Election Day 2004
 

It's finally here... It's Election Day 2004 and, to get an idea of the political clout that the ChiefDelphi community potentially has, I wanted to get a reply from anyone here who has voted today, or if your parents/brother/sister voted. This information could be useful in the future when it comes to possible FIRST legislation in the next couple of years.

I don’t want this to turn into candidate or party bashing/praising… just want to get a rough idea of who in the CD community (and those very close to it) voted. A simple reply of “I voted,” “my parent(s) voted,” “my brother/sister voted,” or any combination would be perfect. If you could add your state or even your district to the post that’d be even better. Thanks in advance. Have a good day, everyone!

Re: Election Day 2004
 

My parents both voted. Just two more years for me! :)

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted, as did all four of my parents (step-parents included).

I don't know the districts but one set of parents is in Saginaw, MI and myself and the other set in Troy, MI.

~Allison K.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted in Maryland last week. However, that was by absentee ballot.

Matt

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted a week ago. My mom and I believe my dad will vote today.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

My mom and dad, as well as the two or three of my friends who are 18, will all be voting today.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted absentee last week.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I am getting ready to leave to vote in my first election here in about 10 mins, YEAH!!!! :) :cool:

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I filled out my connecticut absentee ballot a few weeks ago, and I would expect both of my parents to vote. But I can't say the same for my 2 older siblings, one of them might.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted today in my school. Its kinda like the real voting in a way lol When we'll we get to know who won presidencey? tonight?

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I decided there was no point in casting a ballot in Massachusetts. Perhaps, if I was in support of Bush I would have... I can use this logic, I hope everyone else doesn't :o

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted in my school, but that didn't count, considering it was just a schoolwide thing.
My parents are voting sometime today, along with my sister and brother in law. A few friends of mine are voting today as well, who turned 18 this year, along with more who graduated last year or two years ago. =) Many people I know are voting.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted, as did my mother and father.

And you already know where I live, Bill :)

Cory

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted as soon as the polls opened this morning, 7AM, wow that was early.
I vote in the 30th district of California, which is the West Los Angeles Region (UCLA).

Both my parents will vote today in the 25th district of California, which is a suburb area 40 miles north of Los Angeles.

My brother will vote today up at Berkeley. I can't remember which district that is.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

My mother and i voted today, while my dad did it my absentee ballot.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I, along with my mother and father, voted today in Pewaukee, Wisconsin.

Got there at 7 only to stand in line for TWO HOURS. :ahh:

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Bill and others have been trying to secure federal funding for the FIRST program through legislative means for quite awhile now and the information that this thread can provide is, no doubt, important to those efforts.

With respect, if you didn't vote in the real election, please don't jeopardize the relevance of this data by joking around.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

There was absolutely no wait for me when I voted this morning around 8:15. Myself, my dad, my mom, and my brother all voted in District 69 in southern Indianapolis, IN. I was the 121st (Road Warriors ;) ) to slip my paper ballot into the optical scan machine.

Wooo! for voting. :]

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Mike,
That is disgusting.
Not just that you would do it, but that you would proclaim it in a public forum.

Remember kids, Despite the old Nike ads:
Don't be like Mike.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. You don't even provide a reason for your libel. All you are doing is inciting a flame war and wrecking Bill Gold's thread.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

My mom and I voted today, with my dad voting in early elections I believe, yesterday. 13th Precinct (That can't be lucky :-p )

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted today.

im happy:D

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Got up early and voted on my way to work (before 7am) because grad school prevents me from doing it later.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted. Joe and Amy both voted absentee. If she hasn't already, my wife will have voted by the end of the day. Everybody is registered in California -- 35th congressional district.

Have fun crunching the numbers, Bill. :rolleyes: (And if Joe responds separately, be sure you don't count him twice. ;) )

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I don't think JVN was right with what he said (no cookie for you John!), if a few more people did that, and a few more Bush people go, then Bush could get Massachusetts, and you would be kicking yourself. Just a thought.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Based on how loudly he was booed at Fenway during the DNC it seems quite possible.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

JVN was booed at Fenway? :confused:

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Thanks to everyone who has responded already. This is very helpful for us.

I’ll set a good example and say that I’m on my way to vote with my parents and my brother in the 16th Congressional District in California.

Keep ‘em coming everyone :)

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Both of my parents voted in Hartford County, Connecticut (don't know the district).

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Alex,
South Windsor is in the 1st congressional district, our current state rep is John Larsen.
Pete

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted today.
As an African-American I find voting to be not only a right but a privilidge and a duty. My grandfather fought down in Savannah, GA for African-Americans to have equal rights. His life was even threatened by the Klan but he kept on. For me not to do something as simple as voting would be a slap in the face of my grandfather and those who stood along side him in the civil rights movement. It's the least I can do.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted last week in Early voting in florida and my parents all voted today

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I votedin my first of many elections at lunchtime today after my 3 hour lab, amazingly with no wait at all. It actually suprised me how many people couldn't figure out how to fill out the arrow ballot card. In fact, one lady filled in the arrow and wrote in a [different] candidate....

