Took a cup of coffee and walked down Dufossat St to Xavier Prep at 6:05 this morning. Could tell from two blocks off it was going to be crowded by all the cars slowly cruising and looking for parking spaces. About 75 people in line when I got there, spilling out of the schoolyard and down the sidewalk along the fence. I figured I’ll come back later — I don’t have to go to work this morning, so let those who do vote now. I’ll head back later with a sandwich and a book.

As I went to vote at Dibert Elementary at 6:40 this morning, I saw an older African-American couple getting in their car. They were both dressed to the nines, as if they had just left Easter Service, he in a dark, fresh-pressed looking suit and she in a nice looking white hat with veil. They took off before I could say anything but I just wanted to shake their hands and tell them I’m so glad you saw this day, and that I saw you.

Just voted and it only took me about 5 minutes. I vote in lakeview on Memphis St. When i pulled up in my car I thought it was going to take me forever to find a place to park but they had a lot designated esp for voters! The streets were lined with cars and there were tons of people there but the poll volunteers were well prepared and very helpful and had everything moving along smoothly. I was seriously impressed.

I couldn’t wait until 10 like I emailed earlier–went down to the fire station at 8:30am and there were about 20 people in line and took about 30 minutes of waiting. Behind me in line was a young African American woman who was voting for the first time and very excited. I told her that hopefully all across America today there were similar stories being shared. I’ve never missed a voting opportunity but I have to say this one is very very special indeed.

This morning I was sending reports from the HumidCity Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/humidcity )as my wife and I voted for Obama. We arrived at Sophie Wright School, our polling place, at 6:05am and made it into the voting booths at about 7:30am.

There was some confusion as to which lines were for which precincts, and the way in which it was handled seemed cumbersome and inefficient. Anyone who had waited in the wrong line was jumped to the front of the line we were in. There was only one copy of the voter rolls, which did not allow for a sensible arrangement of one person looking up problems while one processes the line. We stoop there for about half an hour at one point while a parade of people from other lines were ushered to the front of the one we were in.

So now my vote is cast, as I hope all of you will do before the day ends. Be a part of history. If you are on Twitter use the hashtag #voterport for any issues you run across. Non Twitter users can call 866-OUR-VOTE.

Waited a quick?! 50 minutes at Lafayette Elementary on Carrolton this morning around 8:15 am.

Slight tension erupted as two neighbors were discussing on how to vote on an amendment and a bystander accused them of campaigning at a poll place. Is it illegal to discuss with a friend in line why you plan to vote one way or another?

I took my elderly African-American neighbor to our polling place at 5:45 a.m. and there was already a line about 20 people long. She has trouble walking, so they let her go among the first. Unfortunately, that’s about the only good thing I can say about the experience. Everyone in line was nice, but the poll workers were rude, disorganized, and disrespectful. The polling place itself was far too small to accommodate the three precincts that had to vote there. There was almost no signage telling you which line to stand in. All of this could have been avoided if there were just someone at the door offering direction. So what should have taken about 10 minutes took half an hour.

On a positive note, by the time we left, there were about 100 folks in line, all of them smiling. As was my elderly neighbor, who surely never thought she’d see the day when she’d have the chance to vote for an African-American for president. Truly an incredible day for her and for this country.

I voted for Obama at about 6:30am this morning at Pierre Capdau in Mid-City - took about a half hour, but no problems. Everything was orderly and organized and all the poll workers were friendly and efficient. The line was reportedly a bit longer at opening at 6am, but had moved quickly so by the time I got there at 6:30, it was proceeding swiftly. Everyone seemed excited and most had their cheat sheets with them, so voting went quickly. All told, I was home by 7am.

A friend called a bit later to say her wait was only 15 minutes, so the big rush must have been right at opening.

Now we just wait!

[...] Allman is collecting New Orleans voting stories on the Gambit’s Blog of New Orleans, and will also be Liveblogging the returns from the War [...]

Voted over here in Algiers Point in a calm and pleasant 5 minutes. But a funny thing did happen. When I told them I was an Indie they made me tell them who I planned on voting for before they would let me vote. I didn’t understand why but figured if the fix was in it was going my way anyway.

