Give me a walkthrough if your state/county voting process

[soonerinlOUisiana]

Small city in Louisiana. A suburb without the “urb”.

I voted second day of early voting, a Saturday, at the registrar’s main office. Went in, gave my ID to a young woman at one of about 6 work stations. She printed a label with my information on it and stuck it to a ruled page in a 3 ring binder. I then signed right next to it. She then handed me a magnetic strip card that appeared to be color coded (my precinct I guess). I then walked to another room where a young man led me to a voting machine consisting of a touch screen similar to a Taco Bell kiosk. He inserted the card, and my ballot came up, at which point he went to help the next voter. I voted on the touch screen, removed the card, dropped it in a basket and then got my “I voted” sticker on the way out (a caricature of a crawfish in a tux dancing a second line). Whole process took about five minutes.

Had I waited until Election Day, I would have reported to a park rec center about three blocks from my house. Give my ID to a poll worker, who reads and spells my name aloud as it’s proofed against a preprinted three ring binder by another worker. I then sign, and enter a booth enclosed by a simple hanging curtain. Ballot is on a large preprinted page with a sheet of plastic over it. You then press your votes (feels like a bubble button under the paper) which lights up an “X” by the name of the candidate or initiative, etc. You then review it all in front of you and hit a “cast” button when ready. Then you just walk out. Probably took about 45 minutes in 2020 because of the line on Election Day.

 

[aix_xpert]

I'm in Wesley Chapel, Florida, which is just north of Tampa Bay. I got my ballot in the mail, I filled it out, and I sent it back in. The envelope includes a secrecy page, and requires a signature over where the envelop is sealed. Once sent, I could track its receipt via a State of Florida managed website. Easy-peasy. Hardest part was researching the various education board and county judges on the ballot to identify who's positions I most align with.

 

[DCandtheUTBand]

Walk in show ID. Lady types on laptop. Confirms address. I sign in. She gives me a paper. I hand to to guy responsible for setting up machine. He gives brief tutorial. I push a button on right or left of large monochrome LCD screen. Then I hit next until I am at the end.

This year a new feature was added. Before I finalized my vote a paper tape similar to a checkout receipt is printed. Its under glass . It showed my choices. I then confirmed and the tape rolled over to a blank ready for the next person.

Literal paper trail to ensure integrity.

 

[2012Bearcat]

Voted the 2nd or 3rd day of early voting. Had 20 to 25 people in front of me. Came my turn handed the lady my DL, she ran it through something like a credit card swipe machine, which I guess compared my information to my voter registration. Verified my address and information was correct and she had me sign on computer screen. She then handed me a piece paper with a number on it which I took to another guy who put that info into another computer and handed me another slip of paper with a number I used to log into the voting machine and a 8x11 sheet of special paper used to record my vote. Logged into the machine placed the paper into the machine and placed my vote. When finished voting it printed out my vote, I verified what was printed was how I voted, went and fed the piece of paper into tabulation machine that recorded my vote and stored the paper with my vote on it. Got my I voted sticker and left. Whole process of waiting in line, voting and back in my truck was about 15 minutes.

 

[soonerinlOUisiana]

Not once have I ever voted with a paper trail inside Louisiana. Late ‘80s, my mom/dad would send me an absentee ballot in Norman. After completing the ballot, I would seal it inside an envelope. This envelope had a perforated appendage containing the attestation clause etc. which I would sign before a notary, either at Bank of Oklahoma (my bank at the time) or the copy shop at the OU union. I would then seal that envelope in a larger envelope to return to my local registrar. I can’t remember if I had to pay postage or not. These were the only paper ballots I ever voted with.

 

[Tulsaaggieson]

Early voted. The line was long, took two hours to get through. A poll worker handed me a form to fill out for early voting. Simple form with name and adeess and my intent to vote early.
Walked up handed my id to the next poll worker, and she confirmed my address matched what was on file. Handed a piece of paper with a code on it, then walked to the next poll worker who pulled the paper ballot that applied to me. I filled in the boxes for who I wanted to vote for, and walked to a counting machine and placed it on to see ballot recorded and picked up my sticker and left. The only negative experience was the longest line I have ever been in to vote. I am proud of how OK operates thier election process.

OK uses paper ballots and can still count votes faster and more secure than many states using machines. Honestly, I would not like machines and prefer to keep it paper. Also I still want one day for the entire country and no early voting.