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I'm very upset that I missed being able to vote by just two weeks. Especially since this is supposed to be one of the most important elections in a while. Anyways, I'm sure that both of my parents voted back home in Milford, and my sister probably did up (over? down?) in Flint too. (All Michigan)

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted three weeks ago with my absentee ballot for Florida.

And no, it wasn't in the group that got lost in the mail.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted for my first time since I just got my citizenship a few years ago.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

voted for the first time on saturday. had to stand in line for almost 2 hours to get into the polls.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted by absentee ballot, and I expect that both my parents will vote today. All in district 10 in Virginia.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted. Lost a bet over how long it would take too, darn it!

Heidi

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Voted NC
Vote or die!
anybody watch that southpark........gotta watch out for P.Diddy and his thugs
jk,
-Aaron

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted a few weeks ago in DE, in the 23rd district, via absentee ballot. My parents both voted today.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Crazy people waiting hours to cast a vote. :p I voted today and was in and out in 5 minutes flat.


Well maybe a little longer staring at the outdated machine and just shaking my head for a while.. Where are these touch screens I heard about? Darn it!!! I want touch screens. People use em at the ATM and them old folks use em at the casino. Why not use 'em to vote?

But.. I did get a free sticker from the government.. w00t!


Oh, and Joe3, no political ads allowed in your signature man.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted a couple weeks ago via absentee ballots..US district 7 in Indiana
Eric

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I can't vote but I told people who to vote for! HAHA (Hints the My Man Mitch avatar, he's running for IN governor) I can't wait until I can vote though.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

My sister (Former Team 66 Member) voted, my mother voted, and my father voted. All said they waited 1 hour. But my poor dad has more to do. He has to stay up all night to report the election results locally from a local radio station. (89.1 FM) To all that did vote, even though I can't, I thank you. :cool:

Re: Election Day 2004
 

So, uh, how did you know that? I thought that voting was suppost to be a private thing?

(I voted absentee a month ago in 10th VA)

Wetzel

Re: Election Day 2004
 

And it's all coming down to Ohio:
From CNN.com

Blue-Democrats (Kerry)
Red-Republicans (Bush)

Just in case you weren't sure.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted and so did my wife. It took us both about an hour.

Heck, I even had the day off to vote. Each year, at UAW-staffed manufacturing plants, a certain # of holidays are negotiated. This year, they chose to have one of those days as "election day". In Kokomo, there are about 9-10,000 UAW jobs. Oddly enough, the county went almost 2:1 in favor of Bush. Our local union populus must be old and conservative.

Andy B.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted at 3:30 PM and there was no line at all. Most people were still working, I believe.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

She blatently said it out loud "Ahh I filled in the arrow and wrote in my candidates!! Why isnt this working?!"
while she freaked out when the machine wouldn't take her ballot

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I didn't vote (9 months to young :'(). I did vote in my school, however.


The funny thing about this is that we could only vote for Bush or Kerry. I wonder what happened to the other 7 candidates??

I can't wait til next election though...it'll be very interesting.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I couldn't vote this year. I was exactly 5 months too young. 5 is also the number of years I will have to wait until there is new leadership and a new direction in this country. I was honestly surprised about how unclose that was. I would be surprised in a different way if it was unclose to the challenger, but that is just my opinion. In the morning, CNN said it would be an easy win for Kerry, and that he would win both Florida and Ohio, but they were COMPLETELY wrong. I was also surprised by Andy Baker's comments about the UAW workers in Kokomo voting for Bush 2 to 1. I guess I should lose my stereotypes. :yikes: I heard that there were two main reasons Kerry lost Ohio.
1. 40% of the voters were from rural Ohio, while the actual demographics is 77% Urban and 23% Rural (Journal and Courier)
2. The Gay Marriage vote attracted many conservatives and tipped the balance.
My teacher also said that the hurricane aid may have tipped Floridians toward Bush. I even heard (on 60 minutes) that there were 4 million Evangelicals (largely conservative) that didn't vote in 2000.
I still don't understand how Bush won by a 3.5 million margin.
On the up side, there is 2008, and it is never too early to make a difference.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

This election has been exciting to watch. I enjoyed watching the conventions and debates when I could. To me, it is much like watching a football game, where I find myself yelling at the TV at times and picking sides.

