for some reason.

So exciting to see such a long line at 6! We got in our car around 5:50am and saw two other neighbors get in their cars at the same time and we all drove to the polling place. I heard someone else say the same thing happened in their neighborhood. I should have just organized a car pool! :)

Comment from linz
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:50 am

Also wanted to give Kudos to poll workers at Waterman. They’re doing a GREAT job and moving people through very efficiently so far.

Comment from Brooke
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:52 am

There were a couple people handing out literature a bit away from the line/entrance where we were, but I was parked further up, so I didn’t end up getting accosted. I don’t even know who they were for, as it was dark, but judging from the multitude of signs that absolutely lined the entrances to the parking lot, my guess is they were for the Republican candidates.

I wasn’t exit polled by anyone.

Comment from John Marr
Time: November 4, 2008, 8:53 am

Frank- I totally agree, I hate the sample ballots that are handed out year after year. However both parties are at fault. I wasn’t offered a sample ballot by the democrats but I was offered 2 by the republicans at Keister.

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:13 am

I only saw Republican sample ballots at Waterman. I wasn’t offered one. The workers there did a great job and it was smooth sailing. I wasn’t exit polled, but when I unzipped my jacket I was offered an Obama sticker. I had my ObamaMama shirt covered while voting.

Comment from Terry Ward
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:32 am

.

re:
“If your name started with L-Z, your wait would have been more like 15mins vs 60mins”

Ya this is one of the FEW times that alphabetical order works to the advantage of those of us at the END of the alphabet. Pretty much all of public schooling was unfortunate when things were ordered by last name, but later in life things brighten.

Hooray for my (few) fellow U-V-W-X-Y-Z-name colleagues.

.

Comment from Tina
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:40 am

Went to Sims at 9:15… took about 10 minutes. No exit polling that I could see.

Comment from finnegan
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:41 am

This sort of line in McGaheysville has to be some sort of record.

Comment from Christa
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:47 am

I got in line at the fire dept in Broadway at 7:20 and was walking out at 8:25. I have NEVER seen so many people in line in Broadway. Republicans handing out ballots but no exit polling.

Comment from Watchman
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:53 am

Probably no reason to exit poll in Harrisonburg. While many voters today are to the left, there was a time when Harrisonburg was much more radical. Some of us were real card carrying Marxist. Jessy Jackson won the primary in Harrisonburg. No surprise that they will go heavy for Obama.

Comment from Josh
Time: November 4, 2008, 9:58 am

I’ve heard there are poll workers with lists of local folks who support a given candidate and listen out loud at polls, checking off names, then plan to call people who haven’t voted this afternoon with a “you said you were going to vote XYZ candidate, why haven’t you voted yet?”

Please tell me this is a rumor and isn’t true.

Comment from Christa
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:02 am

I left at 8:05 in Broadway, not 8:25. Line was moving really fast.

Comment from Christa
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:35 am

I’m curious how many used paper ballots. I did.

Comment from cook
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:42 am

Heard of exit polling this morning at Elkton Middle School / Swift Run precinct.

Comment from Tina
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:45 am

Paper ballots at Simms.

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:50 am

Paper ballots only at Waterman.

Comment from Brooke
Time: November 4, 2008, 10:51 am

I had a choice of voting electronically or using a paper ballot. I used a paper ballot. I know, how very low-tech and not very green of me, but it just seems less tamper proof to me, I guess. I like knowing that my vote is out there in tangible form.

Comment from Lisa
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:01 am

Arrived at Keister @ 9:10, navigated through a ton of campaign signs (mostly for McCain and some local offices). Probably around 20-25 people handing out literature and candidates greeting everyone going to vote! I felt like I was in a parade. Stood in the H-O line about 10 minutes, hubby was in the P-Z with a 5 minute wait. A-G line probably 20 minute wait. Back home by 9:30. Hats off to the volunteers at Keister! That’s one well-oiled machine.

Comment from larsen
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:16 am

I voted in Broadway around 8:30 – it was a VERY big crowd for Broadway. I normally wait about 2 minutes to vote – today I waited about 20 minutes. Lowell & Vicki Barb were on hand, as was Mark Obenshain. Literature hander-outers weren’t too annoying or pushy as they sometimes are. I used the computer to vote – still, you always wonder…

Comment from chandra
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:16 am

i voted in staunton this morning at r.e. lee high school. even though the line was out the door when we arrived (which i’ve never seen happen there that early), everything ran pretty smoothly. we pulled into the parking lot at 6:40am and were back home by 7:20am.

Comment from linz
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:20 am

There was one electronic voting machine at Waterman, but it was way over in the corner and no one was using it or was presented with the option to use it. I prefer paper ballots, anyway.

Comment from AZ
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:27 am

Voting at Simms quick, short lines right now, no exit polling but lots and lots of signs

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:30 am

Linz I was wondering if that machine wasn’t for people with disabilities because I noticed it had headphones attached to it.

Comment from Brian M
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:40 am

The number of political signs at Simms is staggering. Clumps of signs for the same candidate. Like a dozen all within 10 square feet. I couldn’t help but wonder if yard signs really influence someone of who to vote for. It’s interesting to see the breakdown of who has what signs and how many by neighborhood, but this display was just wasteful.

