Voting in OK and around the country?

[Been Jammin]

Just curious about something.

I was reading a story about Florida voting and they showed a picture of the Florida ballot. Voters had to fill in circles to choose their candidate (like an SAT test). I assume that the votes were tallied via a scantron device.

Since I voted in Texas, I know that my polling place used machines for voting. I know that Georgia also uses machines as there were stories about polling places having an inadequate number of machines or machines that were not working. I don't know if all voting in Texas is via machine, or if it depends on individual county/polling place/etc.

Another difference. In Texas, you have to be registered to vote. You show up to your polling place with a valid ID. If your ID matches, and you are at the correct polling place, you can vote. If you are not registered, you can not. If you don't have a valid ID, you are out of luck. If you are in the wrong county, they will send you on your way and tell you where to go to vote. Clearly, the Texas system is superior to that of Florida (I am assuming that everyone in Texas had the same voting experience as me. I might be wrong about that).

So, I am wondering what voting is like in OK?

Additionally, I suppose that the voting process is decided on a state level, and is partially dependent upon budget (as in not being able to buy machines, upgrade machines, etc). Has the U.S. ever considered making federal rules regarding voting, voter registration, etc? Or, is there a reason that the idea would not get off the ground?

 

[SMemmett]

In NW OKC, I'm given a ballot the size of a CVS receipt and I fill in bubbles while standing in a cardboard voting booth and then I put my ballot in a machine while a 110 year old man stares in my general direction.

 

[CowboyJD]

Ballot style:

Scantron style ballot, but instead of little dots it’s big rectangles. Have to color them in with an ink pen. Used to be a broken arrow that you completed with a felt tip.

ID:

Only required ID is your paper, non-picture, voting card. If you don’t have that, a state issued picture ID is accepted for verification. Voter ID card has your polling place and address on it. You present ID and sign the register. Don’t really know what they do if you aren’t on the register or at the wrong polling place. I imagine they ask you exactly where you live and send you to the correct one.

 

[Been Jammin]

In NW OKC, I'm given a ballot the size of a CVS receipt and I fill in bubbles while standing in a cardboard voting booth and then I put my ballot in a machine while a 110 year old man stares in my general direction.

Where I vote, there are no booths. There are about 20 machines lined up side by side (2 rows of 10). The machines are on long legs, so that the screen is approximately waist to shoulder high (depending on height). You could look at your neighbor's choices if you wanted, but I don't know why anyone would do so. Booths are dumb.

 

[EvilPOKES]

Just curious about something.

I was reading a story about Florida voting and they showed a picture of the Florida ballot. Voters had to fill in circles to choose their candidate (like an SAT test). I assume that the votes were tallied via a scantron device.

Since I voted in Texas, I know that my polling place used machines for voting. I know that Georgia also uses machines as there were stories about polling places having an inadequate number of machines or machines that were not working. I don't know if all voting in Texas is via machine, or if it depends on individual county/polling place/etc.

Another difference. In Texas, you have to be registered to vote. You show up to your polling place with a valid ID. If your ID matches, and you are at the correct polling place, you can vote. If you are not registered, you can not. If you don't have a valid ID, you are out of luck. If you are in the wrong county, they will send you on your way and tell you where to go to vote. Clearly, the Texas system is superior to that of Florida (I am assuming that everyone in Texas had the same voting experience as me. I might be wrong about that).

So, I am wondering what voting is like in OK?

Additionally, I suppose that the voting process is decided on a state level, and is partially dependent upon budget (as in not being able to buy machines, upgrade machines, etc). Has the U.S. ever considered making federal rules regarding voting, voter registration, etc? Or, is there a reason that the idea would not get off the ground?

Voting in Indiana is similar minus not assigned a polling location. Voters can visit any in their registered county.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

What JD said. That’s as it should be IMHO.

 

[imprimis]

Ballot style:

Scantron style ballot, but instead of little dots it’s big rectangles. Have to color them in with an ink pen. Used to be a broken arrow that you completed with a felt tip.

ID:

Only required ID is your paper, non-picture, voting card. If you don’t have that, a state issued picture ID is accepted for verification. Voter ID card has your polling place and address on it. You present ID and sign the register. Don’t really know what they do if you aren’t on the register or at the wrong polling place. I imagine they ask you exactly where you live and send you to the correct one.

Could depend on whether you vote early or on election day. I voted early and all they asked for was a driver's license. I asked if they wanted to see my registration card and they said no. Maybe the registration card comes into play on election day when you vote at your precinct rather than a generic voting site during early voting.