But... more importantly, I am excited to see that many of you students in FIRST are passionate and interested in politics. It is impressive that you know your issues and are willing to voice your opinions. Too many people are apathetic about politics, government, and voting, and it is good to see that the future leaders of our country, schools, and industry (aka: you students) have the ability and passion to voice your opinion.

Of course, no one agrees on all topics. Many of us disagree on broad political topics and sometimes debate issues. This is healthy, as long as we continue to respect each other. We all grow in this process. Another impressive thing is that while we do disagree, we can still get along in this little community here on the internet. This is a very cool thing, in my opinion.

Let's all hold hands and hum.

hmmmmmm.

:)

Koom by-yah,
Andy B.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

True true, Andy. I plead the case here, and the FIRSTers didn’t let me down. They truly rose above the kinds of rancor that gets threads closed.

It’s true that we all can’t agree on every issue; but we should agree we’re all in this together. Imagine how we’d feel if a regional or the Nats were canceled for fear of terrorist attack. Much worse yet, imagine us wishing that one would have been. Either man would have done his very best to protect the freedoms we enjoy. It’s up to us to unite behind the one who got the job.

Let’s all hold hands and sing – Dubya. [Open Bill throws up] :eek: [Close Bill throws up]

ON TOPIC:
My wife and I voted. My son gets to vote mid-term.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Unfortunately some schools canceled their team's chances at regionals or even The Championship event due to the threat of terrorism.

Some good teams like the 2001 Nationals winner Team 69 were not allowed to compete Nationally in 2002 for fear of the color coded alert system.

In 2002 we almost were not allowed to go to NYC Regional for fear of the same system. The weekend we went to NYC from CT, the war in Iraq officially started - and continues to this day despite what you have been told by the government.

My team had to stay an hour away in NJ for fear of another terrorist attack in NYC during that time of uncertainty. Myself and a few Alumni of my team stayed right in Harlem, and had a great time. We took the subway each day and even though an attack was in the back of our minds (especially that Saturday when the protesters started to gather around Grand Central) we had a good time in the biggest, and busiest city in America.

In the end, no matter who you voted for, you can't plan on another terrorist attack. But you can plan to choose the right person to handle the Nations affairs, and even when your candidate doesn't win, I guess we all have to grin and bear it and support whoever runs the country whether or not you agree with everything that your government does for you, or on your behalf..

You can always move to Canada. I mean, hey.. There are FIRST teams up there to you could join - or better yet area's of Canada that haven't even heard of FIRST that you can start a team in. :)

On a side note, I always hated politics and steered clear of it. I have no idea why this recent election has affected me the way it has. Oh well.. only 4 more years till we vote again. Unless you move to Canada. :rolleyes:

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Well, maybe. A story on NPR's Day to Day today ;) mentions that it may not be so easy. They say it may take more than two years to immigrate (legally) to Canada.

They mention a Skilled Worker Self-Assessment test you can take on-line to see if you qualify for immigration.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

So, it looks like you need to become a Software Engineer or something to get into Canada. OTOH, as a S/W guy you can control your fate and just stay here to write programs for all those electronic voting machines. ;) ;)

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I must say that while I am glad the election is over, because many a time politics cause tension, I am also sort of sad about statements in the light of...

"dubya is now president, so I'm moving!"

Read the posts above, if you haven't already. The people in this thread such as Andy and Jack and Elgin have made very good points. Now that so many people in this country are more informed and have started voting and are registered for the next election, we should continue to inform people.

I hope the next 4 years will be happy and safe ones, for everyone, and that the next election will bring even more voters to the polls.

- Genia

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Re: Election Day 2004
 

I voted (w00t!) for the first time Tuesday. We had somewhere between 7 and 10 booths set up for filling out the ballots, so no lines. However, it took me a half-hour to fill everything out (I don't know, I guess I was excited and/or nervious). And I also didn't vote for Bush or Kerry (if you want to know who I voted for, PM me), though I did vote for a Kennedy as our Representative. It was a one-of-a-kind experience.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

According to the head of immigration, Canada is not giving any special preferences to any Americans leaving the country. Sorry.:)

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Alright, a lot of people have given me heat for this comment, so I want to explain.

I knew John Kerry would win Massachusetts without my vote. It's illogical to think that my single vote mattered in the state of Massachusetts. However, my vote did matter in the whole country. Once reason John Kerry conceded as early as he did was because he did not win the popular vote. People like me probably caused John Kerry to not win the popular vote.

Therefore, I do actually feel bad for not voting. Because of how close this election was every vote did matter. John Kerry's concession is proof that every vote does count and you shouldn't not vote just because you know that your electoral votes will go for your candidate.

Re: Election Day 2004
 

Many of the UAW people I know, especially the ones around my age, tend to be those who feel the need for their own private arsenal of AK47's and hand guns. These people overwhelmingly vote for Bush, regardless of other issues.