 

[skylinepoke]

Early voted. The line was long, took two hours to get through. A poll worker handed me a form to fill out for early voting. Simple form with name and adeess and my intent to vote early.
Walked up handed my id to the next poll worker, and she confirmed my address matched what was on file. Handed a piece of paper with a code on it, then walked to the next poll worker who pulled the paper ballot that applied to me. I filled in the boxes for who I wanted to vote for, and walked to a counting machine and placed it on to see ballot recorded and picked up my sticker and left. The only negative experience was the longest line I have ever been in to vote. I am proud of how OK operates thier election process.

OK uses paper ballots and can still count votes faster and more secure than many states using machines. Honestly, I would not like machines and prefer to keep it paper. Also I still want one day for the entire country and no early voting.

The thing that I like with this system is the paper ballot is stored inside the tabulator after it scans.
This spring, a county in southern Oklahoma had a tie for the Sheriff race at 2,905 votes. They pulled the ballots and did an old-fashion manual count and each person still had 2,905. I feel good about the system used in Oklahoma.

 

[Tulsaaggieson]

The thing that I like with this system is the paper ballot is stored inside the tabulator after it scans.
This spring, a county in southern Oklahoma had a tie for the Sheriff race at 2,905 votes. They pulled the ballots and did an old-fashion manual count and each person still had 2,905. I feel good about the system used in Oklahoma.

And that is why I think OK has an industry lead on this. States should be calling up OK to get how we do things.

 

[trapped_in_tx]

Early voted. The line was long, took two hours to get through. A poll worker handed me a form to fill out for early voting. Simple form with name and adeess and my intent to vote early.
Walked up handed my id to the next poll worker, and she confirmed my address matched what was on file. Handed a piece of paper with a code on it, then walked to the next poll worker who pulled the paper ballot that applied to me. I filled in the boxes for who I wanted to vote for, and walked to a counting machine and placed it on to see ballot recorded and picked up my sticker and left. The only negative experience was the longest line I have ever been in to vote. I am proud of how OK operates thier election process.

OK uses paper ballots and can still count votes faster and more secure than many states using machines. Honestly, I would not like machines and prefer to keep it paper. Also I still want one day for the entire country and no early voting.

I had an argument with some friends about paper ballots. I prefer them, and my argument was ancient machines to modern machines can all be rigged.

But one of them said we should vote via block chain transaction. That is an interesting idea IMO, but I haven’t thought it through yet.

 

[Tulsaaggieson]

I had an argument with some friends about paper ballots. I prefer them, and my argument was ancient machines to modern machines can all be rigged.

But one of them said we should vote via block chain transaction. That is an interesting idea IMO, but I haven’t thought it through yet.

I don't trust block chain. As soon as some is going to say we are unshakable it's the same as saying "hold my beer". Block chain requires internet access, and physical security is better. The more technology we aquire the more secure paper ballots will be.

 

[fatman76]

Small city in Louisiana. A suburb without the “urb”.

I voted second day of early voting, a Saturday, at the registrar’s main office. Went in, gave my ID to a young woman at one of about 6 work stations. She printed a label with my information on it and stuck it to a ruled page in a 3 ring binder. I then signed right next to it. She then handed me a magnetic strip card that appeared to be color coded (my precinct I guess). I then walked to another room where a young man led me to a voting machine consisting of a touch screen similar to a Taco Bell kiosk. He inserted the card, and my ballot came up, at which point he went to help the next voter. I voted on the touch screen, removed the card, dropped it in a basket and then got my “I voted” sticker on the way out (a caricature of a crawfish in a tux dancing a second line). Whole process took about five minutes.

Had I waited until Election Day, I would have reported to a park rec center about three blocks from my house. Give my ID to a poll worker, who reads and spells my name aloud as it’s proofed against a preprinted three ring binder by another worker. I then sign, and enter a booth enclosed by a simple hanging curtain. Ballot is on a large preprinted page with a sheet of plastic over it. You then press your votes (feels like a bubble button under the paper) which lights up an “X” by the name of the candidate or initiative, etc. You then review it all in front of you and hit a “cast” button when ready. Then you just walk out. Probably took about 45 minutes in 2020 because of the line on Election Day.

Virginia EV Day 1

Check in, show ID
Recite my full name and addresss

Next table, restate my name, cite my precinct

She hands me a paper ballot, I fill it out straight party R and run it through the tabulator. Green light, scanned properly.

Got my sticker and went home.

Took maybe 3 mins.