Got a Twitter message form bogger Dangerblond, reporting smooth sailing in Lakeview in part because of an increaed number of voting machines at the St. Dominic polling station.

Who decided that Red Lakeview gets more voting machines and toss-up Mid-City/Triangle do not? It sure would have helped withe the lines crammed into Dibert’s tiny cafeteria for 5-16 with one of two machines broken since 6:05 this morning.

Voted at Xavier Prep at 10am. Busy, but still got outta there in 10 min. Noticed a relative on the rolls that hasn’t lived here in over 10 years. Which technically means she could vote for prez in 2 places. This infuriates me about Nola. Purge the damn rolls!

Voted at St. Joan of Arc at 6am. There were already lines to get in. People who have lived and voted in this neighborhood for years said that there have never been lines this early. I’m excited for the turnout. Go Obama!!!

My brother said it took him an hour to finally be able to vote at the Suburban Baptist Church on Chef Menteur Highway in New Orleans East. That’s after waiting in line for 45 minutes in the late morning hours! Maybe more polling machines need to in installed.

It took me over TWO hours to vote and it was NOT because of high turnout!! It was because the pollsters were incapable. The two women pollsters were both over 80 and neither could read the fine print on your driver’s license. It took over 5 minutes for each person to sign in. There were 3 booths and they were empty or only had one occupied at any given time. The people behind me in line were yelling at the old ladies and telling them to give the book to other people. I would not do that becuase I wouldn’t want anyone to scream at my grandmaw. But when it was my turn the pollster said to me “well I wouldn’t complain because they are taking 5 hours in Marrero”. that infuriated me, how does it make me feel better that there are more incompetant people in other places around the city?? It just makes me sadder

In Jefferson (Deckbar) I too had an old (80’s) man verifying my name…(we had 2 people verifying, writing down every person who came through after we signed the first book.)

I had to repeat my name 3 times, and he still didn’t get it right. I was upset that the person in charge didn’t pull him after he repeatedly (not just with me) said, “WHAT!?” when the first woman would read the voter’s name from the book.

I didn’t have to wait in line, but it made me even more nervous of our rag-tag process.

Give us a unified process for the entire nation, with a digital memory and paper print out for verification!! Sure there would still be corruption, but it might be a little easier to control.

It is probably difficult to get younger people to volunteer at the polls on a Tuesday. Though very frustrating, we should also be thankful that our senior citizens do volunteer their time.

I was horrified, furious and disgusted when I voted early at the blatant attempts by the POLL WORKERS (gov’t employees) to influence my vote. A poll worker ushered me to the voting booth and said she needed to “show me how to vote.” After the poll worker pulled up my ballot on the screen, she pressed the box by Obama’s name TWICE and said “this is how you do it.” Thankfully, I was able to “unclick” this vote and vote appropriately without her interference. The Board of Elections’ responsibility is to provide a place for fair, open, free elections, and NOT to tell voters how to vote or for whom to vote.

[...] the local level here in New Orleans, Kevin Allman is collecting New Orleanians first hand voting stories on the Gambit’s Blog of New Orleans, and will also be Liveblogging the returns from the War [...]

I’m in Boston currently. Walked down the hill at 6:45a.m. with my husband and our friend who spent the night since she moved out of our neighborhood (and the city) on the 1st.

First let me say it’s a testament to the diversity of my neighborhood (Dorchester) that the polling place signs were in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Cape Verdean. Creole would not have been inappropriate, but unfortunately wasn’t there.

There was a nice healthy line of about thirty five voters, but everyone had to go through a single somewhat confused poll worker. Husband voted with no prob, but friend and I were sent to a second individual who was on TWO cell phones trying to juggle everyone who was not on the list or was listed as needing to show ID (and fill out the accompanying show ID form). I showed my ID, filled out the form, and went back to bottleneck #1. Then I got to vote. Our friend, who lived in shouting distance of the school, was at the wrong place, and was turned away after about 30 min of confusion.

She had to go to work, and despite much haranguing from me, says she doesn’t plan to go to the second location to vote after work.

That’s it. Ballot issues were eliminating income tax, minimizing penalties for a small amount of marijuana, and making greyhound racing illegal.

http://liprapslament-theline.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-laid-out-tentative-game-plan-to.html