 

[Marshal Jim Duncan]

Could depend on whether you vote early or on election day. I voted early and all they asked for was a driver's license. I asked if they wanted to see my registration card and they said no. Maybe the registration card comes into play on election day when you vote at your precinct rather than a generic voting site during early voting.

It’s either/or.

 

[Been Jammin]

Only required ID is your paper, non-picture, voting card.

We get a card, with voter registration, in the mail a couple of months prior to the election. Some people bring it with them to vote, but you don't need it (I'm not really sure why they send them out). Just an ID. You check in, they look at your ID, check their voter register to see that you are on the list, verify that your address has not changed, then give you a numbered plastic key that allows you to vote when you plug it into the machine. Once you submit your final ballot, you have to turn the key in so that it can be reset and go back into circulation for someone else to use later. Pretty slick system, IMO.

 

[HighStickHarry]

Where I vote, there are no booths. There are about 20 machines lined up side by side (2 rows of 10). The machines are on long legs, so that the screen is approximately waist to shoulder high (depending on height). You could look at your neighbor's choices if you wanted, but I don't know why anyone would do so. Booths are dumb.

No booths? With all the white supremacy around you want black people just voting next to klan members where they can see their choices? Sounds scary.

 

[Been Jammin]

Voting in Indiana is similar minus not assigned a polling location. Voters can visit any in their registered county.

Same here. I didn't make it clear. The only issue is if you try to vote in the wrong county.

 

[imprimis]

It’s either/or.

Don't know about Oklahoma. In Texas you can early vote anywhere in the county but only at your precinct on election day.

 

[Been Jammin]

It’s either/or.

Not in Texas. You can't just bring the card. Have to show valid ID. Otherwise, I could show up with ID and send an illegal immigrant in with my card.

 

[Ostatedchi]

Oklahoma is about as reliable and easy as it can be. We should be the model for other states.

 

[imprimis]

Not in Texas. You can't just bring the card. Have to show valid ID. Otherwise, I could show up with ID and send an illegal immigrant in with my card.

I think you have to show both a photo ID and registration card on election day so that they can make sure you are at the proper precinct. Beforehand, at early voting, all you have to produce is an ID showing you are registered in the county.

 

[N. Pappagiorgio]

I early voted in Texas and my experience was similar to been’s I was also allowed to vote in Hawaii but chose not to because it would be wrong.

 

[Been Jammin]

I think you have to show both a photo ID and registration card on election day so that they can make sure you are at the proper precinct. Beforehand, at early voting, all you have to produce is an ID showing you are registered in the county.

Could be. I have only early voted, so I can't say.

 

[Ostatedchi]

In Oklahoma 'early voting' generally means 'in person absentee'. You go to the county courthouse and vote there as opposed to your prescient the day of. In person absentee voting is generally the Thur - Sat prior to the election on the next Tuesday.

 

[Been Jammin]

Oklahoma is about as reliable and easy as it can be. We should be the model for other states.

Do you prefer Scantron over a voting machine? Or, are you just more comfortable with it since it is what you are used to?

 

[Ostatedchi]

Do you prefer Scantron over a voting machine? Or, are you just more comfortable with it since it is what you are used to?

I like the scantron. There is a paper copy if ever there is a question. They could if needed go manually tally the votes. That and you don't have to take up a voting station while you vote. You can go into your little area and mull over your vote as long as you like while others do the same. Then when done just go slide it through the reader. You only take up a few seconds of the time of the ballot no matter how long you take to fill it out.

It is really a solid technology and process.

 

[lovethempokes]

Oklahoma is about as reliable and easy as it can be. We should be the model for other states.

I agree. I know it’s not all that sophisticated but it works and I think a lot less likely to be hacked. Sometimes new technology just makes things more complicated.

 

[Medic007]

In NW OKC, I'm given a ballot the size of a CVS receipt and I fill in bubbles while standing in a cardboard voting booth and then I put my ballot in a machine while a 110 year old man stares in my general direction.

Your guy is only 110? My lady has been digging herself out of the grave on voting days for the past 240 years.

 

[purkey]

the 1st time I voted on Tuesday it was fill in the rectangle, but the 5th, 6th, and 7th times I voted I just wrote in the names.

 

[100TonsofOrangeFury]

Good thread Been, I've been wondering with all the voting mess you hear about in other states.

 

[osu_orangestreak]

Oklahoma is about as reliable and easy as it can be. We should be the model for other states.

Florida uses the exact same system. Its not the voting method in Florida thats the problem.