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 11:45 am

Brian, in some cases people bring their signs from home and put them at their polling places. So that may account for the amount. I was trying to remember if I saw any McCain signs at Waterman, but I don’t think that I did. I took a bunch of pictures, but left the cord to my camera at home, so I’ll put them up later.

Comment from Amanda E
Time: November 4, 2008, 12:10 pm

At 11:30am I heard that Waterman ran out of paper ballots. Can anyone validate that? I’m glad I got there at 5:50am.

Comment from zen
Time: November 4, 2008, 12:21 pm

Staunton resident here. I had about the same experience that most here seemed to have. Longer than expected lines, but not crazy. About 30-40 minutes.

Lots of McCain signs, but lots of Obama sticker on cars. There were a couple of people wearing “Election Protection” shirts that I took to be some sort of observers there to guard against shenanigans. Also, my polling place had a flu shot drive going on.

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 12:29 pm

According to one of Brent’s videos they did run out but they have more now!

Comment from Breslau
Time: November 4, 2008, 12:30 pm

The only Republican signs I saw at Waterman were around five Tracy Evans signs and about two Charles Chenault signs.

Comment from Deona Landes Houff
Time: November 4, 2008, 1:27 pm

Another Staunton resident here with the longest lines I’ve ever seen in the Queen City (where I have lived 9 years). In my case, a lower-letter last name served well. I waited about 10 minutes in A-J. The L-Z line looked to be about three times as long.

Comment from ammc
Time: November 4, 2008, 1:57 pm

No wait at all at Spotswood Elem. this morning around 10a. Had a choice of paper or electronic.

Comment from Brad Jenkins
Time: November 4, 2008, 2:06 pm

Seems there’s a lull right now. Just three people in front of me in Harrisonburg’s Keister district. So, if you haven’t voted and want to avoid lines, I’d say go now. I’m sure it will get heavier again this evening.

Comment from Del
Time: November 4, 2008, 2:08 pm

No line at all at Waterman at 12:30. The fewest people I’ve ever seen there. Maybe everyone was worried and came at 6.

Comment from Alison
Time: November 4, 2008, 2:28 pm

I waited 1 hr 15 min this morning in Staunton and I was number 138 in my line. I heard several of the machines were broken and fixed before I arrived at 6:20. I didn’t see any evidence of paper ballots being available, but I think I saw a woman filling out a provisional ballot when her address was disputed. There was only one volunteer (a Democrat) there at that time. The voter rights volunteer made herself known to everyone in line.

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 3:09 pm

So where is everyone partying tonight?

Comment from republitarian
Time: November 4, 2008, 3:12 pm

At home, hunkered down in the basement, with all their weapons loaded.

We want to make sure we aren’t victims of some type of people that turn violent when the win OR lose.

Comment from Del
Time: November 4, 2008, 3:32 pm

Those crazy Republicans– always with the positive attitude about America :)

Comment from Frank J. Witt
Time: November 4, 2008, 3:59 pm

Hey Myron, don’t shoot me…I’m in the back right corner of the barn with my WiFi card. I couldn’t get the last 3 dozen eggs off the house over the weekend, so I figure they would want me head tonight.

Comment from finnegan
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:05 pm

Spotswood has definitely been slow (compared to Stone Spring). I was about the 700th voter at 2:00 pm

Comment from Evan
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:09 pm

Little before 4 p.m. no wait at Lucy Simms. In and out.

Comment from Renee
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:10 pm

Keister was super-fast at around 2, there was no line. I’ll post my photos soon.

Comment from Tina
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:25 pm

Following up on Emmy’s question (“So where is everyone partying tonight?”)… what’s the deal with the party at Blue Nile?

Comment from Emmy
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:31 pm

Tina the Blue Nile party is the “official” Obama party. They were selling tickets for $5 at the office and will have a heated tent set up outside.

Comment from Tina
Time: November 4, 2008, 4:44 pm

Gotcha! Sounds like Clementine’s (upstairs and the lounge) will be following the election results.

Comment from Renee
Time: November 4, 2008, 6:47 pm

Added my photos to Flickr Pool:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/59064186@N00/sets/72157608655306234/detail/

Comment from Renee
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:12 pm

CNN and NPR have projected Virginia goes to Mark Warner! Our “Red State” now likely has 2 Dem Senators!

Comment from Jeremy Aldrich
Time: November 4, 2008, 7:42 pm

At Waterman the crowds slowed to a trickle over the course of the entire afternoon. Nowhere near the numbers of people who voted in the morning.

Comment from Josh
Time: November 6, 2008, 10:37 pm

So my comment about people at polls listening for names and calling up non-voters might have some merit…

http://www.newsweek.com/id/167581/page/2

“The Obama campaign’s New Media experts created a computer program that would allow a `flusher’ — the term for a volunteer who rounds up nonvoters on Election Day — to know exactly who had, and had not, voted in real time. They dubbed it Project Houdini, because of the way names disappear off the list instantly once people are identified as they wait in line at their local polling station.”

Comment from Renee
Time: November 7, 2008, 12:13 am

wow really interesting article. Thanks, Josh

Comment from Josh
Time: November 7, 2008, 8:41 am

Here’s a nice collection of highlights…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/05/obama-we-cant-solve-globa_n_141358.html

My favorite part is the Obama cursing quote at the end. :)